MSc Political Theory
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
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Different course options
2 options available
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Qualification

MSc - Master of Science

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Location

Houghton Street

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Study mode

Full Time

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Start date

SEP-25

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Duration

1 year

Course info

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Qualification

MSc - Master of Science

Location

Houghton Street

Study mode

Full Time

Start date

SEP-25

Duration

1 year

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Qualification

MSc - Master of Science

Location

Houghton Street

Study mode

Part Time

Start date

SEP-25

Duration

2 years

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Politics
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Course info

Political theory is the study of how we do and should think about the nature and organisation of political life and its limits. It is a contested, and exciting field of inquiry, featuring historical, normative, comparative and applied approaches that are often informed by adjacent debates in moral philosophy, legal theory, historical studies, and political science.Central normative research questions for contemporary political theory include: How might a legitimate or just state be constituted? ...Read more

Political theory is the study of how we do and should think about the nature and organisation of political life and its limits. It is a contested, and exciting field of inquiry, featuring historical, normative, comparative and applied approaches that are often informed by adjacent debates in moral philosophy, legal theory, historical studies, and political science.

Central normative research questions for contemporary political theory include: How might a legitimate or just state be constituted? What gives rulers the authority to rule, and do citizens have a duty to obey? How much, if any, inequality is just? At the same time, political theory constantly finds itself revising its substantive concerns and theoretical assumptions – both in response to actual political developments and by following the dynamic of its own critical inquiry. Thus, feminist thinkers have queried the classic private/public distinction and with it received conceptions of “the political”. Theorists of global justice interrogate the limits of state-bounded political morality. Post-colonial theory and comparative political theory explore alternative traditions and marginalized voices to re-think mainstream assumptions.

Currently, there are eight political theorists in the Department of Government, which is one of the largest concentrations of specialists in the world. Staff research interests are in diverse areas including comparative political theory, contemporary normative theory, the history of political thought, feminist theory, and rational and social choice theory. Our aim is to expose students to a wide array of different normative issues and methods of inquiry and thereby to enable them to engage critically and constructively with the challenges of an increasingly global political context.

Careers

This programme is a good preparation for further research work or for a career in education, public administration or the private sector.

Key stats

CUG Subject Ranking
CUG Subject Ranking
Source: Complete University Guide 2025
5th
CUG Ranking
CUG Ranking
Source: Complete University Guide 2025
3rd

Modules

Modules (Year 1)
IDP Connect

Entry requirements

Upper second class honours degree (2:1) or equivalent in any discipline with a considered interest in the relevant areas covered by the MSc.

Tuition fees

Students living in

Domestic

£27,480 per year

This information is updated by IDP Connect, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: The fees might vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from Domestic

This is the fee you pay if the University is in the same country that you live in (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

This is the fee you pay if the University is in the same country that you live in (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

£27,480 per year

This information is updated by IDP Connect, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: The fees might vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from EU

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.

£27,480 per year

This information is updated by IDP Connect, or in some cases the institution directly.
Please note: The fees might vary so please make sure you contact the institution for up to date information.

Students from International

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.

IDP Connect

Uni info

London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
London School of Economics and Political Science London England WC2A 2AE United Kingdom
Nearest tube station: Holborn  0.1 miles away Nearest train station: Blackfriars  0.4 miles away
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