Democracy and Comparative Politics MSc

London, Bloomsbury

Want to get the inside view of how democratic institutions are designed, created and operated? Join this MSc to examine and compare structures, practices and challenges of domestic politics around the world. Part of a global cohort, you’ll share ideas and insights and learn from UCL’s renowned Political Science academics. Excellent preparation for work in policy, Non Governmental Organisations or the private sector.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£20,500
£10,250
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
£16,500
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Entry requirements

As a minimum, an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard; Applicants should ideally have a background in political science, international relations, law, European studies, history, philosophy, economics, or a related subject. Relevant practical or work experience in a related field may also be taken into account.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


Students are equipped with the theoretical tools and empirical evidence necessary for an in-depth understanding of democratic institutions and politics. They develop an understanding of the potential benefits and pitfalls of different institutional designs, reforms, and administrative practices, and are able to analyse problems raised by new and reforming democracies.

Who this course is for

The programme is aimed at future and current policymakers, analysts and researchers from both the public and private sector. 

Applicants should have a background in a relevant area, for example: economics, history, international relations, law, philosophy, politics, political science or sociology.

What this course will give you

UCL Political Science is recognised as a centre of excellence in the field and offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of democracy and comparative politics.

The focus of this programme is on the design, creation, and operation of democratic institutions in new and old democracies. When are a given set of institutions appropriate for a particular society, and what will make them function properly?

By the end of the programme, students will be equipped with both theoretical tools and empirical evidence necessary for an entry into the world of government policy, non-governmental organisations, or the private sector. The relationship of public participation to governance institutions allows for a broad understanding of how governance institutions might be adapted to different contexts.

In the programme, students gain an understanding of how scholars have thought about these matters, applying the theories to examples of institution-building and design in practice.

Examples of some themes of focus include:

  • state structure, constitutional design, bureaucratic functions and a civil service, and strategies to counter corruption
  • electoral systems and government structure, including the implications of reform in these areas
  • federalism, devolution, and local government powers in relation to the centre
  • political parties, public participation, and new forms of participation
  • functions of parliaments, including issues of representation, representativeness, and their links to political parties
  • judicial oversight and its relation to other institutions
  • means by which different governance institutions might manage the task of governance in divided societies
  • non-democracies and authoritarian strategies of governing, in contrast to democratic strategies of governing

Students on the programme get to know each other and their lecturers well, in a setting of small class sizes. London features a wealth of seminars, conferences, and other events on democratic topics. These provide a means for students to expand their knowledge and to extend their professional networks in advance of entering the job market. Attention is consistently given to opportunities for employment following the programme. Regular gatherings of students and programme alumni facilitate an active exchange of information regarding careers and opportunities, and a Facebook networking group sustains these relationships.

The foundation of your career

Graduates have gone on to serve in crucial roles of the parliaments and governments of their home countries (Graduate Outcomes survey 2017-2022). Other students joined NGOs soon after the programme and have advanced to NGO leadership positions. 

Alums successfully went on for PhD degrees, in the UK and abroad, and some of these alums now work at universities. Some students have been successful in obtaining employment in the business sector, in addition, consulting and research organisations that assist government are popular destinations.

It has been a really fulfilling and worth-while academic experience for me…I’d like to work in the Foreign Office, or in the Ministry of Defence. Studying this masters has really opened my eyes up to the different routes one can take for a career in politics.

Sasha Sumption

Democracy and Comparative Politics MSc

Employability

The programme is designed to enhance career prospects by giving students transferable skills attractive to employers in a wide range of businesses and sectors, such as:

  • Theoretical and critical analysis.
  • Ability to design and carry out original research.
  • Excellent oral and written communicational skills.

You will also learn to solve problems and issues and to build positive working relationships. This means you will be a good team player, who can manage and delegate to others and take on responsibility.

Networking

Students are able to attend a number of lectures throughout the year with policy practitioners at UCL events around London, including at the UK parliament, and other institutions are advertised  to students as they arise. In addition, there is an annual trip to the London Assembly Mayors' Question Time, as well as other sites in London. 

As a student in the Department you will also have access to an impressive range of support, activities, and events that will contribute to your experience. Student societies, exhibitions, lectures, and valuable training is just a snippet of what is on offer for you.

  • The Department host an eclectic and impressive offer of events, these range from our 'Policy and Practice' seminars which include talks by high-profile policy makers, practitioners and academics, to our Departmental Research Seminars (DRS).
  • The International Public Policy Review is a student-led forum for debate, discussion, and networking for those passionate about politics, governance and international affairs
  • The International and Public Affairs Society is a student-run society for all students in the Department of Political Science. They organise social and fundraising events and endeavour to develop a strong and friendly community within the School of Public Policy (SPP).
  • UCL Social Data Institute is led by the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences (SHS), and the Institute amplifies UCL’s advanced research and teaching in social data and methods.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and workshops.

Assessment is through examinations, long essays, coursework, and the dissertation.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

Example of time spent if a Full-time Student versus Part-time Student

  • Full-time: Students study for 40 hours per week. Additionally, students retaking a year will be deemed Full-time, when retaking more than half of the activity of the year.
  • Part-time: Students study at a structured rate per week, normally half the rate of Full-time study. Additionally, students retaking a year will be deemed Part-time when retaking half or less of the activity of the year.

To learn more, please take a look at the Academic Manual.

Modules

The programme comprises core modules covering key substantive and methodological concepts and skills (90 credits) as well as a dissertation (60 credits). 

In addition to the compulsory modules you must also take one qualitative and one quantitative methods module to qualify you to conduct independent research.

You will further attend optional module(s) to the value of 30 credits, allowing you to tailor your degree to your own academic or professional interests.

The programme structure for part-time students follows the same structure as our full-time students. Please note that all students must take one qualitative and one quantitative methods module in order to conduct further independent research.

We do encourage our part-time students to distribute their workload evenly between the two years of study. The majority of part-time students opt for one of the following patterns:

  • 75 credits in year one and 105 credits in year two;

           or

  • 90 credits in year one and 90 credits in year two.

Upon completion you will have undertaken modules to the value of 180 credits, comprising of compulsory modules covering key substantive and methodological concepts and skills and a dissertation. You will have further attended elective module(s) so you can personalise your programme of study to your own academic or professional interests.

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Democracy and Comparative Politics.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £20,500 £10,250
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000 £16,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

There are no additional costs for this programme.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

Aziz Foundation Scholarships in Social and Historical Sciences

Value: Full tuition fees (equivalent to 1yr full-time) (1yr)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

GREAT Scholarship

Deadline:8 May 2025
Value: £10,000 towards tuition fees (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Democracy and Comparative Politics at graduate level
  • why you want to study Democracy and Comparative Politics at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of a challenging and truly international academic environment
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

When it is necessary to calculate a final average mark, the department will calculate all years of undergraduate study.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Got questions? Get in touch

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