MA International Political Economy

1 Year On Campus Masters Program

The University of Sheffield

Program Overview

This MA offers a deep, research-led exploration of how global economies are shaped by political power, social structures and historical contexts — revealing who gains, who loses, and how our world might evolve. It suits anyone curious about the links between politics and economics, whether you come from social sciences, humanities, law (like you), or a different background altogether.

Curriculum structure

At Sheffield the MA IPE is taught over one year full-time (or two years part-time), blending core modules, themed electives and a dissertation — giving both breadth and depth.

In the early part of the programme, you’ll start with Approaches to Political Economy — where you’ll learn a variety of classical and contemporary theoretical frameworks that help you dissect how capitalism, power and institutions interact globally.

Alongside that, Understanding Politics grounds you in the fundamentals of political systems, policymaking, and the relationship between political authority and economic structures.

As you progress, you’ll choose from a range of optional modules — for example Capitalism and Crisis, Development and the State, Global Health and Global Politics, The Political Economy of Global Environmental Change, Policy-Making in the Real World — allowing you to specialise according to your interest in global finance, development, inequality, environment, governance or social change.

Finally, you complete the degree with a Politics Dissertation — an independent research project where you examine a political-economy question of your choice, putting together all the theoretical and analytical skills you’ve built during the year.

Focus areas: "Global capitalism & governance; inequality & development; political economy of environment; global trade and finance; governance, state power and social change"

Learning outcomes: "Develop advanced analytical frameworks to understand global political-economic systems, critically evaluate interactions between politics, economy and society; design and execute independent research; understand policy processes, economic crises, development, environmental change and governance from an interdisciplinary, global perspective."

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students don’t just study theory: from day one you’ll learn to analyse live global economic-political issues, work on research, join debates, and tap into Sheffield’s research-intensive environment. You get access to world-class facilities, expert faculty, and a strong research community that helps you turn ideas into real insight and analysis. Below are some concrete ways you’ll benefit:

Access to cutting-edge research environment through the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI) — Because IPE is part of the Department of Politics and International Relations’ political-economy research stream, you’ll have opportunities to engage with SPERI events, workshops and research-led seminars exploring global finance, inequality, environment, trade, welfare and governance.
Seminar-style teaching and group discussions — Core modules like “Approaches to Political Economy” and “Understanding Politics” are delivered in small-group seminars (not only lectures), which means you’ll frequently engage in debate, discussion and collaborative analysis — a good training ground for policy thinking, research writing and critical argumentation.
Independent research & dissertation — real research experience: From early on you begin “Research and Dissertation Preparation”, leading to a full dissertation project on a political-economy topic of your choice. This gives you hands-on experience in designing research, analysing data or texts, and producing academic-standard output under expert supervision.
Excellent library & study infrastructure — You’ll have at your disposal the university’s well-equipped libraries: for example the main library with archives and special collections, plus the 24/7 Information Commons (IC), both of which provide extensive texts, academic journals, computing facilities and group or individual study spaces — essential for coursework, research and dissertation work.
Opportunities for internships, placements or broader work-experience alongside study — Through the university’s overall careers and employability support services, postgraduate students can pursue internships, volunteer work or virtual work-experience which complements academic learning and helps build practical, employable skills beyond the classroom.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the MA in International Political Economy often move into careers where they analyse, shape or respond to global economic and political trends — roles like Policy Analyst, Political Risk Analyst, International Development Officer, or Research Associate / Consultant are common first steps. Because of the programme’s strong grounding in theory, research, and global context, you’re well prepared for positions in government departments, NGOs, international organisations, think tanks, consultancy firms or research institutions.

Here’s how Sheffield supports you — and what your outcomes tend to look like:

University services to support employment: Sheffield’s dedicated Careers & Employability Service (including the “Careers & Employability” hub in the social sciences faculty) helps postgraduate students with career planning, job-search tools, employability events, workshops, and one-to-one guidance.
Employment statistics for graduates: As per the most recent Graduate Outcomes survey, around 92% of University of Sheffield graduates were in employment or further study 15 months after graduation; of these, 86% were in graduate-level employment or further study.
Breadth of employer sectors and opportunities: Postgraduates from Sheffield — especially those in politics/IR/social sciences — have gone into varied fields: public policy, social research, consultancy, international development, NGOs, public administration, as well as private sector roles.
Global opportunities for international graduates: For students from outside the UK, the university offers a dedicated Global Careers Programme, plus support with visa-work pathways, job placement info for both UK and global employers, and guidance tailored for international students.
Long-term value & credibility of the degree: As part of a globally respected, research-intensive university, your MA degree from Sheffield brings long-term recognition and is valued by employers and academic institutions worldwide.

Further Academic Progression:

You can build on this MA by pursuing a PhD in International Political Economy, Global Governance, Development Studies, Political Economy or related fields at Sheffield or elsewhere — strong academic training and research skills from this programme make you a good candidate for doctoral research or academic careers.