The Department of Government is home to some of the most internationally respected experts in the study of politics.
Within the Department, our expertise centres on six sub-disciplinary pillars of political research: Comparative Politics, Conflict Studies, Political Behaviour and Political Psychology, Political Economy and Institutional Analysis, Political Theory, and Public Policy and Public Administration. Both our research and educational curriculum reflect these sub-disciplinary strengths. Moreover, the Department has always been able to take advantage of its prominent position within the London School of Economics and Political Science, the largest and most important European institution specialising solely in the social sciences.
We are a home to around 850 undergraduate, masters and research students and over 40 permanent faculty from all corners of the globe; indeed, nearly 60 percent of our students are from almost 80 countries outside the UK.
Studying with us
The Department of Government provides students with outstanding educational experiences that are intellectually stimulating, innovative in their approaches, broadly inclusive and rooted in our world-leading research culture. We encourage students to become sharp-minded critical thinkers who apply diverse analytical perspectives to political issues and conflicts throughout the world. We also spur students to reflect on what it means to be responsible for addressing urgent public problems and give them opportunities to engage such issues in practical ways, in line with the LSE’s tradition. We value diverse perspectives on political issues and approaches to the study of political science.
Our research
The Department’s research culture is shaped by its extensive and diverse research strengths in Comparative Politics, Conflict Studies, Political Behaviour and Political Psychology, Political Economy and Institutional Analysis, Political Theory, and Public Policy and Public Administration. The Department’s work within and across these research pillars covers national, sub-national and global politics and involves a strong emphasis on public-facing research, allowing for research coproduction, knowledge exchange and impact.
Explore our website to find out more about our programmes of study, our research, our public events and our people.