International Public Policy: the most important degree for 2019?

There's no hiding from the fact that the UK (and Europe as a whole) is going through some of the most uncertain political changes in recent years. One of the most newsworthy topics of 2019 will be understanding and forecasting the impact of this change, both within Europe and on other big players such as the US, Russia, and China.

Understanding policy formulation and agenda-setting in politics has arguably never been more important. If you want to make a difference, an MSc in International Public Policy is a great opportunity to build on already sound knowledge of and interest in politics and how policies directly affect the lives.

The issues likely to make waves in 2019

The change-up in Europe

We may all be sick of hearing about it, but the domino effect of the UK leaving the EU is bound to be one of the most analysed areas of world politics in 2019. The first EU elections without the UK take place in April and it will be fascinating to see whether the EU pulls together in the years to come, whether other countries follow in the footsteps of the UK and the formula fails, or whether there will be some perhaps much-needed reform.

The return of far-right politics?

Although Marine Le Pen did not win the French election and former-UKIP leader Nigel Farage was not elected to the House of Commons, the coverage and support that they have received over the last few years has been monumental, considering these are right-wing politicians. Ultimately the French public opted for Emmanuel Macron, however, in recent months the decline in his popularity has been dramatic and the outbreak of the biggest riots in France in 50 years in bound to have a further impact.

It is possible that in 2019 we could see a slow political turn back toward the far right. The UK's most recent and unlikely champion of the right is Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has seen a huge increase in popularity with a wide-ranging demographic - he has more than 200k followers on Twitter and almost 60k followers on Instagram, a platform used almost exclusively by people under 40.

Environmental issues 

A new study from The Institute of International and European Affairs has claimed that Donald Trump's 'words and actions are restricting global efforts to cut carbon'. Since Trump's presidency began, regulations on oil, gas, and coal have been rolled back, causing some the world's dirtiest fossil fuel projects to become more attractive to investors. However, according to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, 'Climate change is a global issue and we are all failing.' Guterres has criticised counties who attend the Paris Agreement pledging to make changes and then fall short of their environmental commitments.

The MSc in International Public Policy at Queen Mary Online can be completed over two years alongside other commitments, giving you the freedom to plan your time as you need to.