Masters Degrees (Political)

At the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, we conduct research and offer MPhil supervision in all major fields of politics, including: international and global politics, governance and political organisations, and political theory.

We can offer you excellent supervision for your Politics MPhil, in a vibrant and supportive research environment.

We have a Politics Postgraduate Society, which organises:
-The 'New Voices' seminar series, with both internal and external presenters
-Round table discussions on topical issues
-Professional development workshops led by politics staff

You are encouraged to attend conferences to present papers, partial funding for this is available from the School.

Our main research themes are:

The politics of difference

We examine the issues thrown up by the social and political differences of humanity from a variety of perspectives including: analytical and continental political philosophy; comparative politics and international politics; post-colonialism. Our work includes research on:
-Multiculturalism and issues of identity
-Inequality and social justice
-Disability
-Competing discourses of national identity
-Ethnic-nationalism
-Political violence
-Socio-political exclusion and discrimination
-Global norms and cultural difference
-Free speech - toleration and recognition

Popular culture and political communication

Our research addresses various key issues including:
-Representation
-Aesthetics
-Identity
-Cultural political economy
-Memory
-Control

We also assess the processes and depiction of political struggles, such as:
-Armed conflict
-Everyday life
-Political organising and identity formation
-Elections

Political participation and elections

We examine the differing forms of political participation that link society to the political systems of the world. We look at both the formal electoral process and non-electoral politics (social movements, protest groups etc). Our research on the emergence of virtual political participation means that some of our work intersects with popular culture and political communication. We investigate:
-Citizen involvement and (dis)engagement
-Social capital
-Non-participation
-The role of civil society

Political ideologies and political thought

We focus on the history of political thought as well as how these ideas are embedded in programmes for political action. Our research incorporates both historical and contemporary political thought prominent in the Western tradition as well as Asian philosophy and post-colonial thinking. This is an interdisciplinary theme, serving as a bridge between empirical political science and political theory.

Global economic and environmental challenges

We study the importance of political ideas such as sustainable development and globalisation, as well as the struggle to define the core problems that society faces. These challenges pose questions to the nature and reform of global governance, and generate tensions between the state and transnationalising forces in global politics and political economy. Our work has already led to findings on:
-The implications for global justice
-The policy challenge for governments and non-governmental actors
-The empowerment of various actors

Democracy, the modern state and political organisations

Our work examines the role of interest groups, social movements, political parties, third-sector actors and charities, community organisations and postcolonial nationalism in relation to the modern state. We draw from ancient and modern political thought to understand the interpretation of democracy (including democratic rights and the foundations of democracy). Our research interrogates the forms democracy takes, including:
-Elite theories of democracy
-Deliberative democracy
-Cosmopolitan democracy
-Democracy in divided societies

Political economy of development

Our research focuses on the interaction of economic forces and principles with political power in the development of societal economics and welfare, as well as on theories of development and post-development. We cover a range of geographic areas in Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia. We explore questions such as:
-The impact of the ongoing financial and economic crisis
-The role of communities and individuals in the face of global political economic forces
-The impact of the emerging economies (for example Brazil and China) on the global political economy

Critical geopolitics and security

Our research focuses on thinking critically about the political dynamics, consequences and discourses of historical and contemporary geopolitics. We cover both historical and contemporary questions of security, including:
-The territorialisation/de-territorialisation of identity and political agency
-Political cartography
-The role of fear and identity in shaping geopolitics
-Sovereignty and nationalism - the role and impact of the military
-Notions of terrorism and the war on terror
-The geographies of international boundaries
-The war on the trade in illegal substances
-The city and security
-The threat of biological weapons and infectious disease
-The vertical dimension in geopolitical and security studies
-Visual culture and world politics
-Technologies and architectures of security and insecurity
-The human body and security

Theory of international relations

We take an active role in the global debate on the units, actors and structures that shape the dynamics of international politics. Our research covers the political consequences of the constitution of the international as a distinct kind of relation. We examine political concepts including:
-The world system
-International diplomacy
-Networks
-Notions of empire
-Regional integration
-Non-governmental actors
-The (nation) state

Governance in Britain and wider Europe

Our research investigates the dynamics driving public policy-making at national, EU and international levels. We focus on the challenges multi-level governance offers for concerns about legitimacy and accountability. This includes the changing relationship between the governing and the governed over matters of politics and policy. Our geographic scope includes the United Kingdom, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia, and the Mediterranean

Global justice and human rights

Our work in political philosophy reflects the increasing need to tackle issues at a global rather than a state-only level. We cover issues such as:
-The formulation and justification of human rights
-The competing claims of relativism, particularism, and cultural diversity
-The extension of ideas of distributive justice from states to humanity as a whole
-Proposals to secure global democracy
-The application of just war theory to modern conflicts and to humanitarian intervention
-Environmental justice, especially climate change

We tackle questions of justice from an issue perspective as well as surveys of nationalism, statism, and various non-cosmopolitan theories of global justice.

Political research and methods

We conduct qualitative and quantitative research reflecting both empirical and critical political methodologies. We use quantitative methods, including rational choice theory and experiments, to make sense of topics as diverse as party systems and transitional justice. Our aim is to push innovation in research methods in ethnography, hermeneutics and discourse analysis. We use concepts that challenge traditional notions of politics to investigate methods for research into new challenges, including:
-The rise of life sciences
-The focus on the relationship between the human body and security
-Emergent forms of subjectivity and politics

Research skills development

The University's Humanities and Social Sciences Graduate School provides a full range of research training in the social sciences, which meets the requirements of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). This training includes:
-Bibliographical techniques
-Philosophy of social science
-Quantitative and qualitative methods

The Graduate School also hosts postgraduate events, including open days, and supports personal development.

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Who is this programme for?:

The programme is designed for graduate students who wish to learn about the diverse strands of political thinking in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and the different approaches to comparison in political thought. It is highly relevant to students who wish to embark on doctoral studies in the area of non-Western political thought. It is also relevant for practitioners working in or intending to work in governments, international organizations, think tanks and advocacy groups who wish to acquire deeper knowledge of ideas and values that inform political practices in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The MSc in Comparative Political Thought builds on SOAS’s wealth of regional expertise to offer a new approach to cross-regional comparison of political thinking. It reframes the study of political thought in Africa, Asia and the Middle East as a study of political ideas and political practices. The programme introduces students to the key approaches, debates, and questions in the emerging sub-discipline of comparative political thought. Covering a range of thinkers, traditions and texts, in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, it provides learning opportunities for students to compare ideas and values across regions and historical periods. The MSc in Comparative Political Thought will enable graduate students to undertake further advanced study and research in political thought, as well as enhance skills suitable for employment in multicultural and international professional contexts

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/msc-comparative-political-thought/

Programme Specification

Programme Specification (pdf; 126kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/politics/programmes/msc-comparative-political-thought/file79323.pdf

Teaching & Learning

The MSc in Comparative Political Thought has two core compulsory half-unit courses that all students registered for the degree will undertake. Approaches to Comparative Political Thought is taken in Term 1, and Comparative International Political Thought in Term 2. Students then choose courses equivalent to two units from a list of optional courses (outlined below), and complete a dissertation based on independent study and research (equivalent to a further unit).

- Knowledge

1. Familiarity with the main approaches in the emerging sub-field of comparative political thought, including different understandings of ‘comparison’ and ‘thought’;

2. Advanced understanding of some of the philosophical, historical, political and linguistic issues that arise in the study of non-Western political thought;

3. In-depth knowledge of some key political concepts (eg. state, authority, individual, community), as understood by political thinkers in Asia, Africa and the Middle East;

4. An understanding of political thought not simply as articulated by elite intellectuals, but also as ideas in action, manifested in political practices at different levels of society.

- Intellectual (thinking) skills

1. To analyse and evaluate competing approaches to comparative political thought;
2. To conceptualise the main issues and problems that arise in the comparative study of political thought;
3. To develop in-depth understanding of aspects of non-Western political thought;
4. To develop intellectual initiative and skills to compare political ideas across cultural and historical boundaries, identifying and evaluating similarities and differences;
5. To formulate research questions and hypotheses.

- Subject-based practical skills

1. To identify, analyse and evaluate core arguments in theoretical materials from a variety of sources;
2. To develop skills to work creatively and flexibly across different disciplines and regional traditions;
3. To organise information in a lucid, coherent, concise, and clear form in written as well as oral presentations;
4. To develop initiative and capacity to work independently on research questions and to adjust hypotheses and approach in the light of work undertaken for the dissertation.

- Transferable skills

1. To retrieve, select, digest and analyse complex information from a variety of sources.
2. To structure and communicate ideas effectively both orally and in writing.
3. To work effectively in and contribute to meetings, by presenting, listening to and discussing ideas introduced during meetings.
4. To manage time effectively.

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

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Master's specialisation in Political Theory

Focusing on the interface of theories of the good society, globalisation, legitimacy and power.
Political theory is the soul of political science: it’s not about determining what the facts are but about determining what they mean and what should be done with them. It’s about the genuine and the deceptive arguments used to interfere in other people’s lives and business. We need political theory anywhere where power is used both covertly and openly, where policies are made and where choices are questioned and criticised.
As a political theorist, you will ask what would be sensible instead of what people call sensible. Just a handful of questions you will be asking and seeking the answers to: Is there a moral foundation for national sovereignty or self-determination? How far should tolerance go? What can and should be our ambitions for local community building? When does a political theory become a weapon or a form of power? Can authority ever be legitimate? Do we owe anything to future generations, animals, the global poor or minority groups?
This Master’s specialisation offers students an unprecedented opportunity to learn to assess political values, aspirations and dreams in terms of their desirability and reasonability. You will also discover how political theoretical work can be introduced fruitfully in other relevant contexts. This will enable you to help civil initiatives and governmental institutions, not to mention the public at large by imagining and designing policies and ambitions that are both viable and defensible.

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

Why study Political Theory at Radboud University

- Our programme is consistently ranked the best Political Science/PT programme in the Netherlands
- The programme has a unique focus on justification and recognition, globalisation and their relationship with power
- Teaching takes place in a stimulating, collegial setting with small groups
- You are encouraged to critically reflect on the staff’s ongoing research in the Nijmegen Political Philosophical Workshop
- We are the conscience of real-world politics and policies and prepare you to interpret and contribute to real-world politics

Career prospects

Graduates of political theory are academics, not politicians. We believe that to be a good policy advisor, manager or administrator, you need to have good research skills. Research is what is going to make your advice be both valid and practical: both sides of the coin of policies are equally important to the political theorists.

Job positions

Our graduates find employment in a variety of settings, including in consulting, national and international diplomacy and EU institutions. They can work as policy advisors, managers and leaders in local, regional and national government, as well as in business, media, NGOs, think-tanks and civic organisations. Quite a few go on to pursue a PhD degree.

Our approach to this field

Don’t rules, laws, commands and regulations always imply a violation of human autonomy? Are they not insults to humanity? Is there a way to escape from power?

Political theory is the key to good and valid politics. It is practice-oriented and should not be confused with political philosophy. Political theory is more than a reflection on eternal truths and the essence of concepts; it makes the difference between knowing and understanding. Compared to classical political philosophy it is more concrete, more interdisciplinary in nature, and sensitive both to the workings of power and the limits of feasibility.

Political Theory at Radboud University focuses on four aspects:
1. Critical understanding of theories of the good society
Of course, just like most Political Theory programmes we take a critical look at the theories of the good society. Who is – but also who should be – included in the theories: families or individuals, distinct people or everyone, animals and environment or humans only, future or only present generations?

2. Globalisation
We focus on globalisation in the broadest sense: the globalisation of people, money, technology and values so that we address global, ecological, intergenerational justice, multiculturalism and agonism. We definitely do not limit ourselves to the dominant redistributive justice discourse.

3. Justification and legitimisation
We start off by justifying and discrediting particular policies by the standards of theories of the good society. But we go further. What values, rules, tests and mechanisms are there to help design and assess political choices? Which are appropriate and when? Are they biased? We will discuss deliberative democracy, Habermas’s domination-free discourse, Rawls’s reflective equilibrium, the agora of agonists like Mouffe and, of course, foundationalism.

4. Power
Power is the mother of all political concepts; it is a concept that is too easily taken for granted or ignored by political scientists, political philosophers and politicians. We recognise that power, ultimately the threat of violence, will always be part of politics and that there will always be a gap between what you think you can justify and what others will embrace. At Radboud University we train students to try and chart where power hides in justification practices, both in political theory and political practise.

The combination of these aspects is what makes the Political Theory Master’s specialisation at Radboud University unique.

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

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Open for 2016 entry, Royal Holloway's MA in Political Philosophy offers advanced training in key issues and thinkers in contemporary political thought, from both Anglo-American and Continental perspectives. Our political philosophers have research and teaching interests in applied analytical political theory (with issues including immigration, citizenship and the politics of recognition), post-Nietzschean theories of identity and post-identity politics, democratic theory and pragmatist philosophy.

Subject to validation.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/philosophy/coursefinder/mapoliticalphilosophy.aspx

Why choose this course?

- the programme allows you to specialise in political philosophy while addressing questions from both analytic and European perspectives

- the course brings together staff and students working in contemporary Continental philosophy, normative political theory, and American pragmatism

- we offer some studentships and bursaries in support of students taking the MA

- the course offers a wide range of options both within political philosophy and outside of it

- the programme has close connections to the Department of Politics and International Relations which hosts a vibrant international community of postgraduate students working on a wide range of issues in politics, political theory, and international relations.

Department research and industry highlights

- Members of the teaching staff have a wide range of expertise, having published major works in a number of areas and on a number of figures, including Adorno; Aesthetics and Subjectivity; Altruism; Hegel; Deleuze; French and Continental Philosophy; Greek and Roman Aesthetics; the Holocaust and the Postmodern; Music, Philosophy, and Modernity; Richard Rorty; Romanticism to Critical Theory; Scepticism; Schelling; Time and Politics.

Current projects include:
- examining at the possibilities offered by aesthetics, and music in particular, for developing a non-cognitive model of thinking

- investigating the coherence of the notion of tacit knowledge, and its implications for knowledge more generally

- tracing the development of modern French thought to its origins in German Idealism

- imagination in ancient aesthetics

- a pragmatist theory of deliberative democracy

- arguments in defence of associative duties

- psychoanalytic and post-Nietzschean conceptions of agency and selfhood.

Programme structure

Advanced Topics in Philosophy (1 unit)

Two Courses from Among: Contemporary Anglo-American Political Theory (½ unit); Contemporary Continental Political Thought (½ Unit); and Political Concepts (½ unit).

Two half-unit option courses from available options

Dissertation (1 unit)

Core course units:
- Advanced Topics in Philosophy (1 unit)
The aim of this course is to allow students to engage with cutting edge research from across the range of philosophical sub-fields. The course also allows students to develop their understanding of the nature of philosophy and the diversity of philosophical methods, as well to further improve their abilities at written and oral communication of philosophical ideas and arguments. The course will be taught by a number of philosophers who teach on the wider MA programmes, and will be divided into four parts, each presenting a five week introduction to a topic researched by the academic. It will allow students enrolled on the different MA Philosophy streams to compare approaches, and see their own specialism within a wider philosophical context. The module will be taught via a two hour weekly seminar.

- Anglo-American Political Theory (½ unit)
You will be given an advanced grounding in the central ideas and concepts in contemporary Anglo-American political theory, enabling you to engage in its ongoing debates, to gain knowledge of some of the key authors, books and articles, and to acquire a sense of the state of the discipline as a whole. Attention will be paid to some of the main paradigms through which such debate is structured (e.g. individualism v. community, and democracy v. justice), as well as the practical implications of more abstract ideas.

- Contemporary Continental Political Thought (½ unit)
The course addresses key questions and arguments concerning the relationship between identity, power, meaning and knowledge, through examination of key figures in contemporary Continental political thought and philosophy. Specific content varies from year to year, but may include key texts from Nietzsche, Heidegger, Adorno, Sartre, Lacan, Irigaray, Foucault, Ranciere, and Deleuze & Guattari.

- Political Concepts (½ unit)
The course aims to give an advanced grounding in the central ideas and concepts in applied political theory, enabling students to engage in its ongoing debates, to gain knowledge of some of the key authors, books and articles, and to acquire a sense of the state of the discipline as a whole. Seminars will be based on short pieces of key reading thus fostering skills of interpretive analysis and focussing discussion.

Dissertation on Political Philosophy (1 unit)

Elective course units:
Anglo American Political Theory (½ unit)

Contemporary Continental Political Thought (½ unit)

Continental Aesthetics (½ unit)

The European Philosophical Trajectory (½ unit)

The Frankfurt School (½ unit)

The Future of Phenomenology (½ unit)

Human Rights (½ unit)

Identity, Power and Political Theory (½ unit)

Legacices of Wittgenstein (½ unit)

Neo-Platonism (½ unit)

Identity, Power and Radical Political Theory (½ unit)

Post-Holocaust Philosophy (½ unit)

Twentieth Century French Thought (½ unit)

On completion of the course graduates will have:
- a knowledge of the broad range of approaches in contemporary political philosophy from Anglo-American and Continental traditions

- detailed understanding of philosophers and texts in key traditions in political thought

- an ability to read complex philosophical texts with an appreciation of the role of style and context in their composition

- an understanding of the broader philosophical landscape, and the place of political philosophy within it.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework and a dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Our graduates are highly employable and would be prepared for careers in a wide range of areas. This course also equips you with the subject knowledge and a solid foundation for continued PhD studies.

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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This programme will provide you with a firm grounding in political analysis and a critical insight into the real politics behind the headlines.

You will explore the variety, dynamism and relevance of political theory in the modern world, gaining an insight into political thought and practical application of political ideas.

You will consider the various ways in which theory is vital to understanding a range of urgent and pressing problems (such as terrorism, global poverty, social cohesion, immigration, censorship, war and the environment) in contemporary politics and address the practical implications of these ideas.

Throughout the course you will build a portfolio of in-depth study of many of the defining events and dynamics of modern society, across Europe, North America, Africa and Asia, providing an understanding of the world that will prove invaluable in further academic study or a range of postgraduate careers.

The Political Theory and Cultural Values Research Group is an active team of enthusiastic academics, pursuing cutting-edge research into a wide variety of strands of political thought.

The Political Theory Centre is part of the White Rose Association for Political Philosophy, linking you into the complementary political theory teams at York and Sheffield Universities.

Links with the Leeds Centre for Democratisation afford excellent opportunities for discussing the application of many of the ideas studied on the programme. Political theorists form part of a large department of political studies, including International Relations and Development, which additionally provide an auspicious context for the study of applied theory.

Course content

Through compulsory and optional modules, this programme will offer you:

• the chance to engage in in-depth critical analysis of political thought
• the opportunity to examine the nature of freedom, justice and equality
• a firm grounding in political analysis
• a critical insight into the defining events and dynamics of modern society
• a rigorous grounding in the dominant paradigms of political science
• the chance to personalise your programme.

You will also be able to hone your research and writing skills in your compulsory dissertation – an independent piece of research on your chosen topic.

The wide-ranging list of optional modules means that you can explore a diverse range of related subjects of interest to you.

If you are a part-time student, you will study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.

Course structure

Compulsory modules

• Political Theory in Action 30 credits
• Advanced Political Analysis 30 credits
• POLIS MA Dissertation 60 credits

Optional modules

• The Global Politics of Health: Power and Inequity 30 credits
• Conflict, Complex Emergencies and Global Governance 30 credits
• Political Economy of Resources and Development 30 credits
• European Defence and Security Analysis 30 credits
• The Rise of China 30 credits
• American Foreign Policy 30 credits
• Contemporary Politics of the Middle East 30 credits
• The Politics of the Israel-Palestine Conflict 30 credits
• International Political Economy 30 credits
• International Relations and the Environment 30 credits
• Global Justice 30 credits
• Research Methods 30 credits
• Political Theory in Action 30 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Politics (Political Theory) MA Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information on typical modules, read Politics (Political Theory) MA Part Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

Teaching is tailored for interactive small-group work, and uses a combination of lecture and seminar-discussion modes.

Teaching on political theory modules is predominantly seminar discussion-based, while other modules include more lecture-oriented material.

You will be expected to do a significant amount of preparatory reading before each session, and emphasis will be on student-led discussion to build critical and reflective confidence in a group environment.

Assessment

Modules are assessed by varying combinations of exam and coursework, depending on the module.

Career opportunities

The emphasis on applied use of political thought, particularly from a transformative perspective, means the critical analytical skills learnt here are of use in a wide range of employment sectors, including the civil service, public sector organisations and the third sector.

Many graduates go on to complete PhDs in Political Theory, having had the opportunity to strengthen their command of a certain area of political thought during their Masters studies.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

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Over the last three decades, political economy has been one of the fastest growing approaches in the social sciences. If you are interested in how institutions shape the behaviour of political actors and how political decisions influence markets and vice versa, then you will profit from our course.

Our MRes Political Economy is a two-year course, designed to give you additional training in research design and research methods compared to an MSc or MA. You study modules on political economics and research methods across your two years, while developing a 35,000-word dissertation.

At Essex, we are primarily interested in the study of political institutions and how they might determine economic variables. Our MSc Political Economy covers all aspects of modern political economy, including:
-Micro and macroeconomics
-The quality of governance
-Monetary policy choices
-Mathematical Methods
-Environmental policies
-Market failure

Run jointly between our Department of Economics and our Department of Government, our MRes Political Economy offers excellent preparation for PhD study, combining substantive political economy modules with additional training in research design and research methods. You learn how to develop theories, conduct research, and explore the empirical implications of theoretical models using the most appropriate empirical methods.

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 Department of Economics is top 5 in the UK for research, with over 90% of our research rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.

Our expert staff

Study and work alongside some of the most prominent economists and political scientists of our time.

Our researchers are at the forefront of their field and have even received MBEs; they 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.

Many of our economic researchers also provide consultancy services to businesses in London and other major financial centres, helping us to develop research for today's society as well as informing our teaching for the future.

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 and quantitative analysis
-ESSEXLab provides opportunities for experimental lab research
-Student societies for politics, economics, 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

An MRes puts you in a particularly strong position to succeed in a research degree. We 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.

Other 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 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

Year 1
-Political Economy
-Advanced Research Methods
-Essex Summer School Module 30 Credits
-Essex Summer School Module 30 Credits
-Mathematical Methods
-Microeconomics
-Theory and Explanation in Political Science

Year 2
-MRES Dissertation
-Applied Research Design
-Macroeconomics
-Research Design
-Applications of Data Analysis (optional)
-Banking
-Behavioural Economics I: Individual Decision Making
-Behavioural Economics II: Games and Markets
-Comparative European Politics (optional)
-Computational Agent-Based Macro-Economics, Financial Markets and Policy Design
-Conflict Resolution (optional)
-Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
-Econometric Methods (optional)
-Economic Development Theory (optional)
-Economics of Financial Markets (optional)
-Economics of Incentives, Contracts and the Firm (optional)
-Economics of the European Union (optional)
-Economics of Transition (optional)
-Environmental Economics (optional)
-Estimation and Inference in Econometrics (optional)
-Game Theory and Applications (optional)
-Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
-Environmental Politics (optional)
-International Finance (optional)
-International Security Studies (optional)
-International Trade (optional)
-Market Structure and Strategic Behaviour (optional)
-Mathematical Methods (optional)
-Microeconometrics
-Microeconomics (optional)
-Monetary Economics
-Panel Data Methods (optional)
-Political Economy (optional)
-Political Explanation (optional)
-Political Parties in Britain and Europe (optional)
-Political Theory (optional)
-Public Opinion and Political Behaviour (optional)
-Research Seminar in Political Theory and Methods (optional)
-Theories of International Relations (optional)
-Theory and Explanation in Political Science (optional)
-Theory of Industrial Organisation (optional)
-Time Series Econometrics (optional)
-Topics in Financial Economics (optional)

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The MA Political Communication will deepen your understanding of political communication in national and international contexts and, where relevant, your skills in this field.

You will:

• Explore the political content of the mass media
• Deepen academic and practical understanding of the actors and agencies involved in the production of political news and information
• Examine the impact of media coverage of politics on audiences
• Explore the interaction between media systems and political systems including government media policy, censorship, regulation and ownership
• Be equipped with the research and study skills necessary to carry out project-based professional and academic research
• Enhance academic skills and knowledge in preparation for further academic study
• Develop basic skills in political communications practice

The course explores the rapidly evolving role of communication in political life, both nationally and internationally, and examines how changes such as the increasing importance of new online and social media platforms, image-based politics, and the globalisation of media are shaping politics.

MA Political Communication looks at the influence of actors in the political communications process, including politicians, journalists and citizens by drawing on cutting edge research and case studies.

This course is suitable for those interested in an advanced academic study of political communication or a career in political communication, as well as those already working in political communication, political parties, government agencies and bodies, statutory and voluntary organisations and the mass media.

It is also suitable for people looking to undertake PhD research in political communication.

Distinctive features

Studying MA Political Communication will increase your ability to undertake rigorous analytical work, be capable of producing well researched essays, assignments and dissertations to deadline, and you will have refined and improved your practical political communications skills.

Structure

This is a year-long Master’s course combining core and optional modules.

Throughout the Autumn and Spring semesters, robust method training will be provided in order to enhance your research skills that will be assessed in your Masters dissertation.

As part of a core Autumn module, you be introduced to the practice of political communication by placing the profession into its societal and media contexts. The dual emphasis on practical matters and their underpinning theory and ethics have been designed to help you develop an appreciation of how political communication practitioners interact with the media and the wider community, and how they have become a significant factor in shaping world events.

Please visit the website to see which modules are taught on this course:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/political-communication-ma

Teaching

You will be taught through a mixture of lectures and seminars, which complement the academic nature of the course.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a range of formative and summative assessments throughout the course. The main method of assessment on this programme is course work.

Career prospects

Graduates of this course are employed in a range of occupations, such as campaign and press officers, researchers for political parties and institutions, business management leaders, political consultants, international conference and seminar coordinators and PR officers.

Several graduates have also undertaken PhDs in Political Communication.

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Over the last three decades, political economy has been one of the fastest growing approaches in the social sciences. At Essex, we are primarily interested in the scientific study of political institutions and how they might determine economic variables.

If you are interested in how institutions shape the behaviour of political actors and how political decisions influence markets and vice versa, then you will profit from our course.

You will have a great deal of choice for your optional modules as they will be selected from both our Department of Government and Department of Economics. Our MA Political Economy covers all aspects of modern political economy, including:
-Market failure
-Environmental policies
-The quality of governance
-Monetary policy choices

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.

Our Department of Economics is also consistently rated highly for student satisfaction, and is Top 5 in the UK for research with over 90% rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (REF 2014). Ranked top 10 in the world for political science and international relations according to the Centre for World University Rankings (2017)

Our expert staff

Study and work alongside some of the most prominent economists and political scientists of our time.

Our researchers are at the forefront of their field and have even received MBEs; they 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.

Many of our economic researchers also provide consultancy services to businesses in London and other major financial centres, helping us to develop research for today's society as well as informing our teaching for the future.

Our key academic staff for this course are Dr Alejandro Quiroz Flores, who works on why authoritarian leaders welcome natural disasters, and Simone Dietrich, who works on who gives, receives, and benefits from aid.

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 and quantitative analysis
-ESSEXLab provides opportunities for experimental lab research
-Student societies for politics, economics, 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.

This course is a good choice if you wish to maintain the flexibility of pursuing a career at an international organisation, a government organisation, a private enterprise or as a political consultant. You will develop key employability skills including analytical reasoning, research, problem solving, 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

-MA Dissertation
-Political Economy
-Advanced Research Methods (optional)
-Political Explanation (optional)
-Applications of Data Analysis (optional)
-Banking
-Behavioural Economics I: Individual Decision Making (optional)
-Behavioural Economics II: Games and Markets (optional)
-Comparative European Politics (optional)
-Computational Agent-Based Macro-Economics, Financial Markets and Policy Design
-Conflict Resolution (optional)
-Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
-Econometric Methods (optional)
-Economic Development Theory (optional)
-Economics of Financial Markets (optional)
-Economics of Incentives, Contracts and the Firm (optional)
-Economics of the European Union (optional)
-Economics of Transition (optional)
-Environmental Economics (optional)
-Estimation and Inference in Econometrics (optional)
-Game Theory and Applications (optional)
-Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
-Environmental Politics (optional)
-International Finance (optional)
-International Security Studies (optional)
-International Trade (optional)
-Macroeconomics (optional)
-Market Structure and Strategic Behaviour (optional)
-Mathematical Methods (optional)
-Microeconometrics (optional)
-Microeconomics (optional)
-Monetary Economics
-Panel Data Methods (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)
-Theory and Explanation in Political Science (optional)
-Theory of Industrial Organisation (optional)
-Time Series Econometrics (optional)
-Topics in Financial Economics (optional)
-Survey Measurement and Question Design

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How do political scientists explain political outcomes? How does normative theory inform the way researchers approach their work? How do political science approaches differ from historical accounts of political phenomenon? How can political science be used to analyse the real world?

Our MA Political Science gives a general overview of such topics, and as our most flexible postgraduate course offers you a very wide choice of optional modules. You explore the main theoretical approaches to the study of politics and look at what the basic theoretical framework required to conduct research in political science is.

Your optional modules may cover topics including:
-Survey measurement and research methods
-The economy and the state
-Democracies in Europe
-Theories of justice
-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 graduates from this course can expect to find jobs in market research, the media and central or local government. It also provides a foundation for further research in political science. You will gain key employability skills such as analytical reasoning, research design, and report 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

-MA Dissertation
-Theory and Explanation in Political Science
-Advanced Research Methods (optional)
-Political Explanation (optional)
-Comparative European Politics (optional)
-Conflict Resolution (optional)
-Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
-Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
-Environmental Politics (optional)
-International Security Studies (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)
-Survey Measurement and Question Design

Read less

Over the last three decades, political economy has been one of the fastest growing approaches in the social sciences. At Essex, we are primarily interested in the scientific study of political institutions and how they might determine economic variables.

If you are interested in how institutions shape the behaviour of political actors and how political decisions influence markets and vice versa, then you will profit from our course.

You will have a great deal of choice for your optional modules as they will be selected from both our Department of Government and Department of Economics. Our MSc Political Economy covers all aspects of modern political economy, including:
-Market failure
-Environmental policies
-The quality of governance
-Monetary policy choices

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.

Our Department of Economics is also consistently rated highly for student satisfaction, and is Top 5 in the UK for research with over 90% rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (REF 2014).

Our expert staff

Study and work alongside some of the most prominent economists and political scientists of our time.

Our researchers are at the forefront of their field and have even received MBEs; they 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.

Many of our economic researchers also provide consultancy services to businesses in London and other major financial centres, helping us to develop research for today's society as well as informing our teaching for the future.

Our key academic staff for this course are Dr Alejandro Quiroz Flores, who works on why authoritarian leaders welcome natural disasters, and Simone Dietrich, who works on who gives, receives, and benefits from aid.

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 and quantitative analysis
-ESSEXLab provides opportunities for experimental lab research
-Student societies for politics, economics, 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.

This course is a good choice if you wish to maintain the flexibility of pursuing a career at an international organisation, a government organisation, a private enterprise or as a political consultant. You will develop key employability skills including analytical reasoning, research, problem solving, 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

-MA Dissertation
-Advanced Research Methods
-Political Economy
-Applications of Data Analysis (optional)
-Banking
-Behavioural Economics I: Individual Decision Making (optional)
-Behavioural Economics II: Games and Markets (optional)
-Comparative European Politics (optional)
-Computational Agent-Based Macro-Economics, Financial Markets and Policy Design
-Conflict Resolution (optional)
-Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
-Econometric Methods (optional)
-Economic Development Theory (optional)
-Economics of Financial Markets (optional)
-Economics of Incentives, Contracts and the Firm (optional)
-Economics of the European Union (optional)
-Economics of Transition (optional)
-Environmental Economics (optional)
-Estimation and Inference in Econometrics (optional)
-Game Theory and Applications (optional)
-Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
-Environmental Politics (optional)
-International Finance (optional)
-International Security Studies (optional)
-International Trade (optional)
-Macroeconomics (optional)
-Market Structure and Strategic Behaviour (optional)
-Mathematical Methods (optional)
-Microeconometrics (optional)
-Microeconomics (optional)
-Monetary Economics
-Panel Data Methods (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)
-Theory and Explanation in Political Science (optional)
-Theory of Industrial Organisation (optional)
-Time Series Econometrics (optional)
-Topics in Financial Economics (optional)

Read less

How do political scientists explain political outcomes? How does normative theory inform the way researchers approach their work? How do political science approaches differ from historical accounts of political phenomenon? How can political science be used to analyse the real world?

Our MSc Political Science gives a general overview of such topics, and as our most flexible postgraduate course offers you a very wide choice of optional modules. You explore the main theoretical approaches to the study of politics and look at what the basic theoretical framework required to conduct research in political science is.

Your optional modules may cover topics including:
-Survey measurement and research methods
-The economy and the state
-Democracies in Europe
-Theories of justice
-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 graduates from this course can expect to find jobs in market research, the media and central or local government. It also provides a foundation for further research in political science. You will gain key employability skills such as analytical reasoning, research design, and report 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

-MA Dissertation
-Advanced Research Methods
-Theory and Explanation in Political Science
-Comparative European Politics (optional)
-Conflict Resolution (optional)
-Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
-Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
-Environmental Politics (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)

Read less

Working in politics has never required as many professional competencies as in this historical period. Playing an active role in an electoral campaign or in the life of a party, but also writing about politics on a daily basis, are activities that, without specific training and without the mastery of the most up-to-date techniques, risk being unproductive.

In such a framework, the Master’s Degree in Political Marketing has been designed to enable all those who wish to be or are already involved in these topics to acquire a store of operational knowledge and capabilities of excellence that will support them in concretely contributing to the results.

Objectives

The Master’s Degree in Political Marketing is aimed at providing the knowledge and abilities necessary to effectively and professionally manage the communication and marketing processes that support political campaigns and activities.

In particular, on completing the course, participants will be able to:

structure precise operational plans and strategies for the promotion of a political candidate or group

make the best use of social media and of the web for political-electoral marketing and communication ends

learn about new visual and off-line means of communication for a winning placement in the political-electoral market

enhance their public speaking capabilities also in terms of consultancy to others

correctly set up and manage an electoral campaign

know and understand the peculiarities of the different electoral systems

utilising and designing political-electoral research and surveys

identify and add value to different leadership styles

know the best techniques for the organisation of a political event

realising effective fundraising campaigns

managing press office activities aimed at the promotion of political candidates or parties

master the most evolved spin doctoring techniques

acquire an overview of some of the best practices in the international context

TARGET RECIPIENTS

The Master’s Degree in Political Marketing is a course of excellence aimed at a maximum of 20 participants that wish to acquire competencies of excellence in the effective management of the communication and marketing processes linked to political activities and electoral campaigns.

CONTENTS

Political-Electoral Marketing

Strategy

Market research for politics

Segmentation, targeting and positioning for politics

Political-Electoral marketing mix

Marketing 2.0 and 3.0 for politics

Web and Social media for politics

Web and Social Media campaign planning, implementation and control for politics

Using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ for political communication

Political blogging

Emailing techniques

Public speaking

Verbal and Non-verbal communication

Feedback effectiveness

Active listening

Steps for an effective public presentation

Political Press Office

Political journalism

The Press Office

The planning of activities

Implementing actions and monitoring results.

Organising events

Choice and ideation of the most suitable event in order to reach objectives

Project definition

Budget definition through the evaluation of economic aspects

Promotion: online through social media and offline through traditional media

Practical organization of the event.

The electoral system and its specificity

Plurality systems

Majority systems

Proportional systems

Mixed systems

Political-electoral research and surveys

Pre-election polls

Candidate and party campaign analyses

Leader and political party positioning analyses

Campaign impact evaluations

Election projections and post-election surveys

Leadership for politics

Interpersonal influence

Leadership styles

The techniques

Spin Doctoring

Role and activity evolution

Strategies and techniques

Excellency cases

Fundraising for politics

Fundraising techniques and tactics

Fundraising patterns

The management of the relationship with donors

Budgeting and staffing models

Effective and ethical profiles

Phone banking, canvassing and special events

Electoral campaign management

Traditional vs digital campaigns

Human resources management and organisation for an electoral campaign

The thematic campaign

Territorial campaign

Cases studies

Innovative communication techniques for politics

Graphic, video and digital design

Modelling and 3D animation

Augmented reality

Mobile apps

Video mapping

International excellency cases

Edsegovi’s HOLOS model (Mexico)

STRUCTURE

The course is structured over 12 months:

- 6 months of lectures, once per week

- 6 months of final project work

- Company visits

- Cultural programme

- Italian language course included

INTERNATIONALITY

Rome Business School is an International Institution that has already hosted students from more than 140 countries.

Rome Business School employs university lecturers, company trainers, consultants, managers and entrepreneurs chosen because of their proven experience and skills. The faculty has a strong multicultural inclination, with representatives from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. It will synergistically leaves you with a patrimony of knowledge for your personal development.

Our selected renewed and highly competent formators are always assessed and rated by students, thanks to our quality assurance system.

Rome Business School is developing an International didactic and corporate Network, thanks to several partnerships with business schools, universities and companies

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Master's specialisation in Social and Political Philosophy (Research)

Social and political philosophy is part of a practical philosophy that aims to research fundamental questions regarding human society: What is a political order? How are new institutions formed? What are the differences between a community and a society? What is the ideal society like? What is justice? What is the relation between morality and politics?
In Nijmegen we focus on interpreting and critiquing classical texts that are part of the European political philosophy - from Plato to Habermas. Additionally, we engage in actual discussions on the crisis and conceptualisation of democracy. Also important are studies concerning spacial and metaphorical imaginations (city, garden, desert) in core political philosophical texts. Regarding these different fields, our research in Nijmegen takes a descriptive as well as a normative perspective.

Information for students of the Research Master

In Social and Political Philosophy you study ‘the political' as an essential but conflict-ridden aspect of the human condition, and politics as a way of coping with this. Spinoza, Hobbes, Kant, Schmitt, Arendt, Zizek and Foucault are central figures in this specialisation.
The point of departure for the research conducted within the department of Social and Political Philosophy is the idea that ‘the political' is a ubiquitous dimension of all social phenomena and relations: everything is political, but nothing is only political. There is no such thing as ‘pure politics', but at the same time everything societal is ‘political' in the sense of entailing an ineradicable aspect of contestability and of decision. The very existence of a politically ordered society, liberal democracies or a secular polities, rests upon a contestable decision. (Recent developments in both world and domestic politics demonstrate a tendency to ‘forgetfulness' with respect to such decisions). As a result, we conceive of social and political philosophy not only as a matter of reflection about existing politics or political systems, but also as an investigation of the nature of the social (designated by notions such as ‘society', ‘community', ‘civil society') and the political as such, and an awareness that the political is also present in philosophy itself. Today's world is marked by a clash not of civilisations (Huntington), but of conceptualisations - and philosophy necessarily plays a significant role in the latter.
Both our research and teaching revolve around this focal insight. In 2005/6, our research seminar analysed the ‘dividing line' between church/religion and state/politics and between public and private. In 2006/7, the topic was the "Neutralisation of the Political" in the many forms this neutralisation took in modern times, notably in the writing by Carl Schmitt, Max Weber, Chantal Mouffe and in the recently published debate between Robert Audi and Jonathan Wolterstorff.
The scholarly competence of this group lies in classical, medieval, early modern and modern social and political philosophy, with a particular emphasis on 19th and 20th century Anglo-Saxon and continental thought (notably including Russia/USSR). Key authors for us are, in alphabetical order, Arendt, Aristotle, Augustine, Bulgakov, Colas, Foucault, Frank, Gauchet, Hegel, Hobbes, Lefort, Leibniz, Luhmann, Machiavelli, Mamardashvili, Marx, Mouffe, Plato, Rawls, Schmitt, Solov'ëv, Soviet Marxism, Spinoza, Leo Strauss, Taylor, Walzer, Weber, and Zizek.
The work of the research group is directly linked to that of the research group on political theology Res Mixtae, to the Centre for Russian Humanities Studies, and to the Institute of Eastern Christian Studies.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/philosophy/social

Career prospects

Philosophy has a unique role within contemporary society. Unlike other academic disciplines, its subject matter is not limited to one set of questions, or one domain of investigation. Philosophers delve into all aspects of science and society. In order to do this, they must possess essential skills, namely the ability to analyse complex issues logically and conceptually and the ability to document their conclusions in clear and persuasive language. Such skills are not innate, they require intensive training. The Research Master's programme in Philosophy constitutes the first professional step towards the acquisition of these skills.

Job positions

This programme has been designed for people with the ambition to do research. Graduates tend to fall into three groups. A majority of the students continue their research within academia by applying for a doctoral programme in the Netherlands or abroad. We take particular pride in the fact that more than 75 percent of our graduates manage to obtain a PhD position within two years of graduating. A second group goes on to teach philosophy at secondary schools. And a third group enter research-related professions outside of education. Our graduates are also represented in journalism, science policy, and politics.

Our approach to this field

Philosophy has a unique role within contemporary society. Unlike other academic disciplines, its subject matter is not limited to one set of questions, or one domain of investigation. Philosophers poke delve into all aspects of science and society. In order to do this, they must possess two essential skills, namely the ability to analyse complex issues logically and conceptually and the ability to document their conclusions in clear and persuasive language. Such skills are not innate. They require intensive training. The Research Master's programme in Philosophy constitutes the first professional step towards the acquisition of these skills.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/philosophy/social

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About the MSc programme

The MSc Political Science and Political Economy provides a sound professional training in formal political science and in quantitative oriented approaches to political economy. You will acquire the knowledge and techniques to analyse political processes, institutional design and public policy making in liberal democracies.

It offers courses in political economy, elections, legislature, executive governments, public policy, development, and international political economy within the framework of a political science oriented programme. This MSc will provide a set of skills which are highly sought after in public policy making, policy analysis, business, political consultancy and public affairs.

This programme is an excellent preparation for further research work (including a PhD or research in quantitative political science) or for a career in education, public administration or the private sector.

Graduate destinations

This programme is an excellent preparation for further research work or for a career in education, public administration or the private sector. It will also equip the students with the skills needed to pursue a PhD or conduct research in quantitative political science.

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The dynamic interactions between political parties and voters underpin the foundations of modern democratic politics. Our new MSc in Elections, Public Opinion and Parties provides students with a thorough grounding in the empirical theories and methods used for exploring and explaining models of party competition, public opinion and voting behaviour.

The degree’s substantive component gives you insights into the reality of political representation and accountability, as well as how political leaders and the media shape and respond to public preferences. The methodological component provides you with valuable analytical and research skills that will prepare you for careers in government, political consultancy, NGOs and research organisations.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/politicsandir/coursefinder/mscelections,publicopinionandparties.aspx

Why choose this course?

the Department of Politics and International Relations is a young, vibrant and rapidly-rising department and was ranked in the Top 10 small politics departments in the latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE, 2008)

the course is taught by world-class scholars and informed by cutting-edge research

offers an advanced grounding in public opinion and political behavior at both a theoretical and empirical level

you will acquire valuable research methods skills that will equip you to carry out independent research and appraise both qualitative and quantitative research

you will acquire genuinely transferable skills that are highly prized in the job market

our international cohort of students will provide you with excellent opportunities to obtain global perspectives.

Department research and industry highlights

- The Centre for European Politics was officially launched by Lord Mandelson in September 2007, with the mission of producing research in two principal areas: the study of democracy in Europe, and Europe as an actor in world politics. Under the leadership of Co-Directors Dr Alister Miskimmon and Dr James Sloam, it has hosted a number of high-profile speakers, including Lord Mandelson, Professor Simon Hix (LSE), Roger Liddle (Policy Network), John Peet (The Economist), Sir Stephen Wall (former European policy advisor to Tony Blair), David Willetts MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Innovations, Universities and Skills) and Dr Vince Cable. Recent funded research projects include: a European Union Committee of the Regions consultancy on EU External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy; an EU- funded Workshop on the Review of the European Union Budget; and Teaching Democracy. Recent publications include Bendetto and Milio (eds) European Union budget reform: intuitions, policy and economic crisis (Palgrave 2012) and James Sloam 'New Voice, Less Equal: the Civic and Political Engagement of Young People in the United States and Europe', Comparative Political Studies 2012.

- 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 (John 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

Core course units:
- Elections and Voting Behaviour You will be introduced to the main theories of voting behaviour. We will examine why people vote for different political parties and how their behaviour is shaped by the different mobilisation strategies of political parties and other institutional arrangements. We will consider how social divisions are translated in to political divisions, and how the mechanisms of accountability and representation operate in different political and economic contexts. To what extent do people vote along policy lines? To what extent do they vote along social lines? How have these changed over time?

- Public Opinion and political participation In this unit we will examine the various ways in which people try to influence the political process by participating in different types of political activity. We will examine formal types of participation, such as turnout as well as more direct forms of political action, such as participation in protests and social movements. In doing so we will look at how political behaviour has changed over time and consider the implications for representative democracy.

- Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods in Politics and International Relations You will be introduced to quantitative methods commonly used in the study of Politics and International Relations. You will acquire the skills to understand, critically analyse and carry out a range of quantitative techniques, using statistical software packages such as SPSS. No prior expertise in maths or statistics is required.

- Dissertation (MSc only) The dissertation gives you the opportunity to study an aspect of political behaviour in depth. You will be assigned a dissertation supervisor and the length of the piece will be 12-15,000 words.

Elective course units:
- British Political Parties This unit explains what British political parties stand for and how they function and interact with other parts of the political system. You will gain knowledge of the 'nuts and bolts'of the parties in question, and will also gain useful insights into the difficulties of political leadership, the centrality of political executives and the interdependence of executives with other parts of the political system.

- Public Policy This unit examines the policy making process in comparative context. You will gain knowledge about the actors involved in the policy making process: how policy is made and what impact it has on different policy domains in different institutional contexts.

- Introduction to Qualitative 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 search research, the range of decisions qualitative researchers face, and the trade-offs researchers must consider when designing qualitative research.

On completion of the course graduates will have:
- an advanced knowledge and critical understanding of key concepts, theoretical debates, and developments related to elections, public opinion, public policy and parties

- a sound knowledge of the texts, theories and methods used to enhance understanding of the issues, processes and phenomena associated with particular fields of inquiry

- an advanced knowledge and critical understanding of research methods within the disciplines of politics and international relations

- a solid foundation for progression to either a politics-related career, public policy careers, research or continued academic study.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, examinations and a dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Our graduates are highly employable and, in recent years, have entered many different politics and international relations-related areas, including roles as officials in local government, personnel officers and higher education lecturers. This course also equips you with a solid foundation for continued PhD studies.

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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