Is the LSE Master of Public Policy worth it?

Yes, it is, according to my experience, but I will give you the details for you to decide if that would also be applicable to you. 

The LSE Master of Public Policy (MPP) is worth it for three main reasons: Its faculty, full of brilliant teachers and supportive staff; the diverse cohorts from every single corner of the world; and life in London, which is different from other towns and supported by the own institution. 

First of all, the impressive cast of teachers and the contents of the programme itself. From Professor Nicholas Barr, who wrote "The Economics of the Welfare State" (2012) and has guided key reforms related to student loan system in both England and Hungary or private pension system in Chile, to  Professor Andrés Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy, and Professor Vanessa Rubio-Márquez, Associate Dean, both of them bringing together academic research and political expertise to deliver public policies in a changing world. Because this programme is about how to improve policymaking based on verified data, in a given context, with limited tools. But remember, this MPP is not only about contents but a whole process that will help you deliver projects, giving you the expertise to deal with contemporary challenges.

This programme consists of both core and optional courses from a range of topics within the School of Public Policy so you can consolidate basic knowledge as well as focus on issues you are more interested in. But we began the year studying an introductory course to improve our maths & statistics background during August and week 0. Online and in-person classes were taught by Ignacio Bañares Sánchez.

Among the core courses, I really loved "Political Science for Public Policy", taught by Professor Alexandra Cirone with a mixture of an underlying econometric approach and an understandable didactic explanation. Supported at Seminars by Dr Dylan Potts, this course really helped me understand why populism and democratic backsliding as a whole are widespread in the 21st century. 

Regarding "Public Management", I was able to make a presentation about Universal Basic Income (UBI) in Spain under the guidance of Professor Geoffrey Myers, whose professional expertise in the private sector perfectly mixes with his theoretical background as an economist. Shared lectures with Professor Martin Lodge were incredibly useful as they perfectly complemented each other. Seminars taught by Dr Tom Stephens and Santiago Quintero completed our vision about bureaucracies, 'nudging', leadership, management and organisational learning. Believe me if I tell you this course is really engaging for a middle-career civil servant. 

To finish the Autumn Term, I must refer to "Quantitative Methods for Public Policy", the most difficult course to me so far. Prestigious Professor Mark Schankerman, supported at Seminars by Felix Iglhaut and Jasper Bechtold taught us how to apply quantitative tools to real-life situations, making the difference between correlation and causality, and how and when my favourite instrument (difference-in-differences regressions) can be effectively used. Let me be frank: If you don't have previous quantitative knowledge, this one will be tough, but at the end of the course you will realise how useful it is. 

Following with the Winter Term, we learnt "Economics for Public Policy" with Professor Richard Davies whose unique field experience contributed to enlightening us about how markets really work, their main failures and how important developing economies are and will be. If you're interested, his book "Extreme Economies" (2020) explains most of these topics. Lisa Beihy Pacheco and Beatriz Machado Ribeiro completed the Seminars covering price theory, externalities, public goods, inflation causes, unemployment, and fiscal and monetary policies. In this context, I had the chance to study the DRC's Mining Sector Reform and its impact. 

The course "Public Policy Applications" covered a broad range of current issues such as pensions, healthcare, poverty and inequality, UBI, Brexit or International Affairs, all of them introduced by Professor Nicholas Barr in conversation with some experts like Dean Andrés Velasco (on the Chilean pension scheme). Seminars with Dr Zhamilya Mukasheva and Dr Tom Stephens allowed us to deepen our practical knowledge of these concrete policy issues, illustrated by theoretical and disciplinary approaches. Under the orientation of them and Professor Simon Bastow (MPP Programme Director), we had to develop our final project in cooperation with some well-known international organisations. I personally was involved in a project guided by the African Development Bank, with academic guidance by Dr Dylan Potts and Professor David Luke, to foster agriculture led industrialisation in rural Nigeria.

Last but not least, "Philosophy for Public Policy" happened to be such an amazing surprise: Do you think we should not lose our time reflecting on big questions instead of focusing on practical solutions to specific problems? Don't worry, many people do. But reflecting about topics like the educational system, family, drugs or Just War gives you the context in which practical problems are held and potential solutions should be delivered. Dr Lewis Ross and Dr Kieran Oberman guided us in this enlightening path, emphasising its aplication in modern policymaking toolkit. Under the guidance at Seminars by Dr Raja Panjwani, we discussed more in-depth the ethical implications of suicide and pros and cons of UBI.

As optional courses, you will be able to choose your academic itinerary from a wide range of options, covering Data Visualisation, Climate Policy, Artificial Intelligence, Law or Foreign Affairs, just to name a few. But, above all, you will be able to deeply understand the logics of policymaking. 

I personally chose two electives related to foreign affairs, which is more related to my educational background. "Trade Policy and Development", taught by Professor David Luke, will guide you to understand the current tariff wars, the WTO Dispute Settlement or a Trade Negotiation Simulation, including the meaning and reasoning of BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) and ZOPA (Zone of Possible Agreement). Professor Luke is an expert in African trade, but he is actually a scholar in global trade. Both at lectures and seminars, he will be able to show you how trade works and its impact on global development, from fathers of economics like Adam Smith and David Ricardo to the New (New) Trade Theory.

Regarding "International Organisations, Policymaking and Diplomacy in a contested world", this is an essential course in current times. Versatile Professor Alexander Evans OBE FRHistS, who is a diplomat apart from a scholar, will teach you a whole range of international concepts, theories and tools that condition diplomatic policymaking. In particular, I found very interesting the concept of 2.0 diplomacy, which facilitates communication, building trust, and fostering citizen engagement. Seminars by Dr Aaron McKeil were a perfect complement to put this knowledge into practice. He gave us the tools but left us free to think and reflect about international strategy, negotiation, integration and cooperation. 

In short, MPP academic pathway was really thought-provoking and enriching but it is up to you to what extent you will take advantage of it. There is so much academic offer that you will usually go to and fro through the campus given that courses are generally taught in different buildings. You will also be able to attend special events out of programme. Just to cite a few, this year we were able to follow lectures by Nobel Prize's Daron Acemoglu, Amartya Sen, and James A. Robinson (LSE). Even more,  two major events took place at LSE last week: The public release of the London Consensus that aims at dealing with 21st century challenges and was launched by Dean Andrés Velasco, Dani Rodrik, Margaret Levi and Oriana Bandiera; and LSE Festival: Visions for the Future, an initiative that tries to reflect about how ready we are to cope with future challenges. 

On top of that, you will have continuous incentives to test yourself during the year, developing your skills and competitiveness. Some of our colleagues represented LSE in international contests such as the Global Public Policy Network (New York), Civica futurEU Competition (Berlin) or the Turner MIINT Competition (Philadelphia), whose Award for Best Impact Analysis was indeed for the LSE Team.

But the study plan is not the only way you can learn at LSE. Believe me if I tell you that team works, academic support and daily conversations are even more enriching when it comes to your classmates. It is only in that way that I learnt there is no official sport in India, even though hockey is the most followed game; kabaddi is a popular sport in the Indian subcontinent, and cricket is undeniably a very popular sport in India but is often seen as a colonial heritage. I also became aware that Canada can legitimately claim Superman's father was a Canadian as Joseph Shuster, co-creator of the character, and Glenn Ford, who played the father's role in the 1978 film were both from the northern neighbour; as well as they created basketball since James Naismith was originally from Canada. And the list just goes on as you will be able to experience the whole world through the immense generosity of your fellows. 

Last but not least, I also wanted to take the time to tell you how much I enjoyed the so-called London experience since it is itself a source of knowledge. There are very good universities across the UK, but living and learning in London is a whole different adventure as you will not only attend lectures taught by Nobel Prize winners at LSE or any other University of London institution, but will also be able to enjoy a musical event at Soho, a quiet visit to numerous public (The British Museum, The National Gallery) and private museums (Sherlock Holmes Museum, Charles Dickens Museum) or even plan a visit to any of the UK institutional powers: The executive (Downing Street), the legislature (Parliament), and the judiciary (Royal Courts of Justice). All of them are located within a 15-minute range from LSE. Those events were managed and encouraged by LSE itself through its incredible staff. I remember how they planned and developed the "Treasure Hunt", a contest held the first week by virtue of which all the students had to walk through the streets of London to find out some historical events, British habits and international celebrities. For instance, how fast would you be able to find a suffragette statue in Central London? What about Benjamin Franklin’s front door? Do you know who was Boadicea? After such a challenging contest (a game, indeed), I realised I made the right choice. Above all, I noticed we were in good hands. Thank you Andrew, Jemima, Hannah, Sarah, Pilar and many other LSE staff who helped us in such a challenging year.

 In short, I am grateful for such a great adventure, full of academic challenges, wonderful memories and life lessons, but this is my personal experience and yours could be different. Let me accompany you while tracing your own path. Please, feel free to ask me any questions about this process. 

In the meanwhile, I will continue uploading some entries about life in London, international affairs and current issues, trying to transmit what I learnt here and planning for the future. 

Note: Many of you asked me about the professional destinations after graduation. They are really diverse, covering Government and Politics, Consultancy, Financial Services, NGOs & Charities, Data, Research & Think Tanks, International Development and Aid, Public Policy, and International Finance and Trade. That will depend on your profile, but let me wait until I personally realise how useful it is as I am currently trying my best in my job search. For the time being, I have two preliminary comments: The international job market has become very competitive, but the LSE Alumni network will ease your path. I have already been able to experience that. I will keep you informed...