LSE Executive Master of Public Policy Guide 2026

LSE Executive Master of Public Policy Overview

The London School of Economics and Political Science has held a unique position in British public life for over a century, training generations of decision-makers who have shaped national and international policy. The Executive Master of Public Policy (EMPP) represents the most significant collaboration between LSE and the UK Civil Service — a 19-month, part-time programme that is the first professional qualification specifically designed for policy advice within central government.

Developed in partnership with the UK Civil Service Policy Profession, the EMPP addresses a long-standing gap in professional development for senior policy practitioners. As Sir Jeremy Heywood, then Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, noted at the programme’s launch: “This is the first time we have had a professional qualification recognising the specific skills and knowledge needed for policy advice.” The programme aims to produce graduates who are proficient ambassadors for the best, most modern, and most appropriate approaches to policy development.

The EMPP is exclusively for UK Civil Servants nominated by their home Department, with each cohort of up to 35 students drawn from 18 or more Government Departments. This cross-government representation is not incidental — it is a core design feature that ensures participants gain perspectives from across the machinery of government, building networks that will serve them throughout their careers. For those interested in other prestigious executive public policy programmes in Europe, our EUI Global Executive Master guide offers an international perspective on policy education.

EMPP Curriculum and Core Modules

The EMPP curriculum comprises eight modules designed to provide a rigorous and interdisciplinary training in the analytical tools that underpin effective policymaking. Three core modules form the programme’s intellectual backbone, ensuring every participant develops competence in the three disciplines most critical to policy analysis: economics, empirical methods, and political science.

Economic Policy Analysis serves as an introductory graduate-level economics course tailored specifically for senior public policy practitioners. The module focuses on key microeconomic policy issues while providing an overview of macroeconomic considerations, equipping participants with sound models and methods for appraising policy options. This is not generic economics training — it is carefully calibrated to the types of analytical challenges that civil servants encounter in their daily work.

Empirical Methods for Public Policy addresses the quantitative evaluation of public policies, covering randomised experiments and other widely used empirical methods for determining policy effectiveness. In an era where evidence-based policymaking is increasingly emphasised, this module ensures that participants can critically assess the evidence base for policy proposals and commission appropriate evaluative research.

Political Science and Public Policy provides theoretical and empirical tools to analyse the politics of policymaking, focusing on political institutions in modern democracies. Topics include elections, representation, delegation, accountability, interest groups, legislatures, executives, and decentralisation. This module is essential for understanding not just what makes good policy, but how to navigate the institutional and political landscape in which policy is made and implemented.

The teaching format combines week-long intensive blocks (approximately 30 classroom hours per module, excluding personal study) with distance learning assessments between sessions. Each week-long module takes place on the LSE campus at Houghton Street in central London, immersing participants in one of the world’s leading academic environments for social science research.

EMPP Policy in Practice Workshops

Three Policy in Practice weekends complement the core academic modules, running Friday through Sunday on the LSE campus with approximately 18 hours of contact time per weekend. These workshops are where the programme’s theory meets the realities of government policymaking. Using a case-study approach, specialists lead participants through the application of analytical tools from the week-long modules to specific policy areas.

The workshops are complemented by group working sessions and presentations from serving policy practitioners who bring current, real-world challenges directly into the classroom. This combination of academic rigour and practical application ensures that participants do not merely learn frameworks in the abstract — they practise applying them to the kinds of problems they will face as they progress to senior roles within the Civil Service.

The Policy in Practice workshops are EMPP-specific, meaning they are tailored exclusively for the Civil Service cohort. This contrasts with certain other modules that are shared with the EMPA programme (the open-enrolment version), providing EMPP students with both government-focused and internationally diverse learning experiences at different points in the programme.

EMPP Option Modules and Specialisation

Each EMPP participant selects one option module, allowing targeted deepening of expertise in a specific policy domain. The standard options include Public Economics, examining the public sector’s role in the economy including equity, efficiency, public goods, externalities, tax incidence, and welfare programmes; Regulatory Analysis, covering contemporary regulatory issues in OECD countries across utility, environmental, health and safety domains; and Fiscal Governance and Budgeting, addressing medium-term fiscal frameworks, performance budgeting, fiscal rules, and budget transparency.

Additional options available on request include Development Economics, providing rigorous analysis of public policies in developing countries, and Global Market Economics, examining economic interdependence between countries, trade structures, and international capital flows. These option modules are shared with the EMPA cohort, providing EMPP students with exposure to perspectives from private sector, NGO, and international government participants alongside their Civil Service peers.

The option module selection allows participants to align their EMPP studies with their career trajectory and departmental responsibilities. A civil servant in HM Treasury might choose Fiscal Governance, while a colleague at the Department for International Trade might opt for Global Market Economics. This flexibility ensures the programme delivers personalised value alongside its common analytical foundations.

EMPP Capstone Project and Assessment

The capstone project is the EMPP’s signature assessment and arguably its most distinctive feature. Working in teams of three to five, participants investigate a major public policy problem faced by the Civil Service over approximately three months, producing a 10,000-word report and delivering a presentation to a panel of senior civil servants.

Each team is supported by a dual mentorship structure: an LSE faculty supervisor provides academic guidance on methodology and analytical approach, while a Civil Service mentor ensures the project remains grounded in the realities of government practice. This collaboration between academia and government at the project level is a microcosm of the broader partnership that defines the EMPP.

The capstone requires participants to synthesise learning from across the entire programme, applying economic analysis, empirical methods, political science frameworks, and practical policy experience to a single complex problem. The requirement to present findings to senior civil servants adds a professional accountability dimension that most academic capstone projects lack — these are not theoretical exercises but contributions to real policy thinking.

Assessment across the programme combines individual written assignments, policy and data analysis exercises, and final examinations. The variety of assessment methods ensures that participants demonstrate not just theoretical understanding but practical analytical capability — the core competency the programme aims to develop. For a comparison of capstone approaches in leading policy programmes, our Cambridge Judge MBA guide examines alternative project-based learning models.

EMPP Admission and Eligibility Requirements

The EMPP’s admission process reflects its unique position as a government-commissioned programme. Eligibility is limited to UK Civil Servants who are nominated by their home Department. Candidates speak with their department’s Head of Policy Profession, who then submits completed application forms to the joint LSE and Civil Service Steering Group. LSE provides expert guidance on suitability, ensuring a rigorous but supportive selection process.

Academic requirements include a 2:1 or equivalent standard in a first degree from any discipline, plus at least five years of post-degree work experience. However, LSE takes a flexible approach — if a candidate’s degree falls short of the required standard, relevant professional experience, qualifications, and training are taken into consideration alongside formal academic credentials.

The application requires candidates to articulate their reasons for applying, what they hope to gain from the programme, and what they would bring to the learning community. This emphasis on contribution as well as reception reflects the programme’s collaborative ethos — each participant is expected to enrich the cohort’s collective learning through their unique departmental experience and policy expertise.

Non-civil servants interested in a similar programme are directed to the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA), which is open to applicants from all sectors and shares some modules with the EMPP. EMPA cohorts from 2013-2016 comprised students from 36 nationalities residing in 28 countries, with an average age of 36 and 12 years of work experience.

EMPP Faculty and Academic Leadership

The EMPP is directed by two distinguished LSE academics. Professor Daniel Sturm, Professor of Economics at LSE, is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) with publications in the American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, and Review of Economic Studies — the three most prestigious journals in economics. His research in international trade, economic geography, and political economy brings cutting-edge analytical perspectives directly into the programme.

Dr Joachim Wehner, Associate Professor of Public Policy, brings a unique combination of academic expertise and practical policy experience, having worked five years as a policy analyst at the Institute for Democracy in South Africa. His consultancy work with the World Bank and OECD ensures that the programme maintains its practical grounding alongside academic rigour.

The wider faculty of 25+ academics, confirmed as world-leading researchers in the Research Excellence Framework, includes some of LSE’s most prominent scholars: Professor Sir Timothy Besley (Economics), Professor Simon Hix (Government), Professor Oriana Bandiera (Economics), Professor Robin Burgess (Economics), Professor Patrick Dunleavy (Government), and Professor Martin Lodge (Government), among others. With 97% of LSE academics actively engaged in research and the school’s position as a world-leading research university confirmed by the Research Excellence Framework, EMPP participants learn from scholars who are actively pushing the boundaries of their disciplines.

EMPP vs EMPA — Key Differences

Understanding the relationship between the EMPP and EMPA is important for prospective applicants. Both programmes are delivered by LSE’s School of Public Policy and share certain modules, but they serve fundamentally different audiences and have distinct design philosophies.

The EMPP is exclusively for UK Civil Servants, fully funded by Government Departments, and includes modules specifically designed for the machinery of government context. The Policy in Practice workshops, the Civil Service-focused capstone, and the programme launch are all EMPP-specific. The EMPA is open to all applicants, attracting a diverse international cohort — 23% from government, 16.5% from financial services, 15.5% from consulting, and the remainder from various sectors.

Some modules, including Economic Policy Analysis, certain option modules, and Policy in Practice III, are shared between the two programmes. This “part-customised” design is intentional: EMPP students benefit from government-focused sessions while also gaining exposure to international perspectives and private sector thinking through shared classes with the EMPA cohort.

The funding model is the most striking difference. While EMPA participants fund their own studies, EMPP places carry no cost to individual students — a reflection of the programme’s status as a strategic investment by the UK Government in the professional development of its policy workforce.

EMPP Career Outcomes and Professional Impact

The EMPP is explicitly designed for civil servants who have “the talent and drive to reach the very highest levels of the Civil Service Policy Profession.” Graduates are expected to work on the biggest policy problems of the future, equipped with analytical frameworks, empirical methods, and political science perspectives that enable them to produce higher-quality policy advice.

The programme’s governance provides a strong indicator of its ambitions. The Steering Group is chaired by Sir Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care and Head of the Civil Service Policy Profession since 2011. Membership includes senior representatives from the Policy Profession, HM Treasury, No. 10 Downing Street, and individuals with experience of ministers’ roles and innovative policy practice. This level of governance engagement ensures the programme remains aligned with the highest priorities of government.

The cross-government network built during the programme is itself a career asset of significant value. With cohorts drawn from 18+ departments — including the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, Home Office, Ministry of Defence, and the Department for International Development — graduates develop relationships across Whitehall that facilitate the cross-departmental collaboration essential for tackling complex policy challenges. For those exploring the broader landscape of public policy education, our Open University MBA guide offers perspective on alternative flexible executive education formats.

LSE’s broader ecosystem adds further career value. The school hosts public events featuring global leaders — past speakers have included Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, and Joseph Stiglitz — and maintains a student body from over 145 countries. EMPP participants access this ecosystem throughout their 19-month programme, broadening their perspectives far beyond the Civil Service context.

Why Choose the LSE EMPP Programme

The LSE Executive Master of Public Policy occupies a unique position in the landscape of executive education. No other programme combines the prestige of a world-leading university, the direct partnership of a national government, full departmental funding, and a curriculum specifically designed for senior policy practitioners. For UK Civil Servants with ambitions to reach the highest levels of the Policy Profession, the EMPP represents the gold standard in professional development.

The programme’s strengths compound each other. The fully funded model removes financial barriers. The cross-government cohort creates networks that enhance policymaking effectiveness across departments. The world-class faculty ensures analytical rigour. The capstone project delivers direct value to the Civil Service. And the part-customised design provides both government-specific depth and international breadth.

As Professor Julia Black, Pro Director for Research at LSE, observed, “The EMPP continues LSE’s proud history of working closely with the UK Civil Service.” For over a century, LSE has trained the decision-makers who shape British and global policy. The EMPP represents the latest and most focused chapter in that partnership — a programme designed not just to educate individuals, but to strengthen the institutional capacity of government to address the most complex challenges of the 21st century.

For civil servants considering the programme, the question is not whether the EMPP is worth the investment — it is fully funded and designed around your working schedule. The question is whether you are ready to join the community of policy professionals who will define the future of UK governance through more rigorous, more evidence-based, and more effective policy advice.