Programme structure: Public Policy (MSc) - what's running in 2016/17

All mandatory units in this year of study are must pass. The definition of must pass units can be found in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/assessment/annex/glossary.html .

Unit name	Unit code	Credit points	Status	Teaching Block
Dissertation (MSc in Public Policy)	SPOLM1010	60	Mandatory	AYEAR
Governance, Institutions and the Global Political Economy	SPOLM1073	20	Mandatory	TB-1
Power, Politics and the Policy Process	SPOLM1060	20	Mandatory	TB-1
Informing and Evaluating Policy - Research Methods and Analysis	SPOLM1061	20	Mandatory	TB-1
Public Management and Organisations	SPOLM1074	20	Mandatory	TB-2
Students take two from the following (depending on demand):
The Economics of Public Policy	SPOLM1062	20	Optional	TB-2
An International Analysis of Crime, Harm and Justice	SPOLM1065	20	Optional	TB-2
Gender and Violence: International and Global Perspectives	SPOLM1067	20	Optional	TB-2
Public policy for a complex and uncertain world	SPOLM0043	20	Optional	TB-2
The International Analysis of Poverty and Social Exclusion	SPOLM1068	20	Optional	TB-2
Migration, asylum and human rights: EU and global policy perspectives.	SPOLM0042	20	Optional	TB-2
Cities, Housing and Public Policy	SPOLM1072	20	Optional	TB-2
Social Policy and Social Change in East Asia	SPOLM4005	20	Optional	TB-2
The State of Labour	SPOLM5110	20	Optional	TB-2
Critical Policy Studies and the Internationalisation of Public Policy	SPOLM0031	20	Optional	TB-2
Global Contexts of Rights and Disability	SPOLM0049	20	Optional	TB-2
Environmental policy and social justice	SPOLM0041	20	Optional	TB-2
Disabled Childhoods	SPOLM0050	20	Optional	TB-2
MSc Public Policy		180

Progression/award requirements

The pass mark set by the University for any level 7(M) unit is 50 out of 100.

For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.

Exit awards

All taught masters programmes, unless exempted by Senate, must allow the opportunity for students to exit from the programme with a postgraduate diploma or certificate.

To be awarded a postgraduate diploma, students must have successfully completed 120 credit points, of which 90 must be at level M/7.

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate, students must have successfully completed 60 credit points, of which 40 must be at level M/7.

Degree classifications:

An award with Merit or Distinction is permitted for postgraduate taught masters, diplomas and certificates, where these are specifically named entry-level qualifications. An award with Merit or Distinction is not permitted for exit awards where students are required to exit the programme on academic grounds. An exit award with Merit or Distinction may be permitted where students are prevented by exceptional circumstances from completing the intended award.

The classification of the award in relation to the final programme mark is as follows:

Award with Distinction*: at least 65 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 70 out of 100 for the dissertation. **Faculties retain discretion to increase these thresholds.

Award with Merit*: at least 60 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 60 out of 100 for the dissertation. Faculties retain discretion to increase these thresholds.

* The MA in Law has separate regulations for awarding distinction and merit.

** For the award of Distinction, the Faculty of Engineering requires at least 70 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 70 out of 100 for the dissertation.

Diploma/certificate stages:

All taught masters programmes, unless exempted by Senate, must allow the opportunity for students to choose, or be required, to leave at the postgraduate diploma or certificate stage.

To be awarded a postgraduate diploma, students must have successfully completed 120 credit points, of which 90 must be at level M/7.

To be awarded a postgraduate certificate, students must have successfully completed 60 credit points, of which 40 must be at level M/7.

Additional progress information

For the Postgraduate Certificate students should take at least two of the mandatory units.