MA · Postgraduate
Public Innovation & Social Impact
Bring people, evidence and creative problem solving together to improve public services and social outcomes.
- Award
- MA
- Indicative duration
- 18 months part-time
- Delivery
- Online
- Academic school
- Society
A deeper understanding.
A practical direction.
Study public systems, policy design and the practical work of change. Develop approaches that listen to communities, test assumptions and evaluate who benefits from an intervention.
What you will learn
- Frame a public challenge using systems thinking and evidence.
- Design participatory research and service-improvement processes.
- Develop theories of change and credible evaluation plans.
- Communicate policy options and implementation trade-offs.
Your learning journey
The indicative curriculum builds from core understanding to independent work. Select a stage to explore its subjects.
Stage 1 · Public systems
- Public policy & institutions
- Systems thinking
- Social research methods
- Ethics & public value
Stage 2 · Designing change
- Service design
- Community participation
- Programme evaluation
- Social finance & enterprise
Stage 3 · Practice & evidence
- Public innovation lab
- Policy communication
- Social impact capstone
PIEM in your programme
An industry-connected challenge
Co-design a service-improvement proposal with a community organisation and build a practical plan to evaluate its effects.
Public Innovation & Impact Lab
A supervised research and design lab working on service mapping, policy analysis and impact evaluation with public-purpose organisations.
Partner ecosystem
The programme’s partnership network is designed to include:
- Public-service organisations
- Civil-society networks
- Social enterprises
- Community development organisations
Partner involvement can include project briefs, expert critique, practice insights and mentoring. Specific organisations and opportunities are confirmed for each cohort.
Understand the PIEM modelWhere your learning can lead
These are potential areas of work, not guaranteed outcomes. Career development combines academic learning, demonstrable project work and individual professional preparation.
Plan your study.
Use these details to compare your options. Confirm the approved specification before making a commitment.
- Next intake
- Intake dates to be confirmed
- Fees & funding
- Fee schedule awaiting approval. Explore cost planning.
- Study commitment
- Part-time pattern; weekly workload to be confirmed. Allow time for taught sessions, independent work, group projects and assessment.
- Practical requirements
- Online projects and live collaboration; confirm any assessment, fieldwork or specialist access requirements before enrolment.
- Your support
- Academic feedback, study guidance and accessibility support arrangements to be confirmed for the cohort. Explore support.
Learning made visible
Follow a project from question to contribution.
See the decisions, outputs and reflection behind an illustrative PIEM experience connected to this field.
Explore a project conceptEntry, delivery & funding
Entry expectations
A recognised bachelor’s qualification in a relevant discipline. Applicants with public-service, community or social-enterprise experience are encouraged to explain how it informs their proposed study.
Applicants whose previous education was not in English may need to demonstrate readiness to study in English. Country equivalence, evidence and any additional requirements are reviewed individually.
How you will study
Structured online study combines guided independent learning, facilitated discussion, scheduled live sessions and project feedback.
Assessment
Assessment may include analytical assignments, project work, presentations, practical demonstrations and an independent capstone. Clear criteria and feedback support your progress.