Are you committed to improving public policy through conducting and disseminating impactful research?
Join our MSc and take your pre-existing knowledge from our MPP or equivalent master's degree to the next level.
The MSc in Public Policy Research is a one-year programme, aimed at individuals who want to pursue a career in applied research that seeks to inform and improve public policy. It is designed for graduates who have already completed our Master of Public Policy (MPP) or an equivalent professional taught master’s degree.
If you have not completed the MPP or equivalent, you may be interested in our Public Policy 1+1 application route.


The MSc is not oriented towards theory and academic debates, but rather towards policy and impactful research.
The degree brings together the research and teaching excellence of the Blavatnik School of Government with the specific needs of policy stakeholders from around the world.
The purpose of the MSc in Public Policy Research is to provide an outstanding education to current and future public servants on how to conduct robust, applied and impactful research that can inform public policy-making – whether by clarifying the nature, extent and cause of major policy problems or by developing evidence-based strategies for their mitigation.
Research to make a change.
Graduates of the degree will have a keen understanding of the relationship between research evidence and other major influences on the public policy process, such as ideologies and institutions; will be able to design and undertake a range of policy-relevant research methods to the highest standards; and will be skilled in effectively communicating research findings.
As part of the University of Oxford, we build on its 900-year history and renowned research excellence. Oxford has an outstanding history of educating public leaders, including 28 British prime ministers and more than 30 other heads of state and government around the world.
Oxford thrives because it innovates and the Blavatnik School represents Oxford’s entrepreneurial energies in reimagining governance in the 21st century.
You will work alongside committed and high-performing people focused on how they can best serve their communities. When you join the School, you also join a lifelong community of peers, and an alumni network spread across the globe.
We receive outstanding applications from talented individuals from over 100 countries, many of whom win scholarships.
Upon completion, you will be well equipped for research and related jobs in government, quasi-governmental agencies, state and local governments, international organisations, not-for-profit organisations, charities and pressure groups.
You will be welcomed into the Blavatnik School’s alumni community, a close-knit network that provides global social connections, professional guidance and a trusted source of advice.
These connections also serve as powerful reminders for all of us of our shared commitment to public service and our desire to make a real difference in the world.
