Masters Degrees (Comparative Politics)

Master's specialisation in Comparative Politics

Analysing the challenges facing 21st Century (non-)democracies
Is immigration a threat to democracy? Is Europe witnessing a surge in populist sentiment? How can governments reform their welfare states to deal with the growing costs of an ageing population? Contemporary governments face these and other political challenges in an increasingly globalised world. In the Master's specialisation in Comparative Politics, you’ll examine the configuration of political power within countries as well as analyse how and why political responses to contemporary challenges vary across countries.
The specialisation provides students with strong theoretical foundations and substantive empirical knowledge in subjects such as representative and deliberative democracy, political parties, democratic reform, the welfare state, gender and immigration policy. Our emphasis on both theory and empirical knowledge provides the tools to critically analyse contemporary problems facing democracies, both within and outside of Europe. It will also train you to assess the effects of proposed policy solutions. You will be prepared for a career in leading positions in both the public and private sector.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/cp

Why study Comparative Politics at Radboud University

- Our international CP staff has a wide range of expertise, including, political parties, electoral politics, gender, inequality, welfare states, immigration and populism. Staff members integrate their latest research and those of their colleagues into their seminars.

- Our programme is consistently ranked number one by the most influential Dutch higher education rating organisations. The key to this success is our emphasis on small and interactive classes and the quality of our instructors.

- Radboud University boasts a strong international community.

- Staff members are actively involved in advising governments, societal and political organisations, incorporating practical experience and insights into their teaching.

Change perspective

The Comparative Politics Master’s will provide new insights into configurations of political power around the world. Politics is much more than elections; it’s also about grass roots mobilisation, mediatisation, and conflicts over values.

Admission requirements for international students

1. A completed Bachelor's degree in Political Science or a related discipline from a recognised, academic university.
A substantial part of the courses in your Bachelor’s degree should be in your preferred specialisation: International Relations, Political Theory, Comparative Politics or Public Administration (COMPASS).

2. Competency in Social Science Research Methodology (quantitative and qualitative)
Due to the strong academic nature of this programme, it is essential that students have the necessary basic research skills. Applicants with little or no Social Science Research Methodology in their previous education may get admission, provided they first complete an (oral) examination in research methodology. The oral exam can be held in person in Nijmegen or via Skype.

3. A proficiency in English
In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English. Non-native speakers* of English without a Dutch Bachelor's degree or VWO diploma need one of the following:
- a. TOEFL (iBT) Certificate: minimum overall score of 90, with subscores not lower than 18, or
- An IELTS score of >6.5 with subscores not lower than 6.0, or
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) ): minimum score of C, or
- Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): minimum score of C.

Career prospects

Our graduates have the skills that employers want: sound research and analytical skills; excellent written and oral communication skills; and experience in working in teams and independently.
These skills and knowledge will prepare you for positions in policymaking, administration, and project management in the public and private sector, as well as in research settings. Our alumni have positions as policymakers in international organisations, political parties, government ministries, market authorities, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Our alumni also work as consultants for profit and non-profit organisations and as researchers at think-tanks and universities. They are also employed by banks and other financial institutions and by the media.

Our approach to this field

Comparative Politics at Radboud University focuses on the following aspects:

- Political conflict in the age of globalisation
Opening up the newspaper or turning on the television it would be hard to miss recent developments such as Catalan and Scottish demands for independence, challenges to authoritarian regimes (i.e. the Arab Spring), the persistence of populist parties (in Europe and elsewhere), debates on immigration, and demands by young people for employment and a better future (e.g. the indignados movement). We are interested in uncovering the social, economic, and political causes of such developments, while also questioning whether events such as these are destabilising or whether they will be accommodated into existing institutional structures.

- Alternative forms of representation
Democracies face unprecedented challenges in areas like migration, environmental degradation, and demographic change. However, democracies must also cope with electorates that are increasingly dissatisfied with government performance and legitimacy. Some citizens withdraw from political participation, some turn to populist and anti-establishment parties, while others become even more politically active. In comparative politics we utilise a variety of theoretical perspectives to analyse these trends, while we also seek to propose possible solutions to these problems.

- Political challenges to political reform
We study the politics of reform across a wide range of social policies, targeting inequalities while seeking to learn from the best comparative work available on the welfare state, gender equality, migration and integration and sexual equality.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/cp

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Master’s specialisation in Comparative Politics, Administration, and Society (COMPASS)

Discovering the politics of public policymaking.
Immigration, environmental degradation, population ageing and global poverty are just a few of the political challenges that contemporary policymakers face. In an increasingly globalised world, it is more important than ever that governments respond quickly and effectively to these challenges. National governments, however, increasingly share responsibility for designing and implementing effective policy with several layers of government (local, regional, national, international) and different types of actors (governments, non-profit organisations, businesses).

Designing effective policies in different political systems
The COMPASS specialisation provides the skills needed for a career in government or other policymaking organisations (NGOs, international organisations, advocacy groups). Courses focus on the barriers to and facilitators of reform, Europeanisation and compliance with EU directives, welfare state reform, and the problems governments face in the 21st century.

The degree awarded for completing COMPASS is either a Master's degree in Public Administration or in Political Science. By joining both disciplines, the specialisation incorporates the strengths of both.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/cpas

Why study Comparative Politics, Administration, and Society at Radboud University?

- The programme offers a unique combination of the theoretical foundations of Comparative Politics and the practical side of Public Administration
- Teaching takes place in a stimulating, collegial setting, with small groups, giving ample opportunity for debate
- The staff has a wide range of expertise, integrating their latest research into their seminars
- Staff members are actively involved in advising government, societal and political organisations

Career prospects

The Master’s specialisation in Comparative Politics, Administration, and Society (COMPASS) addresses themes of current significance to governance in Europe and elsewhere, drawing on experiences from different countries and teaching the analytical skills necessary for devising effective solutions for the challenges facing society. Because of COMPASS’s emphasis on understanding and analysing policymaking and administration at different levels of government, graduates will be able to identify the barriers to and facilitators of reform.
If you want to become a professional in government, COMPASS provides you with the tools needed for working in an ever changing environment and gives you an edge in an increasingly competitive job market. By choosing topics in their course works, students have the opportunity to specialise within the programme. Thus, developing a personal profile that strengthens their distinctiveness. Once graduated, you will leave the programme with a firm knowledge of complex issues and current changes in governance and international politics, and the skills to provide clever solutions. The programme thus
prepares you for senior positions in different organisations, for example the UN, the OECD and EU; public employers, such as local, regional and central government departments; thinktanks, advisory bodies and consultancy firms.

Our approach to this field

Political decisions are increasingly made in complex multi-governance systems. Transnational institutions such as the UN, the EU, the World Bank and the IMF have grown in importance. Policy problems are seldom the remit of a single government, but often involve several layers of government (local, regional, national, transnational) and several types of actors (governments, non-profit organisations, businesses). Moreover, recent reforms in many countries have led to the fragmentation of the public sector.

This fragmentation of the public sector comes at a time when governments face a particularly difficult set of problems. Economic and financial crises threaten the sustainability of what we used to take for granted. Social and demographic changes, such as population ageing, have made existing social policies and public programmes controversial. New technologies have radically changed the risks that we face and how we perceive them. These developments have implications for the training and skills of those who wish to work in the public sector and NGO sector.

- Components
The Master’s specialisation in Comparative Politics, Administration and Society is designed to address these issues and impart the skills necessary for a young professional in contemporary public administration. The one-year programme consists of two components:

An advanced general course that refines the analytical skills necessary for an international and comparative orientation.
Courses that specifically address the issue of the interaction between different levels of administration: international, national, and regional. The courses focus on, for instance, the barriers to and facilitators of reform, Europeanisation and compliance with EU directives, how various countries deal with problems concerning the social welfare state, and the challenges governments face in the 21st century. Courses emphasise questions such as: what are the implications when policy risks and issues are spread over different levels of administration? What happens when national administrations lose competencies to international bodies?

- Ethics
All courses in this Master’s specialisation include some training in the ethical dimensions of public administration. We believe that professions in the public and semi-public sector should be able to identify the ethical aspects of politics and public administration, because political processes are never neutral. Courses emphasise questions such as: which criteria need to be met for which players before an agreement can be reached? What hidden agendas could influence a policy? What interests are involved during an official inquiry?

- Change perspective
This Master’s specialisation provides students with a broad foundation concerning the way in which governments deal with contemporary problems. Students will learn that standardised solutions can be counter-productive because each country has its own unique context (such as culture and history) which needs to be taken into account when designing policy solutions.

Find information on Scholarships here http://www.ru.nl/scholarships

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/cpas

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About the MSc programme

Comparative politics is the comparative study of political systems. The MSc Comparative Politics looks for sophisticated analytical answers to basic political questions: Why are some countries democratic while others are not? Why are some countries torn by ethnic conflict? Do constitutions matter?

The programme is methodologically eclectic yet rigorous, with an emphasis on historical approaches. It offers courses in the fields of democracy and democratisation, nationalism and ethnicity, comparative political economy and political institutions, popular politics, and politics of the developing world as well as a wide range of country and area specific options. Regional focuses include Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, India, China and South-East Asia. You can choose a specialism allowing you to develop deeper expertise on any of these subject areas within comparative politics.

The programme is good preparation for further research work or for a career in media, political consultancy, international organisations, public administration or the private sector.

Graduate destinations

Graduates from our MSc have gone on to successful careers in politics, media, NGOs, foreign service, finance and academia.

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Why does the behaviour of political actors – leaders, parties, pressure groups, voters, protestors, and so on – vary across countries and over time? And what are the consequences of political institutions for regime stability, economic development, political representation, and the dynamics of electoral politics?

This course allows you to focus on these and other questions of interest and apply them to politics in the developed and developing worlds.

Our course provides you with an overview of classic controversies and contemporary debates in comparative politics. You learn about the main theoretical approaches to the study of politics, as well as the major issues and topics in this subfield of political science. You also choose from a wide range of optional modules including:
-Global environmental issues
-Democracies in Europe
-International relations
-International security
-Conflict resolution

Our Department of Government is one of the most prestigious in Europe, with an outstanding record of teaching, research and publication. We are rated top in the UK for research (REF 2014), and have consistently been the highest-rated politics department in the country since national assessments began. Ranked top 10 in the world for political science and international relations according to the Centre for World University Rankings (2017)

Our expert staff

Some of the biggest names in the field work at Essex, giving you unparalleled access to some of the best minds in politics. Our staff are advising the CIA on counter-terrorism, training politicians and civil servants in democratising countries, and commentating on political events in national and international media.

Our academic staff work on topics ranging from international conflict and violence to British elections, and from the obligations of the younger generation to why authoritarian leaders welcome natural disasters.

You join an active and prolific research team, with the opportunity to work alongside a member of staff on their research instead of completing a dissertation; some of these projects have even resulted in joint staff/student publications.

Specialist facilities

-Laboratories of networked computers featuring extensive software for political analysis
-The ESSEXLab provides opportunities for experimental lab research
-Student societies for politics, debating, and Model UN
-We organise the Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis
-A programme of seminars and events run by the department

Your future

All Essex politics graduates have the distinction of a qualification from one of the world’s leading politics departments.

Our MA Global and Comparative Politics will help you develop key employability skills which will make you attractive in both the public and private sector, including analytical reasoning, research, communication, and essay-writing.

Recent graduates have gone on to work for the following high-profile organisations:
-The Civil Service
-Local government
-The World Bank
-The United Nations
-NATO
-YouGov and YouGov America

We also offer supervision for PhD and MPhil in the following fields: government; ideology and discourse analysis; international relations; political behaviour; and politics.

Our academic reputation is illustrated by the fact that many of our graduates now teach or research at universities, colleges of higher education and schools. For example, recent graduates are now research fellows and academic staff at: Mannheim, Germany; ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Duke University, USA; NATO/SHAPE, Belgium; and University of Amsterdam, Netherlands.

We also work with the university’s Employability and Careers Centre to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

Example structure

-Comparative European Politics
-MA Dissertation
-Theory and Explanation in Political Science
-Advanced Research Methods (optional)
-Political Explanation (optional)
-Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
-International Security Studies (optional)
-Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
-Political Economy (optional)
-Political Parties in Britain and Europe (optional)
-Political Theory (optional)
-Public Opinion and Political Behaviour (optional)
-Research Design (optional)
-Research Seminar in Political Theory and Methods (optional)
-Theories of International Relations (optional)
-Conflict Resolution (optional)
-Environmental Politics (optional)
-Survey Measurement and Question Design

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Why does the behaviour of political actors – leaders, parties, pressure groups, voters, protestors, and so on – vary across countries and over time? And what are the consequences of political institutions for regime stability, economic development, political representation, and the dynamics of electoral politics?

This course allows you to focus on these and other questions of interest and apply them to politics in the developed and developing worlds.

Our course provides you with an overview of classic controversies and contemporary debates in comparative politics. You learn about the main theoretical approaches to the study of politics, as well as the major issues and topics in this subfield of political science. You also choose from a wide range of optional modules including:
-Global environmental issues
-Democracies in Europe
-International relations
-International security
-Conflict resolution

Our Department of Government is one of the most prestigious in Europe, with an outstanding record of teaching, research and publication. We are rated top in the UK for research (REF 2014), and have consistently been the highest-rated politics department in the country since national assessments began. Ranked top 10 in the world for political science and international relations according to the Centre for World University Rankings (2017)

Our expert staff

Some of the biggest names in the field work at Essex, giving you unparalleled access to some of the best minds in politics. Our staff are advising the CIA on counter-terrorism, training politicians and civil servants in democratising countries, and commentating on political events in national and international media.

Our academic staff work on topics ranging from international conflict and violence to British elections, and from the obligations of the younger generation to why authoritarian leaders welcome natural disasters.

You join an active and prolific research team, with the opportunity to work alongside a member of staff on their research instead of completing a dissertation; some of these projects have even resulted in joint staff/student publications.

Specialist facilities

-Laboratories of networked computers featuring extensive software for political analysis
-ESSEXLab provides opportunities for experimental lab research
-Student societies for politics, debating, and Model UN
-We organise the Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis
-A programme of seminars and events run by the department

Your future

All Essex politics graduates have the distinction of a qualification from one of the world’s leading politics departments.

Our MSc Global and Comparative Politics will help you develop key employability skills which will make you attractive in both the public and private sector, including analytical reasoning, research, communication, and essay-writing.

Recent graduates have gone on to work for the following high-profile organisations:
-The Civil Service
-Local government
-The World Bank
-The United Nations
-NATO
-YouGov and YouGov America

We also offer supervision for PhD and MPhil in the following fields: government; ideology and discourse analysis; international relations; political behaviour; and politics.

Our academic reputation is illustrated by the fact that many of our graduates now teach or research at universities, colleges of higher education and schools. For example, recent graduates are now research fellows and academic staff at: Mannheim, Germany; ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Duke University, USA; NATO/SHAPE, Belgium; and University of Amsterdam, Netherlands.

We also work with the university’s Employability and Careers Centre to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

Example structure

-Advanced Research Methods
-Comparative European Politics
-MA Dissertation
-Theory and Explanation in Political Science
-Conflict Resolution (optional)
-Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
-Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
-International Security Studies (optional)
-Political Economy (optional)
-Political Explanation (optional)
-Political Parties in Britain and Europe (optional)
-Political Theory (optional)
-Public Opinion and Political Behaviour (optional)
-Research Design (optional)
-Research Seminar in Political Theory and Methods (optional)
-Survey Measurement and Question Design
-Theories of International Relations (optional)
-Environmental Politics (optional)

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This MSc focuses on the design, creation, and operation of democratic institutions. Students gain understanding of when a given set of institutes are appropriate for a society and what will make them function, and how scholars have thought about these matters, applying theory to examples of institution-building and design.

Degree information

Students are equipped with the theoretical tools and empirical evidence necessary for an in-depth understanding of democratic institutions and politics. They develop an understanding of the potential benefits and pitfalls of different institutional designs, reforms, and administrative practices, and are able to analyse problems raised by new and reforming democracies.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of four compulsory core modules (75 credits), optional modules (45 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

Core modules
-Democracy and Constitutional Design (30)
-Democratic Political Institutions (15)
-Introduction to Qualitative Methods or Advanced Qualitative Methods (15)
-Introduction to Quantitative Methods or Advanced Quantitative Methods (15)

Optional modules - choose one of the following 15-credit modules (the other two remain available as options):
-The European Union, Globalisation and the State (15)
-Parliaments, Political Parties and Policy Making (15)
-Governing Divided Societies (15)

Choose further modules up to a value of 30 credits in total from a list available at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/spp/teaching/masters

The following are suggestions:
-Democracy and Accountability: Holding Power to Account (15)
-Equality, Justice, and Difference (15)
-Making Policy Work (15)
-NGO, Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector Policy and Management (15)
-Agenda Setting and Public Policy (15)
-British Government and Politics (15)
-International Political Economy (15)
-Gendering the Study of Politics: Theory and Practice (15)
-Conflict Resolution and Post-War Development (15)
-Global Public Policy (15)

Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars. Assessment is through unseen examinations, long essays, coursework, and the dissertation.

Careers

Alumni of this programme work in a variety of fields. Many take on roles within their home governments, and a substantial number find jobs with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), working in their home countries or abroad. Some work for a research institutes or provide research for business, and a small number have also gone on to PhD study.

First destinations of recent graduates include:
-The Labour Party: Secretary
-Head Office Agency: Campaign Co-ordinator
-Civil Service: Civil Servant
-National Centre for Social Research: Research Assistant
-National Autistic Society: Policy and Parliamentary Officer
-Liberal Democrats: Research Assistant

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Consultant, World Bank Group
-Trainee Campaign Organiser, The Labour Party
-Parliamentary Assistant, UK Parliament
-Research Intern, Access Info Europe
-PhD Political Science, Trinity College Dublin

Employability
Graduates of the programme are equipped with the theoretical tools and empirical evidence necessary for entry into the world of government policy, non-governmental organisations, or the private sector.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Political Science is recognised as a centre of excellence in the field and offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of democracy and comparative politics.

Students on the programme benefit from greater interaction with fellow students and academic staff due to small class sizes.

London features a wealth of seminars, conferences, and other events on democratic topics. These provide a means for students to expand their knowledge and to extend their professional networks prior to entering the job market.

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Overview

Power shapes politics, but what shapes power in the 21st Century? The Radboud Master's programme in Political Science offers a unique opportunity for highly motivated students to prepare for a rewarding career in leading positions in the public and private sector.

Four specialisations

- International Relations
Learn how to investigate global cooperation and conflict from different perspectives and to analyse the essential players that shape global politics: governments, international organisations, media, businesses and NGOs.

- Political Theory
Study various aspects of the relationship between political power and morality. The central question here is whether political principles, institutions, and practices can ever be legitimate. What may we force each other to do? What should we do?

- Comparative Politics
Focus on political challenges faced by contemporary (non-)democracies in a globalising world, such as growing inequalities, new demands on representative institutions, and pressures created by both migration and demographic change.

- Comparative Politics, Administration, and Society (COMPASS)
Develop the skills needed for working in contemporary government. The courses focus on, for instance, the barriers to and facilitators of reform, Europeanisation and compliance with EU directives, how various countries deal with problems with the social welfare state, and the challenges government is facing in this century.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/politicalscience

Why study Political Science at Radboud University?

- Our programme is consistently ranked number one by the most influential Dutch higher education rating organisations. The key to this success is our emphasis on small and interactive classes and the quality of our instructors.
- Radboud University boasts a strong international community.
- Staff members are actively involved in advising governments, societal and political organisations, incorporating practical experience and insights into their teaching.

Quality label

For the third time in a row, this programme was rated number one and awarded the quality label ‘Top Programme' in the Netherlands in the Keuzegids Masters 2015 (Guide to Master's programmes).

Career prospects

- International Relations
Our graduate's careers reflect the high quality of our programme: Comparative Politics. Our alumni have positions as policymakers in international organisations, political parties, government ministries, market authorities, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Our alumni also work as consultants for profit and non-profit organisations and as researchers (in think tanks and universities). They are also employed by banks and other financial institutions and by the media.

- Comparative Politics
The analytical skills and knowledge you acquire in this Master's programme prepare you for positions in policy and programme development in national, international, public and private sector organisations, as well as for a wide range of academic research opportunities. Our students find jobs as consultants, as policy makers (in government and non-governmental), as researchers (academic, governmental agencies) as well as in the media (newspapers, television, new media).

- Political Theory
Our graduates find employment in a variety of settings: in consulting, international diplomacy, within EU institutions, as policy advisors, managers and leaders in local, regional and national governments, and in business, media and think-tanks. A number of graduates go on to pursue a PhD degree.

- Comparative Politics, Administration, and Society (COMPASS)
If you would like to become a professional in government, COMPASS can provide you with the tools needed for working in an-ever changing environment, and give you a competitive edge in the job market. Once you graduate, you will leave the programme with an extensive knowledge of complex, current issues in governance and international politics, as well as the skills to provide implementable solutions. You will also gain an advanced understanding of public administration and of policy making.

The programme prepares you for senior positions in organisations involving the public sector, for example:
- International organisations such as the UN, the OECD and EU
- Public employers, such as local, regional and central government departments
- Think-tanks and advisory bodies
- Consultancy firms

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/politicalscience

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Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Politics at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

The Department of Political and Cultural Studies (PCS) boasts a dynamic research environment with a committed staff all of whom are research-active in the field of Politics. Academic members of staff within Politics have a very considerable range of research interests on which we offer supervision for research degrees.

Key Features of MA by Research in Politics

An MA by Research in Politics gives you the chance to pursue a major research project based around your own passions and interests in Politics, leading to a qualification which can open the door to an academic career or boost employment prospects outside academia. The MA by Research in Politics will give you the freedom to explore a topic of your choosing in Politics and develop a methodology under the close supervision of two experienced academics in the field of Politics but without attending regular classes as required in taught programmes.

Typically, as a student of the Politics research programme you will work closely with your supervisors, meeting them regularly, in many instances fortnightly, in the first term and at regular intervals thereafter. Meetings are logged and goals agreed each time.

Students enrolled in the MA by Research Politics are required to attend skills and training courses at College and University level. You may also be expected to give presentations to other research students and staff at departmental seminars and attend the postgraduate conference of the College of Arts and Humanities which is held in October.

The MA by Research Politics is ideal for those who want:

- an MA qualification in areas where taught programmes are not offered;

- the experience of a research degree without committing to a PhD at the outset.

Research proposals are invited on any topic in Politics for which staff in PCS can provide supervision. It is a good idea to enter into discussions about your research project in Politics with the Department's Director of Postgraduate Research, Professor Roland Axtmann ([email protected]), before drawing up an initial proposal and starting the application process.

Departmental Research Expertise

At any one time, the Politics department has over forty research students who work together with their supervisors on their projects.

Staff expertise in the empirical study of Politics lies in the analysis of comparative political institutions; comparative elections; political parties; public sector reform; comparative liberal politics; UK politics; territorial politics; devolution; centre-regional/local relations; public policy; communism and post-communism; democratization; multi-level governance; European integration and European Union politics and policy; genocide; UN and international drugs policy.

In the field of history of political thought, political philosophy and political theory, there is research expertise in European political thought; democratic theory; political and moral philosophy; Ludwig Wittgenstein; neo-Kantian ethics; human rights; just war theory and international ethics; philosophy of religion; philosophical anthropology; postcolonialism and Orientalism.

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China has the world’s biggest population and the second largest economy in the world. As part of the BRICS and BASIC group, China has a large impact in world affairs: understanding China is increasingly becoming essential to understanding the world. Politics and International Relations of China provide a fascinating opportunity to examine issues and themes in modern politics. From dynastic rule to the fall of the Qing, unequal treaties and their legacies in the form of Hong Kong and Macau, China offers an example for examining and analyzing long standing questions of territory, border, identity and sovereignty. From these historical origins to the more recent ‘Rise of China’, the buzzword of the 21st Century, this MSc degree brings together elements required to fully appreciate and understand China’s rise, its origins, and its current position in the world.

The MSc covers China’s domestic and international politics, and the historical and theoretical issues through the Chinese Politics courses of State and Society in the Chinese Political process (domestic politics), China and International Politics (international relations) and Taiwan’s Politics and Cross-Strait Relations. Each China Politics course combines empirical and theoretical material in a historically sensitive manner. The courses aim to establish thematic groupings for the purposes of considering and debating the government and politics of China, and further examine the relations between the government and politics of China and regional developments, international pressures, and the global political economy.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/msc-politics-of-china/

Programme Specification

Programme Specification 2012 (pdf; 109kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/msc-politics-of-china/file68460.pdf

Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (L&SS)

Welcome to the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at SOAS. The faculty is the largest in the School in terms of student and staff numbers and consists of the departments of Development Studies, Economics, Financial and Management Studies, Politics and International Studies and the School of Law, as well as the Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Sciences, the Centre for Gender Studies, the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, the Centre of Taiwan Studies and a number of department-specific centres. All five departments offer undergraduate programmes, and all but Finance and International Management offer joint undergraduate degrees which can be combined with other disciplines from across the School. Each department also offers a range of masters-level programmes with a regional or disciplinary specialism, as well as a postgraduate research programme. The range of course options and combinations is one of the most distinctive characteristics of studying at SOAS and all students are given the option of studying an Asian or African language, either as part of or on top of their degree.

Staff in the faculty come from all over the world and combine regional knowledge with disciplinary specialisms. Teaching draws heavily on academic staff’s individual research which allows the faculty to maintain a large portfolio of courses, often exploring cutting-edge issues. Many faculty members have played a significant part in public debates and policy-making in relation to Asia and Africa. Academics in the faculty are regularly consulted by governments, public bodies and multilateral organisations including the United Nations and the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, European Commission, DFID and other country-specific organisations and NGOs.

-Excellent student satisfaction for Faculty of Law and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (LSS) at SOAS, University of London has performed extremely well according to the 2014 National Student Survey (NSS).

Department of Politics and International Studies

The Department’s academic staff are leading and highly-regarded scholars in their fields and most have knowledge of one or more languages of their regions of interest, in addition to their disciplinary specialism.

Staff members conduct cutting-edge research on the politics of the Global South, with expertise in nationalism, urban politics, political violence, security, migration and diaspora mobilization, Islamic political and intellectual history, transitional justice, politics of multiculturalism, international relations theory, gender, comparative political economy, human rights, and the study of ideologies.

View Degree Programmes - http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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The Department of Politics and International Studies offers seven linked masters programmes in politics and the international politics of Asia and Africa. The MSc Central Asian Politics is a regional specialist MSc, aiming to provide students with a detailed specialist understanding of both domestic and international politics (and of the implications of one for the other) in Central Asia. At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work. Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write substantial papers that often require significant independent work.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/msccentaspol/

Structure

Students complete three examined courses and write a 10,000 word dissertation.

Students can take only ONE DISCIPLINARY politics course

1: 15PPOC007 Politics and Society in Central Asia (compulsory)

2: ONE of the following REGIONAL politics courses:
15PPOC248 International Politics of Asia
15PPOC241 Government and Politics of Turkey
OR
ONE of the following DISCIPLINARY courses:

15PPOC017 State and Development in Asia and Africa
15PPOC008 State and Society in Asia and Africa
15PPOC015 Modernity in Asia and Africa
AND

3: ONE of the following DISCIPLINARY courses (if a DISCIPLINARY course not already chosen in 2):

15PPOC017 State and Development in Asia and Africa
15PPOC008 State and Development in Asia and Africa
15PPOC015 Modernity in Asia and Africa
OR
ONE of the following language courses

Elementary Persian
Elementary Turkish
Elementary Georgian
Elementary Uzbek(or another language course at a suitable level)

AND

4: 15PPOC999 Dissertation
(on an aspect of Central Asian Politics)

Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (L&SS)

Welcome to the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at SOAS. The faculty is the largest in the School in terms of student and staff numbers and consists of the departments of Development Studies, Economics, Financial and Management Studies, Politics and International Studies and the School of Law, as well as the Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Sciences, the Centre for Gender Studies, the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, the Centre of Taiwan Studies and a number of department-specific centres. All five departments offer undergraduate programmes, and all but Finance and International Management offer joint undergraduate degrees which can be combined with other disciplines from across the School. Each department also offers a range of masters-level programmes with a regional or disciplinary specialism, as well as a postgraduate research programme. The range of course options and combinations is one of the most distinctive characteristics of studying at SOAS and all students are given the option of studying an Asian or African language, either as part of or on top of their degree.

Staff in the faculty come from all over the world and combine regional knowledge with disciplinary specialisms. Teaching draws heavily on academic staff’s individual research which allows the faculty to maintain a large portfolio of courses, often exploring cutting-edge issues. Many faculty members have played a significant part in public debates and policy-making in relation to Asia and Africa. Academics in the faculty are regularly consulted by governments, public bodies and multilateral organisations including the United Nations and the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, European Commission, DFID and other country-specific organisations and NGOs.

-Excellent student satisfaction for Faculty of Law and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (LSS) at SOAS, University of London has performed extremely well according to the 2014 National Student Survey (NSS).

Department of Politics and International Studies

The Department’s academic staff are leading and highly-regarded scholars in their fields and most have knowledge of one or more languages of their regions of interest, in addition to their disciplinary specialism.

Staff members conduct cutting-edge research on the politics of the Global South, with expertise in nationalism, urban politics, political violence, security, migration and diaspora mobilization, Islamic political and intellectual history, transitional justice, politics of multiculturalism, international relations theory, gender, comparative political economy, human rights, and the study of ideologies.

View Degree Programmes - http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Overview

The MA in International Relations and European Politics provides students with:

- A unique postgraduate experience designed to train graduates pursuing international careers in administration, diplomacy, policy formation and research
- The opportunity to study in an internationally diverse postgraduate community
- An enthusiastic and approachable teaching team who are internationally renowned experts in their research fields
- A clear geographical perspective to international relations and a solid analytical framework in a unique blend of theory and empirical analysis
- Insight into contemporary international relations and the dimensions of political interactions.

The programme explores contemporary European politics and societies. It has a distinctive focus on European policies and policy making. You will study the interplay of multi-level governance between European and national institutions.

Visit the website http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/programmes/ma-in-inte-rela-euro-poli/

Programme structure

The Masters in International Relations and European Politics (MIREP) may be taken full-time (one year) or part-time and includes PG Certificate and PG Diploma qualifications.

The first semester comprises an advanced introduction to the core elements of the field of International Relations.

The second semester encourages the student to focus on the department’s key strengths in conflict and security, European studies, politics and society.

Students prepare a dissertation during the final three months of the programme, drawing on core ideas in undertaking a more sustained piece of research on a question that they themselves identify.

Examples of themes for dissertations include peace resolution in the Balkans, the EU’s external action agency, EU-China relations, international intervention and the ‘right-to-protect’, eco-politics and sustainability, ethnic belonging and desecuritization, bio-terrorism, and counter-terrorist policies.

Core units:

- International relations theories
- Comparative European Politics
- Scopes & methods of politics & international relations
- Masters dissertation

Optional units:

- The politics of sustainability: environmental security & international relations
- Resilience & national security
- The politics of migration
- Memory culture – memory politics
- Europe in global politics
- Multilevel governance & multi-layered citizenship in Europe
- Social modernisation & the transformation of democracy
- European security
- Foreign policy analysis
- Comparative European social policy
- International organisations in world politics
- Global governance
- Britain and Europe

View programme catalogue (http://www.bath.ac.uk/catalogues/2015-2016/pl/pl-proglist-pg.html#A) for further information about units.

Learning and teaching

Our programmes are modular, consisting of self-contained units, taught and assessed on a semester basis. As you progress through each semester and successfully pass the examinations, you will receive credit for the units, thus providing you with a clear indication of your academic progress.

Teaching takes the form of lectures, classes and seminars. Lectures are quite formal, whereas classes and seminars involve interaction between the lecturer and a small number of students for study skills and discussion.

Methods of assessment

Assessment consists of a combination of coursework essays, class exercises, projects, oral presentations and examinations.

We also place strong emphasis on developing presentation and discussion/communication skills which, in many units, is part of the assessed work.

Careers

Graduates from our MA in International Relations and European Politics acquire broad knowledge about politics and policy-making in the contemporary international arena and about the role of Europe and the European Union within it, as well as essential skills to apply this knowledge in a wide variety of professional contexts. They are well-equipped to pursue successful careers in international organisations, multinational corporations, public bodies and think tanks.

Particularly outstanding candidates with an interest in academia can also proceed to doctoral research.

About the department

The Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies (PoLIS) is one of the largest departments in the University.

Many staff are leading scholars in their field and are involved in a wide range of research activities, including collaborative projects at both national and international levels.

International and industrial links:

- Our department has links with 22 Erasmus partner institutions, as well as universities in Russia and Mexico.
- Research students regularly engage in fieldwork abroad, especially in the countries of the European Union, but also in Russia, Latin America and the United States.
- Students on the Euromasters programme study at two or three different sites in either Europe or the USA.
- In the case of the MA Interpreting & Translating and the MA Translation & Professional Language Skills, a number of work placements in Western Europe are made available to students in the language services of international organisations, government departments and commercial enterprises.

Our research

Experts from our department are publishing regularly in the most highly ranked international journals.

Our academic expertise and research activities are organised into three broad Research Clusters:

- Conflict, Security & International Order
- Governance, Citizenship & Policy
- Memory, History & Identity

International collaboration:
Many staff are internationally leading scholars in their field. We are involved in a wide range of research activities, including collaborative projects at both national and international levels.

Projects are funded by a variety of bodies such as:

- Economics & Social Research Council (ESRC)
- European Commission Framework Programme
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

Stimulating cutting edge research:
Our diversity and the disciplinary mix of political science, political theory, policy analysis, social anthropology, political sociology and others make for a very stimulating environment for students to develop their own research projects.

The integration of our research community is further enhanced through the International Relations & European Politics (IREP) postgraduate group.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/hss/graduate-school/taught-programmes/how-to-apply/

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We are living through an era of tumultuous change in how politics is conducted and communicated. The great digital disruption of the early 21st century continues to work its way through media systems around the world, forcing change, adaptation, and renewal across a whole range of areas: political parties and campaigns, interest groups, social movements, activist organisations, news and journalism, the communication industries, governments, and international relations.

In the New Political Communication Unit at Royal Holloway, University of London, we believe the key to making sense of these chaotic developments is the idea of power—how it is generated, how it is used, and how it shapes the diverse information and communication flows that affect all our lives.

This unique new Masters degree, which replaces the MSc in New Political Communication, is for critically-minded, free-thinking individuals who want to engage with the exciting intellectual ferment that is being generated by these unprecedented times. The curriculum integrates rigorous study of the very best academic research with an emphasis on making sense of political communication as it is practiced in the real world, in both "old" and "new" media settings.

While not a practice-based course, the MSc Media, Power, and Public Affairs is perfect for those who wish to build a career in the growing range of professions that require deep and critical insight into the relationship between media and politics and public communication more generally. These include advocacy, campaign management, political communication consultancy, journalism, government communication, policy analysis, public opinion and semantic polling, and public diplomacy, to name but a few. Plus, due to its strong emphasis on scholarly rigour, the MSc in Media, Power, and Public Affairs is also the perfect foundation for a PhD in political communication.

You will study a mixture of core and elective units, including a generous choice of free options, and write a supervised dissertation over the summer. Teaching is conducted primarily in small group seminars that meet weekly for two hours, supplemented by individual tuition for the dissertation.

This course is also offered at Postgraduate Diploma level for those who do not have the academic background necessary to begin an advanced Masters degree. The structure of the Diploma is identical except that you will not write a dissertation. If you are successful on the Diploma you may transfer to the MSc, subject to academic approval.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/politicsandir/coursefinder/mscpgdipmediapowerandpublicaffairs.aspx

Why choose this course?

- be taught by internationally-leading scholars in the field of political communication

- the curriculum integrates rigorous study of the very best academic research with an emphasis on making sense of political communication as it is practiced in the real world, in both "old" and "new" media settings

- perfect for those who wish to build a career in the growing range of professions that require deep and critical insight into the relationship between media and politics and public communication more generally

- a unique focus on the question of power and influence in today’s radically networked societies.

On completion of the programme, you will have:
- advanced knowledge and critical understanding of key concepts, theoretical debates, and developments in the field of political communication

- advanced knowledge of the texts, theories, and methods used to enhance understanding of the issues, processes, and phenomena in the field of political communication

- advanced knowledge and critical understanding of research methods in the social sciences

- a solid foundation for a career in the growing range of professions that require deep and critical insight into the relationship between media and politics and public communication more generally, or for a PhD in any area of media and politics.

Department research and industry highlights

- The New Political Communication Unit’s research agenda focuses on the impact of new media and communication technologies on politics, policy and governance. Core staff include Professor Andrew Chadwick, Professor Ben O’Loughlin, Dr Alister Miskimmon, and Dr Cristian Vaccari. Recent books include Andrew Chadwick’s The Hybrid Media System: Politics and Power (Oxford University Press, 2013), Cristian Vaccari’s Digital Politics in Western Democracies: A Comparative Study (Johns Hopkins University Press), and Alister Miskimmon, Ben O’Loughlin, and Laura Roselle’s, Strategic Narratives: Communication Power and the New World Order (Routledge, 2013). Andrew Chadwick edits the Oxford University Press book series Oxford Studies in Digital Politics and Ben O’Loughlin is co-editor of the journal Media, War and Conflict. The Unit hosts a large number of PhD students working in the field of new political communication.

Course content and structure

You will study four core course units (chosen from a total of six options), two elective units, and write a dissertation over the summer. Course units include one of three disciplinary training pathway courses, a course in research design, analysing international politics, and specialist options in international relations.

Students studying for the Postgraduate Diploma do not undertake the dissertation.

Core course units:
Media, Power, and Public Affairs: You will examine the relationship between media, politics and power in contemporary political life. This unit focuses on a number of important foundational themes, including theories of media effects, the construction of political news, election campaigning, government communications and spin, media regulation, the emergence of digital media, the globalisation of media, agenda setting, and propaganda and the role of media in international affairs. The overarching rationale is that we live in an era in which the massive diversity of media, new technologies, and new methodologies demands new forms of analysis. The approach will be comparative and international.

Internet and New Media Politics:
 Drawing predominantly, though not exclusively, upon specialist academic journal literatures, this course focuses on a number of important contemporary debates about the role and influence of new technologies on the values, processes and outcomes of: global governance institutions; public bureaucracies; journalism and news production; representative institutions including political parties and legislatures; pressure groups and social movements. It also examines persistent and controversial policy problems generated by digital media, such as privacy and surveillance, the nature of contemporary media systems, and the balance of power between older and newer media logics in social and political life. By the end of the course students will have an understanding of the key issues thrown up by the internet and new media, as well as a critical perspective on what these terms actually mean. The approach will be comparative, drawing on examples from around the world, including the developing world, but the principal focus will be on the politics of the United States and Britain.

Social Media and Politics: This course addresses the various ways in which social media are changing the relationships between politicians, citizens, and the media. The course will start by laying out broad arguments and debates about the democratic implications of social media that are ongoing not just in academic circles but also in public commentary, political circles, and policy networks—do social media expand or narrow civic engagement? Do they lead to cross-cutting relationships or self-reinforcing echo chambers? Do they hinder or promote political participation? Are they useful in campaigns or just the latest fashion? Do they foster effective direct communication between politicians and citizens? Are they best understood as technologies of freedom or as surveillance tools? These debates will be addressed throughout the course by drawing on recent empirical research published in the most highly rated academic journals in the field. The course will thus enable students to understand how social media are used by citizens, politicians, and media professionals to access, distribute, and co-produce contents that are relevant to politics and public affairs and establish opportunities for political and civic engagement.

Media, War and Conflict:
The post-9/11 global security situation and the 2003 Iraq war have prompted a marked increase in interest in questions concerning media, war and conflict. This unit examines the relationships between media, governments, military, and audiences/publics, in light of old, new, and potential future security events.

Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in Politics and International Relations:
 You will be provided with an introduction to core theories and qualitative approaches in politics and international relations. You will examine a number of explanatory/theoretical frameworks, their basic assumptions, strengths and weaknesses, and concrete research applications. You will consider the various qualitative techniques available for conducting research, the range of decisions qualitative researchers face, and the trade-offs researchers must consider when designing qualitative research.

Dissertation (MSc only): The dissertation gives you the opportunity to study an aspect of Media, Power, and Public Affairs in depth. You will be assigned a dissertation supervisor and the length of the piece will be 12,000 words.

Elective course units:
Note: not all course units are available every year, but may include:
- Politics of Democracy
- Elections and Parties
- United States Foreign Policy
- Human Rights: From Theory to Practice
- Theories and Concepts in International Public Policy
- Contemporary Anglo-American Political Theory
- Transnational Security Studies
- Conflict and Conflict Resolution in the Middle East
- The Law of Cyber Warfare
- Comparative Political Executives
- European Union Politics and Policy
- International Public Policy in Practice
- Sovereignty, Rights and Justice
- Theories of Globalisation
- Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods in Politics and International Relations

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by coursework and an individually-supervised dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Advocacy, campaign management, political communication consultancy, journalism, government communication, policy analysis, public opinion and semantic polling, public diplomacy, PhD research.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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2015 and 2016 have witnessed enormous changes in international, regional and national politics. In terms of migration policy, these past two years have also seen some of the starkest challenges in terms of approaching key communities as they move within, and frequently beyond the boundaries of both maps and political groupings. The question is therefore how best to understand the broad area of politics as a whole, and the specific trends of migration and minority groupings?

Our MSc in Politics will introduce you to the fundamental principles of political interaction in both global and local spheres, and will refine your knowledge with specialist themes covering migration, asylum, and identity. You will learn in a systematic and engaging way about the origins, evolution and multifaceted character of key political systems, before turning to the Migration and Minorities specialism, which provides dedicated insights on the creation and categorization of power, influence and governance within key structures.

A fascinating and relevant degree, supported in 2017 by a competitively-awarded Jean Monnet Studentship (£2000), as well as the possibility of in-house internships. CCCU graduates in Politics are well-placed to pursue wide-ranging careers in local, national and international relations, enhanced with an expertise in one of the most pressing issues of today: migration and minorities.

Visit the website: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/courses/postgraduate/politics.aspx

Course detail

Through a combination of core and specialist modules, the MSc in Politics will enable you to analyse the multifaceted origins, evolution and development of contemporary political systems, within and beyond Europe. You will explore the application of a range of foundational theories and contemporary concepts that make up the canon of Politics. With the fundaments firmly in place, you will then interrogate the relative merits and shortcomings of political, economic and socio-cultural philosophies, structures of power, and systems of governance in order to better understand the challenges of managing dynamics like migration and balancing majority and minority demands within local and global political systems.

Suitability

The new MSc in Politics offered at Canterbury Christ Church University is established upon a firm foundation of research­led teaching, using innovative and blended learning methods, expertise driven insights, and a clear commitment to guiding and supporting all facets of graduate student development. Our Politics pathway will provide you with the opportunity to gain comprehensive conceptual knowledge of the prime structures and interconnections that make up local, national and international politics, as well as an indispensable practical understanding of institutional, legal, political, economic and socio­cultural actors of European and non-European communities.

Offered both full and part-time, CCCU’s innovative MSc in Politics will help you tackle the ‘big issues’ in contemporary politics with confidence and curiosity, equipping you for career paths in national, European and international arenas thanks to innovative modules and a ‘calling card’ thesis.

Content

• Research Methods 1 and 2 (40 Credits)
• Advanced Research in Politics and International Relations (20 Credits)
• Critical Issues: Shifting Perspectives (20 Credits)
• The Politics of Migration (20 Credits)
• Nationalism, Ethnicity and Minority Politics (20 Credits)
• Dissertation: Assessing Politics, Migration and/or Minorities (60 Credits)

Format

The MSc in Politics programme utilises a wide range of cutting-edge teaching and learning methods, including:
• Interactive lectures
• Practical classes
• Workshops
• Virtual learning environments
• Seminars
• Simulation games
• Problem based learning group work

Tutorials with supervisors, where graduate students will study in an informative, engaging, stimulating and participative environment.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a range of methods, including essays, briefing notes, book reviews, portfolios, individual and group oral presentations, action research, political role play, simulations, standard examinations, as well as a sustained piece of academic work in the form of a thesis.

What can I do next?

Our students will be able to thoroughly and expertly use a wide range of national and international sources and forms of information to critically assess the challenges and opportunities facing states and institutions, their various distributions of power and influence, and ensuing forms of authority and governance within national, regional and international modes. Students will also be able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the numerous forms of migration and asylum policy, as well as the modes of understanding the construction and categorization of given communities.

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please follow this link: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/how-to-apply/how-to-apply.aspx

Funding

-Masters Loans-

From 2016/17 government loans of up to £10,000 are available for postgraduate Masters study. The loans will be paid directly to students by the Student Loans Company and will be subject to both personal and course eligibility criteria.

For more information available here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/funding-your-degree/funding-your-postgraduate-degree.aspx

-2017/18 Entry Financial Support-

Information on alternative funding sources is available here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/funding-your-degree/2017-18-entry-financial-support.aspx

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Overview

Environmental problems are indisputably a part of the contemporary political landscape. Societies across the globe increasingly confront innumerable and often inter-related environmental challenges ranging from climate change and loss of biodiversity to local conflicts about land-use. Each of these challenges has political, economic, cultural and ethical dimensions; each provides an opportunity to rethink longstanding debates and opens up new fields of political enquiry.

SPIRE’s Masters in Environmental Politics has run since 1996 and is taught by some of the most prominent figures in the field. The course is designed for people who wish to understand and analyse the wide range of political and policy questions thrown up by increasingly complicated environmental problems. It has attracted students from all over the UK, the EU and the world. The international mix of students and staff adds greatly to the nature of discussion and learning.

Keele University has an unrivalled reputation for its work in Environmental Politics, with internationally recognised experts in various fields of social science environmental research particularly in the fields of sociology, political theory, economics, international relations, environmental ethics and public policy. Our interdisciplinary approach, together with a large and active research community on environmental issues within Keele, contributes to a thriving intellectual culture of which you can expect to be a part as an Environmental Politics student.

The course is taught over a 12 month period (September-September; January-January). It is available as a full-time and/or part-time mode of study. Students completing the course have gone on to a variety of careers in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

See the website https://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/environmentalpolitics/

Course Aims

The aim of the MA/MRes in Environmental Politics is to provide you with an intensive period of study in which to learn about environmental politics and policy in a systematic and critical manner. It aims to provide you with a foundation in the theoretical and practical dimensions of this challenging, interdisciplinary field. In addition to your core modules for the MA/MRes, we recommend that you take our Dimensions of Environmental Politics module, which introduces five key fields of political inquiry in relation to the environment. It looks at: green political theory; the political sociology of the environment; the environment and public policy; environment and political economy; and international environmental politics. Your other chosen elective modules and your dissertation project give a broad scope in which to pursue specific environmental topics of your own choosing.

Course Content

Taught masters programmes require satisfactory completion of at least 180 credits, made up of 6 taught module (120 credits) plus a 15,000 word dissertation (60 credits). The MA and MRes programmes differ in that the MA programme contains more subject-specific modules and less research training, while the MRes programme contains more research training, in preparation for a research career or for undertaking a research degree such as a PhD.

MA
• Power, Knowledge and the World (30 credits)
• Perspectives in Politics and International Relations (30 credits)
• Research in Action (15 credits)
• Three (15 credits) optional modules chosen from the list below
• 15,000 word dissertation on an approved topic in Public Policy (60 credits)

MRes
• Research Design and Process (20 credits)
• Two 15 credits optional modules chosen from the list below
• Perspectives in Politics and International Relations (30 credits)
• Quantitative Data Analysis I (20 credits)
• Qualitative Data Analysis (20 credits)
• 15,000 word dissertation on an approved topic in Public Policy (60 credits)

Options
Optional modules can be drawn from modules such as those listed below, although the precise list of available modules may vary from year to year.

• Approaches to European Integration: History and Practice
• Comparative Public Management reform (recommended)
• Comparative European Politics
• Diplomatic Law
• Diplomatic Practice
• Dimensions of Environmental Politics (recommended)
• Environmental Diplomacy (recommended)
• Environmental Movements: North and South
• Environmental Politics and Policy in India and China (recommended)
• Parties and Democracy
• Right-Wing Radical Parties
• The Changing International Agenda
• The Politics of Global Security
• The Theory of Global Security
• US Environmental Politics and Policy
• US Foreign Policy (recommended)

Teaching & Assessment

Postgraduate teaching and learning generally takes place in a combination of large seminars and smaller discussion groups. Our academics typically lead the sessions, encouraging discussion between all students. Sometimes students will give presentations, either individually or in groups.

There is a strong emphasis on independent learning and students are expected to work on their own to produce their essays and dissertation. Most modules are assessed by a diverse range of coursework (e.g., essays, critiques, reports, presentations), though some modules may also be assessed by seminar contributions and/or written exams. Students take three modules in each semester. The taught modules are completed by May, leaving the summer months for students to write their dissertation.

International

SPIRE is a thoroughly international school, and is particularly welcoming to international students, as well as providing plenty of opportunities for home students to broaden their horizons.

We have staff with educational backgrounds in a wide variety of countries, such as Sweden, Canada, Bulgaria, Italy, Austria, Romania, and Turkey, who present their research all around the world. Students have the opportunity to hear visiting lecturers from various different countries, arranged through our ERASMUS partnerships.

International students will join established international communities at Keele, and will find plenty of support mechanisms in place to help them make the transition to study in the UK.

Find information on Scholarships here - http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/bursariesscholarships/

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The Department of Politics and International Studies offers seven linked masters programmes in politics and the international politics of Asia and Africa. The MSc African Politics is a regional specialist MSc, aiming to provide students with a detailed specialist understanding of both domestic and international politics (and of the implications of one for the other) in Africa. At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work. Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write substantial papers that often require significant independent work.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/mscafpol/

Programme Specification

MSc African Politics Programme Specification 2012 (pdf; 95kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/mscafpol/file80038.pdf

Teaching & Learning

Courses are taught by a combination of methods, principally lectures, tutorial classes, seminars and supervised individual study projects.

The MSc programme consists of three taught courses (corresponding to three examination papers) and a dissertation.

- Lectures

Most courses involve a 50-minute lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.

- Seminars

At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work. Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write papers that often require significant independent work.

- Dissertation

A quarter of the work for the degree is given over to the writing of an adequately researched 10,000-word dissertation. Students are encouraged to take up topics which relate the study of a particular region to a body of theory.

Learning Resources

- SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world.

The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (L&SS)

Welcome to the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at SOAS. The faculty is the largest in the School in terms of student and staff numbers and consists of the departments of Development Studies, Economics, Financial and Management Studies, Politics and International Studies and the School of Law, as well as the Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Sciences, the Centre for Gender Studies, the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, the Centre of Taiwan Studies and a number of department-specific centres. All five departments offer undergraduate programmes, and all but Finance and International Management offer joint undergraduate degrees which can be combined with other disciplines from across the School. Each department also offers a range of masters-level programmes with a regional or disciplinary specialism, as well as a postgraduate research programme. The range of course options and combinations is one of the most distinctive characteristics of studying at SOAS and all students are given the option of studying an Asian or African language, either as part of or on top of their degree.

Staff in the faculty come from all over the world and combine regional knowledge with disciplinary specialisms. Teaching draws heavily on academic staff’s individual research which allows the faculty to maintain a large portfolio of courses, often exploring cutting-edge issues. Many faculty members have played a significant part in public debates and policy-making in relation to Asia and Africa. Academics in the faculty are regularly consulted by governments, public bodies and multilateral organisations including the United Nations and the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, European Commission, DFID and other country-specific organisations and NGOs.

-Excellent student satisfaction for Faculty of Law and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (LSS) at SOAS, University of London has performed extremely well according to the 2014 National Student Survey (NSS).

Department of Politics and International Studies

The Department’s academic staff are leading and highly-regarded scholars in their fields and most have knowledge of one or more languages of their regions of interest, in addition to their disciplinary specialism.

Staff members conduct cutting-edge research on the politics of the Global South, with expertise in nationalism, urban politics, political violence, security, migration and diaspora mobilization, Islamic political and intellectual history, transitional justice, politics of multiculturalism, international relations theory, gender, comparative political economy, human rights, and the study of ideologies.

View Degree Programmes - http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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