The MA Social Research draws upon a wide variety of contemporary theoretical traditions including postcolonial theory, poststructuralism, discourse analysis, critical or subtle realism, and feminism.
The MA Social Research is located in a high ranking Sociology Department and draws upon a wide variety of contemporary theoretical traditions including postcolonial theory, poststructuralism to discourse analysis, critical or subtle realism, and feminism. The aim of the MA is to explore how these may present implications for methodological design and analytical strategies.
The MA teaching is made up of lectures and workshops covering both qualitative and quantitative methods during which students are encouraged to try out, evaluate and sometimes combine different approaches. The range of methods covered include interviewing and observation, archival research, visual methods, ethnographic work as well as statistical analysis of large-scale quantitative data sets.
The dissertation research project assesses your proficiency in managing different types of data and your ability to design and carry out an original piece of research. Dissertation workshops will guide you as you prepare to undertake a substantive piece of research on a topic of your choice. The dissertation research will be supervised by an experienced member of staff.
Assessment consists of coursework, extended essays, reports, presentations, practice based projects or essays/logs, group projects, reflective essays, and seen and unseen written examinations.
The programme will enable you to develop:
The MA is ideal research preparation for an MPhil/PhD and a future academic career in Sociology. A number of successful doctoral students have completed the MA Social Research before applying for ESRC funding and/or going on to successfully complete their doctorate. These include current members of staff. Also, the MASR has provided an excellent preparation for those entering the public, health and third/NGO sector with such organizations as the Resolution Foundation and the Parkinson’s Charity. Others have successfully competed for entry into the Civil Service ‘fast track’ scheme for government social research. Similar examples of success can be seen under student profiles.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study International Security and Development at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The MA in International Security and Development introduces students to issues and debates within International Security. This includes coverage of both ‘traditional’ security issues such as war and conflict and ‘non-traditional’ issues such as economic security, environmental security, health, identity and migration.
Issues of security, violence and conflict have become central to international politics and to development policy and discourse. In order to comprehend the modern world, a full appreciation of the realities of conflict and violence, has become essential.
Drawing on the Department’s expertise in the field of security, International Security and Development students are also provided with an advanced introduction to key approaches in the study of security including realism, securitization theory, feminist approaches, critical theory and poststructuralism.
Students enrolled on the MA in International Security and Development benefit from the College of Arts and Humanities' Graduate Centre. The Graduate Centre fosters and supports individual and collaborative research activity of international excellence and offers a vibrant and supportive environment for students pursuing postgraduate research and taught masters study including those in International Security and Development. The Centre provides postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development and facilitates participation in seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.
The full-time International Security and Development course structure is split across the year with three modules taken in each academic semester (a total of six modules) and then a dissertation over the summer. Students study four compulsory modules, the research module and one optional module. The dissertation is written on a specialist research topic of the student's choosing.
Part-time study in MA in International Security and Development is available.
- To develop advanced knowledge and understanding of International Security and Development.
- To develop critical, theoretical and analytical skills, improve written and oral communication skills.
- To acquire research skills in International Security and Development.
Modules on the MA in International Security and Development typically include:
• Violence, Conflict and Development
• Critical Security
• International Security in the Asia Pacific
• Civil Society and International Development
• Approaches to International Relations
• War, Identity and Society
• Governance: From State Formation to Global Governance
• War in Space
• State of Africa
• Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention
• Rights Based Approaches to Development
Students interested in International Security and Development, from a politics, international relations, development studies, law, humanities, social science, international business or related background. Students interested in preparation for postgraduate research, MPhil or PhD, or who wish to develop skills and knowledge related to International Security and Development.
Career expectations are excellent for International Security and Development graduates. MA in International Security and Development degree holders may move on to doctoral study or enter employment sectors such as the diplomatic corps, the armed forces, intelligence and risk analysis, relief and humanitarian organisations, law and finance, government and politics and international business.
The following research groups at Swansea provide a distinct international and multi-disciplinary forum for the advancement of the
study of international security and development including:
• International Relations & Security
• Development Studies
• Cultural Political Economy
• Policy and Governance
• International Communication
Regular research seminars and lectures are run through these groups and also through the Research Institute for Arts and Humanities (RIAH) which students are encouraged to attend.
“I am now in my fourth year at Swansea University and can honestly say that I have enjoyed every moment. My undergraduate years were so good that I choose to stay on for another year to complete my Masters in International Security and Development and this is a decision I certainly do not regret. I feel like my degree has provided me with the tools needed to thrive in the world of employment, and the MA in International Security and Development I am now studying towards will only improve my chances of getting a high end job.”
Chris Harber, International Security and Development, MA
Critical Theory is an exciting and dynamic field encompassing diverse intellectual approaches to literature, culture, society, and politics. It entails reflection on the premises, concepts and categories used in different disciplines.
This programme provides expert-led teaching on the wide range of theoretical approaches that constitute the contemporary critical vocabulary within the humanities.
Seminar-based teaching will allow you to critically engage with theoretical approaches as diverse as poststructuralism, postcolonialism, and the Frankfurt School, and with the work of thinkers such as Heidegger, Derrida and Deleuze.
We are the oldest department of English Literature in the world, and at the last Research Assessment Exercise were awarded the highest research rating possible, of 5*A. We have one of the largest graduate programmes in this area in the country and a rich research culture covering all aspects of literatures in English.
We offer supervision in all areas of English literature, historical and/or theoretical.
The research of staff has made valuable contributions to the areas of literature and philosophy, modernism/postmodernism, medieval and early modern literature, history of the book, romanticism, transatlantic studies and performance studies.
English Literature houses the Centre for the History of the Book and is one of the UK's leading forces in this area. It works closely with the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and with the National Library of Scotland. The latter's recently acquired Murray Archive is crucial for studies in Romanticism, Book History, Bibliography and Archive Studies.
Students will undertake a seminar based programme of research methods training in core research skills and subject-specific methodologies. They will also take two option courses covering areas of critical theory related to their chosen fields and will write two extended essays in relation to these courses.
The programme includes a 15,000-word dissertation, completed under the supervision of one or more of the programme tutors.
The academic staff you will be working with are all active researchers or authors, many of them prize winners and leading scholars in their fields. As well as benefiting from their expert supervision, you will undertake a seminar-based programme of training in core research skills and subject-specific methodologies. You will also have the opportunity to develop other transferable skills through the University’s Institute for Academic Development
We encourage you to share your research and learn from the work of others through a vibrant programme of Work-in-Progress seminars, reading groups, visiting speakers and conferences.
Our postgraduate journal, Forum, is a valuable conduit for research findings, and provides an opportunity for editorial experience.
On hand are all the amenities you would expect, such as computing facilities, study areas and a common room and kitchen. Our location gives you easy access to the University’s general facilities, such as the Main Library and our collections, as well as to the National Museum, National Library and National Galleries of Scotland at the heart of the city.
In addition to the impressive range of resources available at the University’s Main Library (more than two million printed volumes and generous online resources) and the nearby National Library of Scotland, we host a number of collections of rare and valuable archival materials, all of which will be readily available to you as a postgraduate student.
Among the literary treasures are the libraries of William Drummond, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Hugh MacDiarmid, Adam Smith, Dugald Stewart and Norman MacCaig, plus the WH Auden collection, the Corson Collection of works by and about Sir Walter Scott and the Ramage collection of poetry pamphlets.
Our cultural collections are highly regarded and include a truly exceptional collection of early Shakespeare quartos and other early modern printed plays, and world-class manuscript and archival collections.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Glaciology at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The Geography department is always keen to attract high-quality postgraduate students to join our research groups.
The MSc by Research Glaciology enables students to pursue a one year individual programme of research. The MSc by Research would normally terminate after a year. However, under appropriate circumstances, this first year of research can also be used in a progression to Year 2 of a PhD degree.
You will be fully integrated into one of our established research groups and participate in research activities such as seminars, workshops, laboratories, and field work.
Swansea is a research-led University and the Department makes a significant contribution, meaning that as a Postgraduate Geography Student you will benefit from the knowledge and skills of internationally renowned academics.
In the latest Research Assessment Exercise, 95% of Geography research at Swansea was judged to be of international quality, and 60% was regarded as World-leading or internationally excellent.
The Geography department’s research groups are involved in a number of projects including:
Advancing application of stable isotopes in tree rings as indicators of climate/environmental change
Quantification of the past and future contribution of glaciers and ice sheets to Sea level rise
Understanding the response of the biosphere to variations in climate
Understanding international migration patterns and processes associated with both forced migration and labour migration and ‘mixed flows’
Cities and Urban Theory - with a focus on the interface between Human Geography and Continental Philosophy, especially with respect to deconstruction, structuralism and poststructuralism
As a postgraduate Geography student you will have access to:
Computer laboratory with 24 computers providing general IT software and programmes dedicated to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing Computer laboratory with 10 high-performance Linux workstations delivering software tools for advanced GIS and remote sensing applications
Specialist laboratory suites for stable isotope ratio analysis; tree ring analysis; extraction and identification of organic compounds; pollen extraction and analysis; rainfall simulation; tephra analysis; soil and sediment characterisation
In addition, the computing facilities include 15 dual-processor workstations for Earth Observation, a 20-node multiprocessor Beowulf cluster, and the Department’s IBM ‘Blue Ice’ Supercomputer, used mainly for climate and glaciological modelling.
All academic staff in Geography are active researchers and the department has a thriving research culture and a strong postgraduate community.
The results of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 show that Geography at Swansea University is ranked joint 9th in the UK for research impact and 11th in the UK for research environment.
Research groups include:
Environmental Dynamics
Glaciology
Global Environmental Modelling and Earth Observation
Migration, Boundaries and Identity
Social Theory and Urban Space
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study International Security and Development (Extended) at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The MA in International Security and Development introduces students to issues and debates within International Security. This includes coverage of both ‘traditional’ security issues such as war and conflict and ‘non-traditional’ issues such as economic security, environmental security, health, identity and migration.
Issues of security, violence and conflict have become central to international politics and to development policy and discourse. In order to comprehend the modern world, a full appreciation of the realities of conflict and violence, has become essential.
Drawing on the Department’s expertise in the field of security, International Security and Development students are also provided with an advanced introduction to key approaches in the study of security including realism, securitization theory, feminist approaches, critical theory and poststructuralism.
Students enrolled on the MA in International Security and Development benefit from the College of Arts and Humanities' Graduate Centre. The Graduate Centre fosters and supports individual and collaborative research activity of international excellence and offers a vibrant and supportive environment for students pursuing postgraduate research and taught masters study including those in International Security and Development. The Centre provides postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development and facilitates participation in seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.
The full-time International Security and Development course structure is split across the year with three modules taken in each academic semester (a total of six modules) and then a dissertation over the summer. Students study four compulsory modules, the research module and one optional module. The dissertation is written on a specialist research topic of the student's choosing.
Part-time study in MA in International Security and Development is available.
The Extended MA (EMA) in International Security and Development is a 240-credit postgraduate qualification that is equivalent to 120 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) and is thus a recognised Masters qualification throughout the European Union. The EMA is a standard UK MA plus an additional 60 credits (30 ECTS) and this additional coursework is undertaken in one semester at a partner institution overseas. The EMA in International Security and Development is therefore not only an EU recognised postgraduate qualification it also adds a study abroad experience thus enhancing the qualification’s employability credentials.
The partner institution for EMA International Security and Development is the Department of International and Area Studies at The University of Oklahoma. The Department of International and Area Studies is an exciting and rapidly growing academic unit within the University of Oklahoma. It has approximately twenty faculty members and, critically for this EMA in International Security and Development, their expertise lie within the fields of security and development. The University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is located approximately 20 minutes south of Oklahoma City on a breathtaking campus. Created in 1890 The University of Oklahoma enrols more than 30,000 students, it has achieved the Carnegie Foundation’s highest tier of research activity classification, and is ranked in the top 400 universities in the world according to the Times Higher rankings.
- To develop advanced knowledge and understanding of International Security and Development.
- To develop critical, theoretical and analytical skills, improve written and oral communication skills.
- To acquire research skills in International Security and Development.
Modules on the MA in International Security and Development typically include:
• Violence, Conflict and Development
• Critical Security
• International Security in the Asia Pacific
• Civil Society and International Development
• Approaches to International Relations
• War, Identity and Society
• Governance: From State Formation to Global Governance
• War in Space
• State of Africa
• Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention
• Rights Based Approaches to Development
Students interested in International Security and Development, from a politics, international relations, development studies, law, humanities, social science, international business or related background. Students interested in preparation for postgraduate research, MPhil or PhD, or who wish to develop skills and knowledge related to International Security and Development.
Career expectations are excellent for International Security and Development graduates. MA in International Security and Development degree holders may move on to doctoral study or enter employment sectors such as the diplomatic corps, the armed forces, intelligence and risk analysis, relief and humanitarian organisations, law and finance, government and politics and international business.
The following research groups at Swansea provide a distinct international and multi-disciplinary forum for the advancement of the
study of international security and development including:
• International Relations & Security
• Development Studies
• Cultural Political Economy
• Policy and Governance
• International Communication
Regular research seminars and lectures are run through these groups and also through the Research Institute for Arts and Humanities (RIAH) which students are encouraged to attend.
“I am now in my fourth year at Swansea University and can honestly say that I have enjoyed every moment. My undergraduate years were so good that I choose to stay on for another year to complete my Masters in International Security and Development and this is a decision I certainly do not regret. I feel like my degree has provided me with the tools needed to thrive in the world of employment, and the MA in International Security and Development I am now studying towards will only improve my chances of getting a high end job.”
Chris Harber, International Security and Development, MA
