Electives

STEaPP electives enable students from across UCL to explore specialist areas of policy making for science, technology and engineering.

STEaPP is pleased to provide a number of modules as electives for our own cohort of MPA students, as well as for interested students from across UCL. The majority of these modules are available for selection by both UCL postgraduate taught students (PG L7) and undergraduate students in their third or final year (UG L6/L7).

STEaPP elective modules are mostly taught in term two (January – March), and are valued at 15 credits.

Our elective modules are typically organised in a weekly format of a two-hour taught session and a one-hour seminar. As such our modules require a commitment of three hours per week of timetabled teaching. Several seminar slots have been timetabled for each module to maximise the opportunity for students to take our modules without causing a clash against their other commitments.

Students should refer to the UCL Common Online Timetable (using the module codes provided below) to see the teaching schedule of each module.

Please note that the majority of our elective modules include some form of group activity or assessment, and as such UCL STEaPP requires a high level of engagement and attendance throughout its teaching. 

How to register

Students should register for modules via Portico, and should note that for some modules there may be limited space. In cases of limited availability, priority will first be given to STEaPP's own MPA students, and then subsequently to all other UCL students on a first-come-first-served basis. 

Students are responsible for ensuring that the elective modules they select are compatible for the programme diet, programme rules, and with their timetable.

Enquiries about any of the modules can be sent directly to: steapp.admissions@ucl.ac.uk

Elective options

• Science, Technology & Democracy (STEP0001, UG L6)
• Science Diplomacy (STEP0003, PG L7/UG L6)
• Clean Energy and Development (STEP0004, PG L7/UG L6)
• Development, Technology and Innovation Policy (STEP0006, PG L7/UG L6)
• Urban Innovation and Policy (STEP0009, PG L7/UG L6)
• Emerging Dilemmas in Digital Technology Policy (STEP0012, PG L7/UG L7)
• Science Funding and Governance (STEP0024, PG L7/UG L7)
• Climate, Innovation and Sustainability Policy (STEP0025, PG L7/UG L7)
• Intelligence, Algorithms and Data in 21st Century Government (STEP0029, PG L7/UG L7)
• Foundations in Digital Technologies and Policy (STEP0030, PG L7/UG L7)*
• Foundations in Urban Innovation and Policy (STEP0032, PG L7/UG L7)*
• Foundations in Climate, Innovation and Sustainability Policy (STEP0033, PG L7/UG L7)*
• Science and Engineering Advice (STEP0034, PG L7/UG L7)
• Health Innovation and Public Policy (STEP0038, PG L7/UG L7)
• Foundations in Health, Technology and Public Policy (STEP0053, PG L7/UG L7)*
• Environmental Policy for the Anthropocene (EPA) (STEP0054, PG L7/UG L7)
• Applied Data Science and Visualization for Complex Systems (STEP0056 PG L7/UG L7)
• Digital Rights (STEP0057, PG L7/UG L7)
• Risk and Safety in Medical Practice and Other Complex Systems (STEP0058, PG L7/UG L7)

*Taught in term one