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Digital Technologies and Policy MPA

London, Bloomsbury

The Master's of Public Administration (MPA) in Digital Technologies and Policy offers an applied, interdisciplinary approach to contemporary challenges in emerging digital technologies. The programme’s socio-technical approach prepares future decision-makers to tackle complex policy issues like cybersecurity, data protection, algorithmic integrity and data quality, and consolidation in digital markets.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£28,900
£14,450
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£39,200
£19,600
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university in a relevant discipline or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Students are encouraged (but are not required) to have work experience prior to enrolling on this programme.

The English language level for this course 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

Leaders and decision-makers working at the interface of digital technologies and policy require a rigorous, multi-disciplinary understanding of how technology impacts the global economy, national security, organisational resilience, fundamental rights, and critical sectors such as healthcare. 

Working alongside UCL academics and practitioners, you will develop the technical and policy expertise necessary to tackle complex issues shaping the governance and management of digital technologies in today’s fast-evolving world.

You will explore a variety of topics and perspectives, ranging from the political economy of the internet and platforms, to how these dynamics continue to shape critical issues such as encryption and the spread of misinformation online. Building on these foundations, you will evaluate the efficacy of current regulations for technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.

You will engage with expert industry, government, and international partners through guest lectures, symposia, networking events, and your dissertation project.

Who this course is for

The programme is ideal for graduates and professionals currently working in, or who aspire to work in, decision or policy-making roles for organisations including governments, regulators, technology companies, think tanks, consultancies, civil society groups, and international institutions.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The degree programme offers the following benefits:

  • Develop your skills alongside renowned academics across UCL’s Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy. 
  • Learn to gather evidence and evaluate knowledge to support policy decision-making, and learn to use a variety of analytical methods to develop interventions that keep pace with user demand and emerging threats in complex socio-technical systems.
  • Strengthen your understanding of conceptual frameworks and practical tools to assess, evaluate, and implement governance strategies and policies that support responsible innovation in digital technologies, help mitigate emerging risks, and foster robust digital rights, while supporting a healthy digital economy.
  • Evaluate diverse viewpoints, building on an interdisciplinary mix of contemporary research across domains such as public policy, law, economics, sociology, engineering sciences, and security.
  • Establish a network of contacts and collaborators from across UCL Science Technology Engineering and Public Policy’s broad range of international partners, professionals, practitioners, alumni, and academics.
  • Enhance your analytical, research, and communication skills through the development of policy memos, systematic literature reviews, and verbal briefings.
  • Work on a nine-month-long dissertation structured around a critical digital technologies policy and governance challenge put forward by an established organisational partner in the field. 
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Graduates have pursued successful careers in digital technologies, policymaking, international organisations, public agencies, NGOs, standards-making bodies, and technology trade associations, at companies including Bloomberg and Mott McDonald (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-22).

Learning to find and use relevant and timely evidence in executing my work in this space is a direct outcome of having gone through the STEaPP MPA.

Headshot of alumni student Adeola Akinla

Adeola Akinla

MPA Digital Technologies and Policy

Read Adeola's story

Employability

By the end of this programme, you will be able to step with confidence into key decision-making and leadership roles across the field of digital technologies and policy. 

The balanced mix of theory and practice will give you the skills, knowledge, and networks that can help you create and implement effective digital technology policy in the public, private or not-for-profit sectors. 

The programme offers the flexibility to build a solid foundation in this field, while also exploring and developing topic-specific expertise in your areas of interest.

Networking

Throughout this programme, you'll have regular opportunities to connect and collaborate with diverse professional contacts. Previous networking opportunities have included: 

  • Networking with researchers and expert practitioners through guest lectures, symposia, national competitions, and domain-specific conferences.
  • Building links with partner organisations and their networks during your MPA dissertation project.
  • Visiting digital agencies, government organisations, industry actors, and historical sites critical to the field of digital technology policy, such as Bletchley Park.
  • Benefit from opportunities to present your work like our previous students who presented their group project at the BSI Spring Standards conference.

Teaching and learning

This MPA programme is delivered through a mix of lectures, small-group seminars, and group projects working with real-life clients or individual projects.

Students are primarily assessed through a series of problem-oriented papers, research projects, and presentations, complemented by short written assignments such as policy memos, scenarios, and simulations. Your final dissertation will include a longer written report, often in collaboration with a professional partner organisation.  

As this a full-time course you are expected to dedicate approximately 40 hours per week on your studies. In Terms 1 and 2, students have on average 12 contact hours a week with staff. Modules have either two hours of lectures and one hour of tutorials or three hours of lectures. In addition to contact time, students are expected to undertake approximately 28 hours of independent and self-directed study each week. In addition to these hours students will have optional activities like integrative workshops, talks and UCL career opportunities.

Starting in January, students also undertake a major nine-month group project on a policy challenge with a real-world external partner organisation or they undertake their own independent individual project. In Term 3 the amount of contact time will be lower as students focus on these final projects, although there will be set times for MPA group project and MPA individual project supervision and support.

Modules

The programme consists of eight modules: three core modules common across the MPA suite of programmes; two route-specific; and three electives available from STEaPP or other departments, as available. You may choose either an MPA group project or the MPA individual project as your final 60-credit module.

You will study four modules in Term 1 and four in Term 2. Additionally, the MPA Group and Individual Project modules span nine months, commencing in Term 2 and completed during Term 3 and the summer.

The part-time version of the MPA follows the same structure as the full-time, but in Year 1, you will study four 15-credit modules: two modules in Term 1 and two in Term 2.

In Year 2, you will study a further four 15-credit modules (two in each of Terms 1 and 2) and complete a 60-credit Group Project or Individual Project in Term 3; though you will be encouraged to start conducting initial research on subject areas of interest in your year 1.

Compulsory modules








Optional modules















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 MPA in Digital Technologies and Policy.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Where you'll study

Two students walking past UCL Engineering Roberts building smiling

Based in the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, STEaPP is committed to mobilising science, technology, engineering and policy expertise to help change the world for the better. The Department brings together policymakers, industry and academia to design innovative solutions to society’s biggest challenges, from sustainable development to health innovation. The Department is located in Bloomsbury, in the heart of London, with some teaching also taking place at the new UCL East campus, on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford. As a member of our university community, you will also have access to top-tier resources and study spaces, such as UCL’s award-winning Student Centre and 18 specialist libraries.

Find out more

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: MPA Programmes at UCL STEaPP (Evening)

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At these online postgraduate open events, programme leaders, alumni and current students discuss the skills, methods and networks you'll gain on a programme with us. Hear what studying at UCL is like, and imagine your future leading change at the intersection of science, technology, and policy. Discover the diverse pathways and career opportunities of our Master of Public Administration, or explore how the flexible, fully online MSc equips you to design and deliver effective policy solutions.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: MPA Programmes at UCL STEaPP (Morning)

—

At these online postgraduate open events, programme leaders, alumni and current students discuss the skills, methods and networks you'll gain on a programme with us. Hear what studying at UCL is like, and imagine your future leading change at the intersection of science, technology, and policy. Discover the diverse pathways and career opportunities of our Master of Public Administration, or explore how the flexible, fully online MSc equips you to design and deliver effective policy solutions.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £28,900 £14,450
Tuition fees (2026/27) £39,200 £19,600

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course 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 with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, 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 associated with the programme.

The costs associated with any visits to digital agencies, government organisations, industry actors, and historical sites such as Bletchley Park are covered by the department.

For in-person teaching, 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 £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. 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.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

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 course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When assessing your application, the MPA Admissions Panel are particularly looking to understand:

  • why you want to study Digital Technologies and Policy at graduate level
  • what particularly attracts you to the programme at UCL's Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy
  • how your academic and professional background and interests meet the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree and how the MPA fits with your career goals

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (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: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy
Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy

steapp.admissions@ucl.ac.uk

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