Conflict, Development and Security MA

Overview

The course bridges the themes of conflict, liberal styles of governance and aid policy. You will analyse the ways in which security, development and humanitarian agents adapt to instability. You will also examine the significance of globalisation for the emergence of internal conflict, and for the development of trans-border economics and the political dynamics they may support.

This unique programme gives you the opportunity to study regionally differentiated responses to conflict in, for example Africa and Afghanistan, and to discuss issues relating to humanitarian conditionality, containment and the role of international organisations and NGOs.

Research expertise

Our academics are widely recognised as leading experts in their field. The research-led teaching you will benefit from is directly informed by the cutting-edge research that occurs within the Global Development, which involves more than 60 academics from across the University, as well as the Leeds University Centre for African Studies (LUCAS), which brings together scholars with an active interest in Africa from across different schools and faculties at the University of Leeds.

Experience opportunities

All students on all our degree schemes, including international students, have access to hundreds of volunteering opportunities through the Leeds for Life scheme. In addition, our dedicated careers team and in-School employability champions can work with you to attain work experience opportunities during and after your course.

Course content

This programme offers you the most depth and breadth of any course that focuses on the increasing merger of development and security issues. It does so by unparalleled case study expertise on political and social reconstruction from war-affected societies across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

The compulsory and optional modules studied will give you the opportunity to:

• take part in cutting-edge academic inquiry with a distinct policy relevance
• study in an intellectually vigorous environment
• participate in a dynamic research atmosphere
• broaden your understanding of complex political emergencies
• pursue a career in the humanitarian or social reconstruction sector.

The compulsory module examines the economic and political elements of contemporary internal and rationalised conflict. You will look at humanitarian, developmental and security policy responses and investigate the organisational adaptations that are emerging among state and non-state actors in relation to such instability.

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.

If you are a part-time student, you will take one compulsory module and choose one optional module in your first year. You will then take the compulsory dissertation module and two optional modules in your second year to complete your programme.

Course structure

_Modules

_{Compulsory modules}

• Conflict, Complex Emergencies and Global Governance
• POLIS MA Dissertation

_{Optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)}

• Africa in the Contemporary World
• Gender, Globalisation and Development
• Political Economy of Resources and Development
• European Defence and Security Analysis
• The Rise of China
• American Foreign Policy
• Contemporary Politics of the Middle East
• Conflict and Insurgency in Southeast Asia
• The Politics of the Israel-Palestine Conflict
• Insurgency
• International Political Economy
• Popular Culture: World politics, Society and Culture
• International Relations and the Environment
• Counterterrorism
• Terrorism
• Civil War and Intrastate Conflict
• Global Justice
• Research Methods

Learning and teaching

Teaching is through a combination of lectures, lively seminar discussions and guided weekly readings. You will also be able to benefit from an impressive range of research talks and seminars led by outside speakers or colleagues from within the department and University.

Assessment

Within modules, assessment consists primarily of assessed essays. At the end of your studies, a 12,000 word dissertation will allow you to pursue your own research interest under close supervision by one of our expert colleagues.

Applying, fees and funding

_{English language requirements}

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

To find out more, read Language for Communication and Society (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Communication and Society (10 weeks).

_{How to apply}

Application deadlines

UK/EU students: 31 July

International students: 30 June

Documents and information you’ll need

• A copy of your degree certificate or equivalent, as well as a copy of the transcript of your grades (or partial transcript if you’re still studying) certified by the awarding institution
• Two references
• Evidence of your English language qualifications, if English isn’t your first language.

APPLY (FULL TIME) 

APPLY (PART TIME) 

The School of POLIS doesn’t typically interview applicants; however, in certain circumstances programme leaders may invite you to an interview as part of the selection procedure.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students.

_Fees

Full details of fees can be found here.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Part-time fees are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

_{Scholarships and financial support}

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Career opportunities

Our graduates have pursued a range of exciting and high-profile careers within academia, think tanks and other organisations. These include: teaching and research positions at universities in the UK, US, Europe and Africa; the public sector in the UK (such as UK Border Agency), Europe (including the External Action Service) and Africa (such as police forces); globally operating consultancy and publishing firms; transnational civil society organisations; and the United Nations.

Visit the Conflict, Development and Security MA page on the University of Leeds website for more details!