Analysing the challenges facing 21st Century (non-)democracies
Is immigration a threat to democracy? Is Europe witnessing a surge in populist sentiment? How can governments reform their welfare states to deal with the growing costs of an ageing population? Contemporary governments face these and other political challenges in an increasingly globalised world. In the Master's specialisation in Comparative Politics, you’ll examine the configuration of political power within countries as well as analyse how and why political responses to contemporary challenges vary across countries.
The specialisation provides students with strong theoretical foundations and substantive empirical knowledge in subjects such as representative and deliberative democracy, political parties, democratic reform, the welfare state, gender and immigration policy. Our emphasis on both theory and empirical knowledge provides the tools to critically analyse contemporary problems facing democracies, both within and outside of Europe. It will also train you to assess the effects of proposed policy solutions. You will be prepared for a career in leading positions in both the public and private sector.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/cp
- Our international CP staff has a wide range of expertise, including, political parties, electoral politics, gender, inequality, welfare states, immigration and populism. Staff members integrate their latest research and those of their colleagues into their seminars.
- Our programme is consistently ranked number one by the most influential Dutch higher education rating organisations. The key to this success is our emphasis on small and interactive classes and the quality of our instructors.
- Radboud University boasts a strong international community.
- Staff members are actively involved in advising governments, societal and political organisations, incorporating practical experience and insights into their teaching.
The Comparative Politics Master’s will provide new insights into configurations of political power around the world. Politics is much more than elections; it’s also about grass roots mobilisation, mediatisation, and conflicts over values.
1. A completed Bachelor's degree in Political Science or a related discipline from a recognised, academic university.
A substantial part of the courses in your Bachelor’s degree should be in your preferred specialisation: International Relations, Political Theory, Comparative Politics or Public Administration (COMPASS).
2. Competency in Social Science Research Methodology (quantitative and qualitative)
Due to the strong academic nature of this programme, it is essential that students have the necessary basic research skills. Applicants with little or no Social Science Research Methodology in their previous education may get admission, provided they first complete an (oral) examination in research methodology. The oral exam can be held in person in Nijmegen or via Skype.
3. A proficiency in English
In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English. Non-native speakers* of English without a Dutch Bachelor's degree or VWO diploma need one of the following:
- a. TOEFL (iBT) Certificate: minimum overall score of 90, with subscores not lower than 18, or
- An IELTS score of >6.5 with subscores not lower than 6.0, or
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) ): minimum score of C, or
- Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): minimum score of C.
Our graduates have the skills that employers want: sound research and analytical skills; excellent written and oral communication skills; and experience in working in teams and independently.
These skills and knowledge will prepare you for positions in policymaking, administration, and project management in the public and private sector, as well as in research settings. Our alumni have positions as policymakers in international organisations, political parties, government ministries, market authorities, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Our alumni also work as consultants for profit and non-profit organisations and as researchers at think-tanks and universities. They are also employed by banks and other financial institutions and by the media.
Comparative Politics at Radboud University focuses on the following aspects:
- Political conflict in the age of globalisation
Opening up the newspaper or turning on the television it would be hard to miss recent developments such as Catalan and Scottish demands for independence, challenges to authoritarian regimes (i.e. the Arab Spring), the persistence of populist parties (in Europe and elsewhere), debates on immigration, and demands by young people for employment and a better future (e.g. the indignados movement). We are interested in uncovering the social, economic, and political causes of such developments, while also questioning whether events such as these are destabilising or whether they will be accommodated into existing institutional structures.
- Alternative forms of representation
Democracies face unprecedented challenges in areas like migration, environmental degradation, and demographic change. However, democracies must also cope with electorates that are increasingly dissatisfied with government performance and legitimacy. Some citizens withdraw from political participation, some turn to populist and anti-establishment parties, while others become even more politically active. In comparative politics we utilise a variety of theoretical perspectives to analyse these trends, while we also seek to propose possible solutions to these problems.
- Political challenges to political reform
We study the politics of reform across a wide range of social policies, targeting inequalities while seeking to learn from the best comparative work available on the welfare state, gender equality, migration and integration and sexual equality.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/cp
Discovering the politics of public policymaking.
Immigration, environmental degradation, population ageing and global poverty are just a few of the political challenges that contemporary policymakers face. In an increasingly globalised world, it is more important than ever that governments respond quickly and effectively to these challenges. National governments, however, increasingly share responsibility for designing and implementing effective policy with several layers of government (local, regional, national, international) and different types of actors (governments, non-profit organisations, businesses).
Designing effective policies in different political systems
The COMPASS specialisation provides the skills needed for a career in government or other policymaking organisations (NGOs, international organisations, advocacy groups). Courses focus on the barriers to and facilitators of reform, Europeanisation and compliance with EU directives, welfare state reform, and the problems governments face in the 21st century.
The degree awarded for completing COMPASS is either a Master's degree in Public Administration or in Political Science. By joining both disciplines, the specialisation incorporates the strengths of both.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/cpas
- The programme offers a unique combination of the theoretical foundations of Comparative Politics and the practical side of Public Administration
- Teaching takes place in a stimulating, collegial setting, with small groups, giving ample opportunity for debate
- The staff has a wide range of expertise, integrating their latest research into their seminars
- Staff members are actively involved in advising government, societal and political organisations
The Master’s specialisation in Comparative Politics, Administration, and Society (COMPASS) addresses themes of current significance to governance in Europe and elsewhere, drawing on experiences from different countries and teaching the analytical skills necessary for devising effective solutions for the challenges facing society. Because of COMPASS’s emphasis on understanding and analysing policymaking and administration at different levels of government, graduates will be able to identify the barriers to and facilitators of reform.
If you want to become a professional in government, COMPASS provides you with the tools needed for working in an ever changing environment and gives you an edge in an increasingly competitive job market. By choosing topics in their course works, students have the opportunity to specialise within the programme. Thus, developing a personal profile that strengthens their distinctiveness. Once graduated, you will leave the programme with a firm knowledge of complex issues and current changes in governance and international politics, and the skills to provide clever solutions. The programme thus
prepares you for senior positions in different organisations, for example the UN, the OECD and EU; public employers, such as local, regional and central government departments; thinktanks, advisory bodies and consultancy firms.
Political decisions are increasingly made in complex multi-governance systems. Transnational institutions such as the UN, the EU, the World Bank and the IMF have grown in importance. Policy problems are seldom the remit of a single government, but often involve several layers of government (local, regional, national, transnational) and several types of actors (governments, non-profit organisations, businesses). Moreover, recent reforms in many countries have led to the fragmentation of the public sector.
This fragmentation of the public sector comes at a time when governments face a particularly difficult set of problems. Economic and financial crises threaten the sustainability of what we used to take for granted. Social and demographic changes, such as population ageing, have made existing social policies and public programmes controversial. New technologies have radically changed the risks that we face and how we perceive them. These developments have implications for the training and skills of those who wish to work in the public sector and NGO sector.
- Components
The Master’s specialisation in Comparative Politics, Administration and Society is designed to address these issues and impart the skills necessary for a young professional in contemporary public administration. The one-year programme consists of two components:
An advanced general course that refines the analytical skills necessary for an international and comparative orientation.
Courses that specifically address the issue of the interaction between different levels of administration: international, national, and regional. The courses focus on, for instance, the barriers to and facilitators of reform, Europeanisation and compliance with EU directives, how various countries deal with problems concerning the social welfare state, and the challenges governments face in the 21st century. Courses emphasise questions such as: what are the implications when policy risks and issues are spread over different levels of administration? What happens when national administrations lose competencies to international bodies?
- Ethics
All courses in this Master’s specialisation include some training in the ethical dimensions of public administration. We believe that professions in the public and semi-public sector should be able to identify the ethical aspects of politics and public administration, because political processes are never neutral. Courses emphasise questions such as: which criteria need to be met for which players before an agreement can be reached? What hidden agendas could influence a policy? What interests are involved during an official inquiry?
- Change perspective
This Master’s specialisation provides students with a broad foundation concerning the way in which governments deal with contemporary problems. Students will learn that standardised solutions can be counter-productive because each country has its own unique context (such as culture and history) which needs to be taken into account when designing policy solutions.
Find information on Scholarships here http://www.ru.nl/scholarships
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/cpas
Why is violent conflict so pervasive? How can we explain the origins and intensity of violent conflicts? What are the conditions for an enduring peace?
The Master's specialisation in Conflict, Power and Politics offers students insights into the origins, causes, and processes of conflict and conflict resolution. Recognising that contemporary conflicts cannot be understood without taking both domestic and international politics into account, the programme draws on comparative politics, international relations and conflict studies. Students will critically explore themes such as the determinants of political violence and warfare; the impact of political systems on the ways in which political demands are articulated; the links between ethnic violence, nationalism and war; how international regulations affect efforts to acquire peace; and which ethical dilemmas arise in such situations.
This Master’s programme is built around the basic notion that causes and (lasting) resolution of (violent) conflict can only be properly understood if we combine insights from international relations, comparative politics, conflict studies and international ethics: conflict may have domestic origins, but always has an international-political dimension; resolving such conflicts requires a proper grasp of the ethical and practical dimensions on intervention and peace building.
Our staff investigates the role of international organisations in humanitarian intervention and peace building (Verkoren, Verbeek); the role of social and political movements in mobilising conflict (Zaslove; Lehr; Malejacq); how changes in political representation contribute the (de)escalation of (potential) conflicts (Jacobs; van Leeuwen; Swedlund); how major global power transformations affect the likelihood of local conflict (Eimer).
Students in this Master’s programme prepare for a career as academic, (inter)national policy or decision maker, or journalist. Students acquire skills for positions as policy makers in NGOs, media international organisations, political parties, national ministries, and supranational institutions. They may also work as consultants for profit and non-profit organisations and as researchers at think tanks or universities. Our graduates obtain the skills that employers covet, such as sound research and analytical skills, excellent writing and oral communication skills, and experience in working in teams and working independently.
Find out more at http://www.ru.nl/masters/cpp
What is the meaning of citizenship in modern culture? What is the value of democracy? What does today's sociopolitical atmosphere mean for the future of liberty itself? Given the current international backdrop of cultural conflicts, political strife and radical new technologies, a thorough understanding of such issues is more urgently needed than ever. In the master's programme in Politics and Society, you will gain insight into how culture has become a source of concern and conflict in the national and international political arenas. You will also explore the different professional roles a student of politics and society can play in political organisations, in the media or in think tanks.
You can choose to follow this programme completely in English or completely in Dutch. You will get an MA in Arts and Culture with a specialisation in Politics and Society.
Why this programme?
Multiculturalism. Integration. Neopopulism. Meritocracy. These are some of the hottest topics around today, and they are all on the table in this programme. The common thread: how culture has become a source of concern and conflict in the national and international political arenas.
You will analyse these topics and new political developments from a broad range of perspectives. After all, this programme does not train you to become a political scientist, historian, philosopher or sociologist, but a generalist who can combine approaches from all these disciplines.
You will learn to critically diagnose contemporary problems and practices in the area of politics and society. This requires three crucial academic skills, which you will develop during the programme:
Identifying and pursuing your own intellectual passions is a must. The overall aim is to get a grip on the pressing issues confronting Western societies from an interdisciplinary perspective. Since societal and political developments are interwoven, this integrated approach is crucial.
In this programme, you will:
Power shapes politics, but what shapes power in the 21st Century? The Radboud Master's programme in Political Science offers a unique opportunity for highly motivated students to prepare for a rewarding career in leading positions in the public and private sector.
- International Relations
Learn how to investigate global cooperation and conflict from different perspectives and to analyse the essential players that shape global politics: governments, international organisations, media, businesses and NGOs.
- Political Theory
Study various aspects of the relationship between political power and morality. The central question here is whether political principles, institutions, and practices can ever be legitimate. What may we force each other to do? What should we do?
- Comparative Politics
Focus on political challenges faced by contemporary (non-)democracies in a globalising world, such as growing inequalities, new demands on representative institutions, and pressures created by both migration and demographic change.
- Comparative Politics, Administration, and Society (COMPASS)
Develop the skills needed for working in contemporary government. The courses focus on, for instance, the barriers to and facilitators of reform, Europeanisation and compliance with EU directives, how various countries deal with problems with the social welfare state, and the challenges government is facing in this century.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/politicalscience
- Our programme is consistently ranked number one by the most influential Dutch higher education rating organisations. The key to this success is our emphasis on small and interactive classes and the quality of our instructors.
- Radboud University boasts a strong international community.
- Staff members are actively involved in advising governments, societal and political organisations, incorporating practical experience and insights into their teaching.
- International Relations
Our graduate's careers reflect the high quality of our programme: Comparative Politics. Our alumni have positions as policymakers in international organisations, political parties, government ministries, market authorities, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Our alumni also work as consultants for profit and non-profit organisations and as researchers (in think tanks and universities). They are also employed by banks and other financial institutions and by the media.
- Comparative Politics
The analytical skills and knowledge you acquire in this Master's programme prepare you for positions in policy and programme development in national, international, public and private sector organisations, as well as for a wide range of academic research opportunities. Our students find jobs as consultants, as policy makers (in government and non-governmental), as researchers (academic, governmental agencies) as well as in the media (newspapers, television, new media).
- Political Theory
Our graduates find employment in a variety of settings: in consulting, international diplomacy, within EU institutions, as policy advisors, managers and leaders in local, regional and national governments, and in business, media and think-tanks. A number of graduates go on to pursue a PhD degree.
- Comparative Politics, Administration, and Society (COMPASS)
If you would like to become a professional in government, COMPASS can provide you with the tools needed for working in an-ever changing environment, and give you a competitive edge in the job market. Once you graduate, you will leave the programme with an extensive knowledge of complex, current issues in governance and international politics, as well as the skills to provide implementable solutions. You will also gain an advanced understanding of public administration and of policy making.
The programme prepares you for senior positions in organisations involving the public sector, for example:
- International organisations such as the UN, the OECD and EU
- Public employers, such as local, regional and central government departments
- Think-tanks and advisory bodies
- Consultancy firms
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/politicalscience
In the Master's programme in Public Administration at Radboud University you study how organisations in and around public administration operate and how they are organised. The Master’s in Public Administration continues on from the Bachelor's in Public Administration, but can also be followed as an independent Master’s after, for example, a Bachelor's programme in History. Graduates of the Master’s in Public Administration can become public manager: someone who can use their extensive knowledge on the workings and structure of the government to put forward solutions for internal organisational problems and social governmental policy issues.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/publicadministration
The Master’s programme in Public Administration offers four specialisations, one in English and three in Dutch. In all specialisations there is plenty of attention for management, administrative ethics and policy issues, both theoretical and practical.
- Comparative Politics, Administration and Society
- Beleid en advies
- Besturen van veiligheid
- Management en organisatie van de publieke sector
1. A Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Political Science or a related discipline from a recognised university.
2. Competency in Social Science Research Methodology (quantitative and qualitative)
Due to the strong academic nature of this programme, it is essential that students have basic research skills.
3. Proficiency in English
In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English.This requirement has been satisfied when the student meets one of the following conditions:
- Has successfully completed a three-year Bachelor's programme at a Dutch university.
- Is a citizen of Australia, Canada (with exception of Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, or the United States of America.
- Has successfully completed a Bachelor's programme that was taught completely in the English language in one of the following countries: EU/EEA-countries, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States of America.
- Has successfully completed a Master's programme from a Dutch university of applied sciences (HBO).
All other students need one of the following certificates (which may not be older than two years).
- A TOEFL score of ≥575 (paper based) or ≥232 (computer based) or ≥90 (internet based), with subscores not lower than 18
- A IELTS score of ≥6.5, with subscores not lower than 6.0
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) with a mark of C or higher
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/publicadministration
