Explore global political economies through contemporary questions about power, inequality, crises, climate, finance, work and development.
Our MA in Political Economy (Standard Route) is based in the renowned Centre for the Study of Political Economy at The University of Manchester. You will critically examine relationships between national and global economies, political institutions, public policies and social outcomes. Alongside this, you'll develop a grounding in traditional and critical approaches to political economy.
Research or Standard Route?
Our Standard Route is designed to give you breadth and flexibility in your studies. The key difference between our MA Political Economy (Research Route) and our MA Political Economy (Standard Route) is the amount and scope of mandatory course units you will take.
On our Standard Route, you can specialise through one of four pathways:
These pathways allow you to shape your studies around your interests and gain in-depth knowledge of the shared foundations of political economy.
You'll take an interdisciplinary approach to your studies, with course units drawn from
Our unique approach gives you exposure to the breadth of the field, including politics, economics, social statistics, global development, business, environment and society.
You will develop skills in research design, critical inquiry, qualitative and quantitative research awareness, academic writing, communication and teamwork.
This course is eligible for the 1+3 studentship offered by the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC) North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP), offering a unique, fully-funded route into postgraduate research. If your application is successful, you’ll be able to seamlessly transition from master's-level study to a PhD. Find out more on our 1+3 ESRC NWSSDTP webpage.
Prestigious department
The University of Manchester boasts one of the largest and best-known politics departments in the UK. We are home to some of the world’s leading experts and academics in the subject, and co-hosts (with Oxford) of the British Election Study, one of the longest-running election studies in the world and the longest-running social science survey in the UK.
Unique city
In our biased opinion, there’s no better place to study politics and economics than Manchester. Politics and history, revolutionary ideas and radical reform, are etched into the city’s streets and character, from workers' rights to feminism, Marxism to devolution.
Interdisciplinary approach
Interdisciplinary study is actively pursued at Manchester, with many course units involving expertise and contributions from a number of different schools and departments at the University, such as economics, social statistics, and global development.
We require a UK bachelor's degree with a First or Upper Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline.
When assessing your academic record we consider your degree subject, grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.