Masters Degrees in Politics & Government

Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Politics at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

This MA in Politics gives students the skills they need to be prepared for the challenges we all face in a world that is rapidly changing and where politics matters more than ever.

Key Features of MA in Politics

The MA in Politics is designed to provide high level training in the core components of contemporary political study. It provides a solid grounding in research skills and theoretical approaches to politics.

The Politics programme then allows students to select options that focus on global, comparative and/or British politics as well as political theory and philosophy.

The Politics degree is enriched by opportunities (awarded on a competitive basis) for work-based placement learning either through the Wales for Africa programme or placements arranged with government organisations in Wales.

The full-time Politics 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. Politics students study four compulsory modules, the research process module and one optional module. The dissertation is written on a specialist research topic of the student's choosing in Politics.

Part-time study for the MA in Politics is available.

MA in Politics Programme Aims

- To develop advanced knowledge and understanding of Politics.
- To develop critical, theoretical and analytical skills, improve written and oral communication skills.
- To acquire research skills in Politics.

Politics Modules

Modules on the MA in Politics typically include:

• Governance, Globalization and Neoliberal Political Economy
• Comparative Politics in the New World Order
• The Policy Making Process
• Politics and Public Policy in the New Wales
• Violence, Conflict and Development
• Critical Security
• Civil Society and International Development
• War in Space
• War, Identity and Society
• New Media Technologies, Society and Politics
• Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention
• Women and Politics
• Politics in Contemporary Britain

Who should Apply?

Students interested in 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 politics.

Careers

Career expectations are excellent for Politics graduates. MA in Politics degree holders may move on to doctoral study or enter employment sectors such as government and politics; the Foreign office; the diplomatic corps; the armed forces; intelligence and risk analysis; relief and humanitarian organisations; law and finance and international business.

Research Interests

The following research groups at Swansea provide a distinct international and multi-disciplinary forum for the advancement of the study of Politics including:

• Policy and Governance
• International Relations & Security
• Cultural Political Economy
• Development Studies
• International Communication

Regular research seminars and lectures including in the field of Politics are run through these groups and also through the Research Institute for Arts and Humanities (RIAH) which Politics students are encouraged to attend.

Work-based Placements

The MA in Politics offers opportunities (awarded on a competitive basis) for work-based placement learning either through the Study in Gambia progamme or placements arranged with government organisations in Wales.

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Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Politics at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

This MA in Politics gives students the skills they need to be prepared for the challenges we all face in a world that is rapidly changing and where politics matters more than ever.

Key Features of MA in Politics

The MA in Politics is designed to provide high level training in the core components of contemporary political study. It provides a solid grounding in research skills and theoretical approaches to politics.

The Politics programme then allows students to select options that focus on global, comparative and/or British politics as well as political theory and philosophy.

The Politics degree is enriched by opportunities (awarded on a competitive basis) for work-based placement learning either through the Wales for Africa programme or placements arranged with government organisations in Wales.

The full-time Politics 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. Politics students study four compulsory modules, the research process module and one optional module. The dissertation is written on a specialist research topic of the student's choosing.

Part-time study for the MA in Politics is available.

The Extended MA (EMA) in Politics 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 Politics 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 Politics is the Department of Political Science at the University of the Philippines, Diliman (UPD). The Department of Political Science was established in 1915 and is the only Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Center of Excellence in Political Science in the Philippines. The University of the Philippines is the country’s national university, with UPD its
biggest campus and the physical seat of its Administration. UPD occupies 493 hectares of prime land in Quezon City, it has in excess of 25,000 students and the library resources are the largest in the country.

MA in Politics Programme Aims

- To develop advanced knowledge and understanding of Politics.
- To develop critical, theoretical and analytical skills, improve written and oral communication skills.
- To acquire research skills in Politics.

Modules

Modules on the MA in Politics typically include:

• Governance, Globalization and Neoliberal Political Economy
• Comparative Politics in the New World Order
• The Policy Making Process
• Politics and Public Policy in the New Wales
• Violence, Conflict and Development
• Critical Security
• Civil Society and International Development
• War in Space
• War, Identity and Society
• New Media Technologies, Society and Politics
• Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention
• Women and Politics
• Politics in Contemporary Britain

Who should Apply?

Students interested in 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 politics.

Careers

Career expectations are excellent for Politics graduates. MA in Politics degree holders may move on to doctoral study or enter employment sectors such as government and politics; the Foreign office; the diplomatic corps; the armed forces; intelligence and risk analysis; relief and humanitarian organisations; law and finance and international business.

Research Interests

The following research groups at Swansea provide a distinct international and multi-disciplinary forum for the advancement of the study of Politics including:

• Policy and Governance
• International Relations & Security
• Cultural Political Economy
• Development Studies
• International Communication

Regular research seminars and lectures are run through these groups and also through the Research Institute for Arts and Humanities (RIAH) which Politics students are encouraged to attend.

Work-based Placements

The MA in Politics offers opportunities (awarded on a competitive basis) for work-based placement learning either through the Study in Gambia progamme or placements arranged with government organisations in Wales.

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Our MSc in Politics provides an advanced grounding in contemporary political science, focusing on empirical and normative democratic theory, political institutions, public policy and citizenship across different political systems and diverse social contexts.The MSc brings together many of the existing strengths of the department in different parts of the world.

The programme can be tailored to specific regional interests through option courses in West Europe and North America, East Europe, Africa, India, and the Middle East. The degree will provide you with a firm academic foundation in the study of comparative politics and a base of knowledge for careers in fields such as policymaking, development, and NGOs.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/politicsandir/coursefinder/mscpolitics.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 international public policy while allowing you to specialise in particular issues or regions of interest.

- taught by academics, current and retired public policy practitioners

- our international cohort of students will provide you with excellent opportunities to obtain genuinely 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 Alsiter 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 Willets 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: institutions, 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 Centre for Global and Transnational Politics is devoted to the multi-disciplinary exploration of global and transnational processes. Led by its Co-Directors Professor Chris Rumford and Professor Sandra Halperin, its central concern is to theorise and conceptualise the substance of, and connections between and among, political processes that operate at all levels or scales: the local, national, international, transnational, and global. Professor Rumford and Professor Halperin edit the Routledge Series in Global and Transnational Politics and host the Global Studies Association and a BISA Working Group of Global and Transnational Politics in the Centre.

- 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 Prof Andrew Chadwick, Prof Ben O’Loughlin and Dr Cristian Vicarri. Recent publications include Chadwick’s The Hybrid Media System (Oxford University Press, 2013) and Alister Miskimmon, Ben O’Loughlin and Laura Roselle, Strategic Narratives: Communication Power and the New World Order (Routledge, 2013). As well as hosting a large number of PhD students working in new political communication, Chadwick edited the Oxford University Press Series Oxford Studies in Digital Politics and O’Loughlin is co-editor of the journal, Media, War and Conflict.

- The Contemporary Political Theory Research Group was founded in October 2009, as a result of the development of political theory at postgraduate level and growth in academic staff numbers having created the critical mass it required. The group organizes its activities collectively, and its work focuses on issues around contemporary pluralism, liberalism, democratic theory and radical politics. It brings together staff working in contemporary Continental philosophy, normative political theory, and American pragmatism, and its postgraduate members include two students on the College’s most prestigious studentship, the Reid Award. The group also has ties to the College’s Philosophy Team and the interdepartmental Humanities and Arts Research Centre

Course content and structure

Core course units:
- The Politics of Democracy You will be provided with a sound understanding of contemporary thinking about democracy and political participation through the analysis of liberal democracy and its political institutions. The unit will draw upon a variety of contemporary and historical sources with particular reference to the political systems of Britain and the USA.

- Comparative Political Executives This unit explores the political executives of established democratic systems, focusing on institutions – presidents, prime ministers, cabinets and so on – and how they function and interact with other parts of the political system. You will gain knowledge of the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the executives 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.

- European Union Politics and Policy This course provides students with an insight into the development and governance of the European Union as a political system. Particular attention is placed on the functions of the EU’s executive, legislative and judicial institutions as well as on a number of key policy areas in which the European Union’s sovereignty has developed in recent years. The course provides students with a solid theoretical background in understanding both the institutional politics and public policy of the EU.

- Political Parties
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.
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.

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

Elective course units:
- Internet and New Media Politics Drawing predominantly upon specialist academic journal literatures, this unit focuses on a number of important contemporary debates about the role and influence of new technologies on the values, processes and outcomes of: global governance institutions; public bureaucracies; representative institutions including political parties and legislatures; pressure groups and social movements.

- Elections and Voting Behaviour

- Social Media and Politics

- Public Opinion and political participation

- Human Rights: From Theory to Practice

- Advanced Quantitative Methods

On completion of the course graduates will have:
- an advanced knowledge and critical understanding of key concepts, theoretical debates, and developments related to public policy, democracy, politics, international relations and governance

- a sound knowledge of the texts, theories and methods used to enhance understanding of the issues, processes and phenomena associated with particular fields of public policy, politics and international relations

- 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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Study International Politics and Human Rights at City, and discover why you will never read international news in the same way again.

Who is it for?

The International Politics and Human Rights programme is for students who want to explore international politics and human rights more widely and then drill down to specialise their knowledge. The MA is designed to give you the chance to create your own questions about the way the world works – and to shape arguments where you feel it doesn’t. These are some of the questions the course poses:
-Do human rights offer universal protections, or do they provide ideological cover for neo-imperialist powers?
-Can human rights provide protection to individuals in a way that supersedes the nation-state, or do they serve the interests of powerful states?
-Should human rights be concerned with the minimalist needs of security and subsistence, or should they aspire to grander visions of global justice?

Objectives

This is a course where you will challenge your own point of view. We unpick the ideas that structure the way we understand the world, so we can identify how those understandings shape global events. We then focus on how the way we view things may, in itself, be ethically problematic.

International Politics and Human Rights is an evolving subject so you explore unique specialisms backed by real-world research. The department’s academics are actively shaping policy, sitting on the advisory board for the Corbyn shadow cabinet, hosting talks on the human right to housing in London, and engaging in study groups around the Obama presidency. This keeps the content of the course effective and current, giving students a contemporary lens from which to view rapid political change.

Placements

You have the opportunity to undertake a placement, but it is not a formal requirement of the course. We encourage students to create their own, by fostering connections offered by the Careers Service. There is also the International Politics Careers Day, which explores career opportunities with international politics degrees and includes:
-Talks by speakers within the field (including alumni now working within the UK Department for International Development, the UK Ministry of Justice), UNESCO and the EU Commission.
-Talks by careers consultants and volunteering coordinators.
-Drop-in sessions with careers professionals focusing on CV writing, applications and volunteering.

Academic facilities

As part of the University of London you can also become a member of Senate House Library for free with your student ID card.

Teaching and learning

The course is taught by academics within the department with industry professionals offering insight in the form of talks for the Practitioner Series. This is a programme of talks from visiting speakers and alumni working within organisations such as The Refugee Council and Amnesty International.

Academic staff

The staff within our Department of International Politics are research active, enthusiastic and passionate about their work. Often this research and influence leads to policy change and many media appearances. Find out more about International Politics staff.
You can follow our staff’s activity through their Twitter feed: @cityintpolitics

Assessment

Each taught module is assessed by an essay, either a 5,000-word essay for 30 credit modules or a 3,000-word essay for 15 credit modules. Your final MA marks are derived from a combination of your essay and dissertation grades.

You are required to submit a dissertation of 15,000 words in an area linked to the MA degree. Your dissertation topic will be agreed with your personal tutor/supervisor.

Your work will be assessed by coursework alone, there are no exams.Many students develop their key interest first when they choose their elective modules, then when they write their essays, and finally when they write their dissertation over the summer term.

Modules

The structure of this MA means you can design your own degree. The first core module Human Rights and the Transformation of World Politics l is taught in the first term and Global Ethics: Principles, Power and Politics, is taught in the second term. Throughout the year you can choose elective modules that suit your interests. You can also opt to study across departments with optional modules from the Department of Sociology and The City Law School.

You take two 30-credit core modules, one in each term, totalling 60 credits. You will then take elective modules totalling 60 credits, which include 15 and 30 credit options, and complete your 60 credit dissertation in the third term as a student on the full-time programme (with submission in September of that year). You must also attend the dissertation workshops that are offered by the department, as it is a compulsory and important part of the MA programme.

Core modules
-Human Rights and the Transformation of World Politics IPM118 (30 credits)
-Global Ethics: Principles, Power and Politics IPM117 (30 credits)
-International Politics dissertation IPM111 (60 credits)

Elective modules - choose 60 credits
Typical modules offered by the Department of International Politics:
-Understanding Security in the 21st Century (15 credits)
-International Organisations in Global Politics (15 credits)
-Theories of International Politics (30 credits)
-Development and International Politics (15 credits)
-Religion in Global Politics (15 credits)
-Global Capitalism: Past, Present and Future (30 credits)
-Political Economy of Global Finance (15 credits)
-The Politics of Forced Migration (15 credits)
-Global Governance (15 credits)
-International Politics of the Middle East (15 credits)
-Global Financial Governance (15 credits)
-Strategy, Diplomacy and Decision-making (30 credits)
-US Foreign Policy (15 credits)
-Foreign Policy Analysis (15 credits)
-Economic Diplomacy (15 credits)
-Global Political Economy: Contemporary Approaches (30 credits)

Typical modules offered by the Department of Sociology:
-Developments in Communication Policy (30 credits)
-Transnational Media and Communication (30 credits)
-Criminal Minds (15 credits)
-Crime News (15 credits)

Typical modules offered by The City Law School:
-International Human Rights in Law and Practice (30 credits)
-Human Rights in the EU (30 credits)
-International Criminal Law: Crimes & Institutions (30 credits)
-Law and War (30 credits)
-Minorities and Indigenous People in International Law (30 credits)
-International Law & The Use of Force (30 credits)

*MA International Politics and Human Rights students have access to additional LLM options with The City Law School.

Career prospects

The skills you will take away from this programme – those of research, analysis and presentation – are highly valued by employers. In 2016 70% of City's International Politics graduates were in employment or further study six months after graduation. Current graduates now work within the following organisations:
-UNESCO
-Amnesty International
-The Open Rights Group
-The Grass Roots Group
-The United Nations
-US Embassy
-International Crisis Groupp
-Ministry of Economy and Finance
-European External Action Service

From human rights organisations to NGOs and government agencies, the course gives you the perfect foundation to prepare for a career in a wide range of fields. You will graduate with the ability to undertake in-depth research, challenge received explanations of topics in social and political life and to examine and critically evaluate the complex structure of relationships between governments, transnational actors, transnational networks and intergovernmental or governmental organisations.

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

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

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

Programme Specification

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

Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (L&SS)

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

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

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

Department of Politics and International Studies

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

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

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

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

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Study International Politics to get behind the headlines as you discover structures and ideas that shape global affairs.

Who is it for?

The International Politics MA programme is for students who want to explore international politics more widely and then drill down to follow their unique interests and specialise their knowledge. The MA is designed to give you the chance to pursue your own questions about the way the world works – and to shape arguments where you feel it doesn’t.

Objectives

This is a course where you will challenge your own point of view. We probe the ideas that structure the way we think about the world and examine the institutions that determine events. We then focus on how you can use this new understanding to judge global affairs for yourself.

International Politics is an expansive and ever-changing subject so you learn about the broad contours of the field while developing specialisms backed by real-world research. The department’s academics are actively shaping policy, sitting on the advisory board for the Corbyn shadow cabinet, hosting talks on the human right to housing in London, and engaging in study groups around the Obama presidency. This keeps the content of the course effective and current, giving students a contemporary lens from which to view rapid political change.

These are some of the questions the course poses:
-Is the USA a benevolent global leader or a neo-imperial power?
-How does the shift in power from the West to the Rest reshape international politics in the 21st century?
-Can states act effectively in a world increasingly shaped by international institutions and global economic actors?

Placements

You may have the opportunity to undertake a placement, but it is not a formal requirement of the course. We encourage students to create their own, by fostering connections offered by the Careers Service. There is also the International Politics Careers Day, which explores career opportunities with international politics degrees and includes:
-Talks by speakers within the field (including alumni now working within the UK Department for International Development, the UK Ministry of Justice), UNESCO and the EU Commission.
-Talks by careers consultants and volunteering coordinators.
-Drop-in sessions with careers professionals focusing on CV writing, applications and volunteering.

Academic facilities

As part of the University of London you can also become a member of Senate House Library for free with your student ID card.

Teaching and learning

The course is taught by academics within the department with industry professionals offering insight in the form of talks for the Practitioner Series. This is a programme of talks from visiting speakers and alumni working within organisations such as The Refugee Council and Amnesty International.

The staff within our Department of International Politics are research active, enthusiastic and passionate about their work. Often this research and influence leads to policy change and many media appearances. Find out more about International Politics staff.
You can follow our staff’s activity through their Twitter feed: @cityintpolitics

Assessment

Each taught module is assessed by an essay, either a 5,000-word essay for 30 credit modules or a 3,000-word essay for 15 credit modules. Your final MA marks are derived from a combination of your essay and dissertation grades.

You are required to submit a dissertation of 15,000 words in an area linked to the MA degree. Your dissertation topic will be agreed with your personal tutor/supervisor.

Your work will be assessed by coursework alone, there are no exams. Many students develop their key interest first when they choose their elective modules, then when they write their essays, and finally when they write their dissertation over the summer term.

Modules

The structure of this MA means you can design your own degree. The core module 'Theories of International Politics' is taught in the first term. Throughout the year you can choose elective modules that suit your interests. You can also opt to study across departments with optional modules from the Department of Sociology and The City Law School.

Core modules
-Theories of International Politics (30 credits)
-International Politics Research Workshop
-International Politics Dissertation (60 credits)

Elective modules - choose 60 credits
Typical modules offered by the Department of International Politics:
-Understanding security in the 21st century (15 credits)
-International organisations in global politics (15 credits)
-Development and international politics (15 credits)
-Religion in global politics (15 credits)
-Global capitalism: past, present and future (30 credits)
-Global political economy (30 credits)
-Political economy of global finance (15 credits)
-The politics of forced displacement and resettlement (15 credits)
-Global governance (15 credits)
-International politics of the Middle East (15 credits)
-Global financial governance (15 credits)
-Strategy, diplomacy and decision-making (30 credits)
-US foreign policy (15 credits)
-Foreign policy analysis (15 credits)
-Economic diplomacy (15 credits)

Typical modules offered by the Sociology Department:
-Developments in communication policy (30 credits)
-Transnational media and communication (30 credits)
-Criminal minds (15 credits)
-Crime news (15 credits)

Typical modules offered by The City Law School:
-International human rights in law and practice (30 credits)
-Human rights in the EU (30 credits)
-International criminal law: crimes & institutions (30 credits)
-Law and war (30 credits)
-Minorities and indigenous people in international law (30 credits)
-International law & the use of force (30 credits)

Career prospects

The skills you will take away from this programme – those of research, analysis and presentation – are highly valued by employers. In 2014-15, 87.5% of City's International Politics graduates were in employment or further study six months after graduation. Current graduates now work within the following organisations:
-Amnesty International
-European External Action Service
-International Crisis Group
-Ministry of Economy and Finance
-The Open Rights Group
-The Grass Roots Group
-The United Nations
-UNESCO
-US Embassy

From government agencies to NGOs and human rights organisations, the course gives you the perfect foundation to prepare for a career in a wide range of fields. You will graduate with the ability to undertake in-depth research, challenge received explanations of topics in social and political life and to examine and critically evaluate the complex structure of relationships between governments, transnational actors, transnational networks and intergovernmental or governmental organisations.

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This Master's degree in politics examines the day-to-day practice and reality of government by analysing post-War politics and public policy in the United Kingdom and around the world. You will develop your ability to analyse political debates and issues in a critical manner and you will be taught by academics with expertise in researching, writing about and participating in politics. The course combines theoretical approaches with empirical knowledge and real-world case studies and you will explore topics in political theory, political science and sociology. You will be given the opportunity to debate and engage with the everyday practicalities of politics through class discussions and meetings with experienced practitioners.

The core modules explore the history, politics and institutions of global governance as a response to the challenges of globalisation and introduce you to the key issues and policy debates in international political economy. You will be equipped with the conceptual ideas, theoretical approaches and analytical research skills needed to study politics at postgraduate level.

You can then choose 2 option modules from a wide variety of topics including international security, American foreign policy, globalisation, political theory and sociology, nationalism and religion, and war and conflict. You will also learn research techniques that will enable you to specialise and undertake the researching and writing of a dissertation on the subject that interests you most.

Our Department of Politics is a lively and distinguished centre of interdisciplinary research, with a strong reputation for the quality of our teaching. Some of the world’s most famous libraries are on our doorstep in Bloomsbury, central London, and you can walk down to Whitehall, where Parliament and the UK’s most influential and important think-tanks and centres of political research and analysis are located.

Our departmental building was once a key location for members of the Bloomsbury Group, so you could be studying in rooms that have hosted distinguished visitors, including T. S. Eliot, George Bernard Shaw and Maynard Keynes.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

This Master's degree provides an intellectually stimulating guide to politics, policy-making and the processes of government in the contemporary United Kingdom and around the world.
The programme allows you to follow your own interests, with a wide choice of option modules, while developing your research skills and undertaking a dissertation in an area that interests you.
Our location in central London puts us at the heart of the UK’s political life and at the centre of academic London. You can walk down to Parliament and Whitehall, while Bloomsbury contains some of the world’s most famous libraries and centres of research.
You can take advantage of the rich research collections nearby, including Senate House Library, which is right next door to Birkbeck, the British Library, which is 5 minutes’ walk away, and the British Library of Political and Economic Science at the London School of Economics, which is walkable from Birkbeck.
Our Department of Politics was ranked 12th in the UK in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) results and is a world-renowned centre of original, influential research.
The department organises a lively programme of seminars and conferences and is home to affiliated research centres, such as the Centre for the Study of British Politics and Public Life, which run seminars, conferences and other events where some of the world's best scholars present their latest research.
Our academic staff are international authorities in their respective fields, publishing and delivering stimulating teaching in a wide range of political topics including civil society and the state, public policy, development, gender, international security and terrorism, and social and political theory, among others.
Birkbeck Library has a large politics collection, including the major specialist journals, and provides you with access to an extensive range of online materials.

Our research

Birkbeck is one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions. Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.

Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, which placed Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research, with 73% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), Politics at Birkbeck was ranked 17th in the UK.

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Working from a strong theoretical basis, this programme will help you to understand a range of empirical, aesthetic and conceptual issues which traverse and exceed both 'art' and 'international' politics.

We will explore practices and issues related to public space, democracy, equality, participation, justice and affect. By shuttling across art and politics, rather than seeking to produce a synthesis between the two, we probe a range of practices and strategies which, in the encounter between art and politics, play out in numerous forms and very different kinds of social spaces.

You will work alongside a mixed constituency of students from Art, Politics, International Studies, Philosophy, Cultural Studies as well as numerous other disciplines, which means we can take up the challenge to develop frameworks and spaces that are mixed and mobile, and which can operate in trans-disciplinary settings. In such a mixed context, questions about ‘autonomy’ and the political character of art take on renewed vigour and urgency.

Similarly we are able to probe art’s potential in times of political and cultural crisis. Why for instance, do contemporary arts practices increasingly claim ‘political’ origins and motivations, while political parties seek the involvement of art and artists of all kinds? Or, what good are practices that are neither art nor politics?

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Bernadette Buckley

Department

Voted one of the top political universities in the UK by students**

Politics and International Relations

In the Department of Politics and International Relations at Goldsmiths our focus goes beyond voting systems, parliaments and the conventional arenas of power. And it looks beyond the West.

We study politics and international relations for the 21st century, in which anarchism may be as important as liberalism, and in which Asia and Africa are as economically and geopolitically important as Europe and North America.

We also take an unconventional approach. So you may be working on group projects, writing a blog, or submitting a Manga comic instead of an essay.

Find out more about the Department of Politics and International Relations.

**Which? University 2014

Modules & Structure

Core modules

You take the following three core modules:

Art and Politics: Theory History Event (30 credits)
Group Project (MA in Art and Politics) (30 credits)
MA in Art & Politics Dissertation (60 credits)


Option modules

Students make up their remaining 60 Credits from the following list of options:

An(Other) China: Postcolonial Theory, Postmodern Concerns (30 credits)
Counter-Mapping London: The Politics of Space (15 credits)
Latin American Dictionary: Politics through the Arts (15 credits)
Memory and Justice in Post-Conflict Societies (30 credits)
Politics of Knowledge: Debates in Human Science (15 credits)
Finance in the Global Political Economy (15 credits)
The Political-Economic Governance of the European Union (30 credits)
Politics of Human Rights (15 credits)
Psychopolitics (15 credits)
Theories of International Relations (15 credits)
Visualising Asia: Body, Gender, Politics (30 credits)

Students may choose up to 30 credits of approved options from other departments at Goldsmiths.


Project work

You are required to undertake project-based work in accordance with your own political and aesthetic interests. The purpose of this project-work is to find ways of ‘doing’ politics which employ ‘artistic’ strategies and interventions in their realisation.

Projects have a student-centred material focus, complementing the theoretical emphasis of core and optional modules, and will seek to raise awareness of particular issues and draw attention to their position in the public arena. They may be written, broadcast, performed, curated, made, or involve any other kind of appropriately documented submission.

Training in digital and genetic media will be provided where necessary. Project training is monitored and co-ordinated by the artist-in-residence in the Department of Politics – who will oversee students’ individual needs while ensuring that there is continuity of support and opportunities to identify and build upon individual strengths and weaknesses.

Download the programme specification for this degree to find out more about what you'll learn and how you'll be taught and assessed.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Skills & Careers

Careers

Our graduates come from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and embark on highly contrasting career paths. These include careers in curating (both independent and embedded); art practice (both collaborative and individual); journalism (radio, web and print journalism); performing arts; central and local government; work with NGOs (national and international); research (academic and professional); project development, administration and management. Some of our graduates undertake further professional training in law; journalism; education and social work.

Skills

You'll develop: a critical engagement with the broad field of international studies, communication skills, research skills, presentation skills.

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths http://www.gold.ac.uk/skills-careers/

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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Why should we obey the law? Why don’t democratic countries go to war with each other? Why don’t young people vote? Why do oil-rich countries have poor human rights records? These are the kinds of questions addressed in our Graduate Diploma in Politics, which provides a thorough training in all major areas of political science, and is based in the top politics department in the country.

Our Graduate Diploma in Politics is a nine-month full-time course which provides a bridge between undergraduate and postgraduate study. Our course is for you if you already have an undergraduate degree, but not in politics, and therefore need further study before taking politics at Masters level.

You develop your knowledge and understanding of the major theoretical and conceptual foundations of political science, and master the necessary quantitative methods for your study of politics.

You also choose from a range of optional modules on topics including:
-Mass media and democracy
-Forecasting global trends
-Ethics and public policy
-International security
-Public opinion

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.

As well as enabling you to go on to a Masters course of your choice in politics, this course will also develop key employability skills including analytical reasoning, research design, quantitative methods, data analysis and essay-writing.

Our graduates go on to enjoy influential careers in British, European and international politics. This includes working as an MP, being the Speaker of the House of Commons and employment as political lobbyists or staff assistants to MPs and MEPs.

Our graduates have also 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

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

-Conflict Analysis
-Measuring Public Opinion (optional)
-Political Analysis: Introduction to OLS (optional)
-Ethics and Public Policy
-Principles of Social Justice
-American Political Institutions (optional)
-Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
-Development, State Building and Conflict (optional)
-Domestic Politics and International Relations
-Electoral Behaviour
-Environmental Politics (optional)
-Future Global Trends: Forecasting Scenarios
-Human Rights and Global Justice (optional)
-International Negotiation (optional)
-International Security Studies (optional)
-Mass Media and Democracy (optional)
-Placement-Linked Project
-Political Economy (optional)
-Political Economy of International Development
-Political Parties in Britain and Europe (optional)
-Project: Collaborative Faculty - Student Research Experience (optional)
-Project: Politics (optional)
-Quantitative Political Analysis (optional)
-Authoritarianism (optional)
-The Analysis of Conflict and Peace (optional)
-Seminar in Legislative Politics (optional)
-Representation and Policy-Making (optional)

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

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

Structure

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

Students can take only ONE DISCIPLINARY politics course

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

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

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

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

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

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

AND

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

Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (L&SS)

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

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

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

Department of Politics and International Studies

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

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

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

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

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This programme surveys the new security challenges confronting societies in an era of economic, social and political globalization, and provides a thorough grounding in the academic study of international politics.

Why study International Politics & Security at Dundee?

This course offers a comprehensive analysis of international and global political issues. It focuses on some of the most contentious areas of international politics, including transatlantic relations, the future of the European Union and the re-emergence of Russia as a global political force. It also provides a thorough grounding in the academic study of international politics, focusing on the theoretical approaches and methods of analysis that constitute the bedrock of any serious postgraduate research in this field.

This course is a pathway on the MLitt in Humanities with Specialisation programme.

What's so good about International Politics & Security at Dundee?

While politics at Dundee is big enough to have a real international presence, it is still small and intimate enough to offer a friendly and responsive home for students from all backgrounds. This is more than a mere claim - independent surveys consistently rate politics at Dundee as among the best-received programmes in the country.

The Centre for International Politics and Security hosts a regular series of research seminars, featuring invited speakers from a range of academic and governmental institutions. Two internationally recognised scholarly journals are edited by our politics staff: 'The Journal of Transatlantic Studies' and 'Perspectives on European Politics and Society'.

Who should study this course?

The programme is suitable for students who want a springboard for a career related to international politics or who wish to continue postgraduate study in this subject area.

How you will be taught

All the core teaching is conducted 5.30-7.30pm to allow attendance by part-time and full-time students alike. Other classes are scheduled for the mutual convenience of staff and students. A variety of teaching methods will be used, including: small group teaching, supervised study, seminars and presentations.

What you will study

The course is taught via a range of core and optional modules, the typical list is given below.

Core modules:
Explaining and Understanding International Politics
International Security
Optional modules allow students to specialise, a typical choice includes:

International Security of Drugs & Organised Crime
Russian Politics & Security
European Union Security
The Middle East and Terrorism
Politics and Security in South Asia
Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism in Europe
Human Rights in International Relations
The EU and China in the International Arena
All students must attempt the Politics dissertation.

Students whose dissertation fails to satisfy the examiners will be awarded the PG Diploma, provided that the taught elements of the course have been successfully completed.

How you will be assessed

By assessed coursework, examination and dissertation.

Careers

Graduates from the MLitt International Politics and Security have a wide range of career options. The knowledge and research skills gained in this programme would be an excellent basis for working in government, political parties, or the civil service. The focus of the programme on global issues and affairs provide a strong basis for pursuing a career in international political contexts, such as the European Union or the United Nations. Alternatively, the programme can be a stepping stone for work in civil society, such as charities, environmental organizations or other international non-profit organizations. Graduates can also put their communication, research and analytical skills to work in a range of careers in the public or private sectors, including education, finance or the media.

The Masters programme is an excellent basis for undertaking further postgraduate study in International Politics, such as a PhD, with a view to a full-time career in academia or research.

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

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

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

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

Course detail

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

Suitability

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

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

Content

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

Format

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

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

Assessment

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

What can I do next?

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

How to apply

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

Funding

-Masters Loans-

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

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

-2017/18 Entry Financial Support-

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

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Overview

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

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

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

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

Programme structure

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

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

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

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

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

Core units:

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

Optional units:

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

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

Learning and teaching

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

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

Methods of assessment

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

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

Careers

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

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

About the department

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

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

International and industrial links:

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

Our research

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

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

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

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

Projects are funded by a variety of bodies such as:

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

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

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

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

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In the current political and economic climate, and the reconfiguration of Britain’s relationship with Europe, a deep understanding of EU governance and institutional structure is critical for those working in government, media and economics.

Our programme will provide you with a detailed overview of key contemporary debates in European politics and policies, and insights into cross-national and comparative perspectives.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

The MSc in European Politics and Policy offers students two pathways. The European Politics and Policy pathway explores in detail the EU’s main policy areas. The second pathway, European External Relations, offers the opportunity to focus on the EU as an international actor.

Both pathways involve a common set of compulsory modules, including Research Methods and Politics of the European Union. Each pathway has two further compulsory modules, in addition to three optional modules from a range of European and/or international politics topics.

Students are required to complete either a dissertation or placement project on a topic of their choice.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time over two academic years. It consists of eight taught modules and either a dissertation or placement. The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
-Introduction to Research
-Research in Practice
-Institutional Architecture of the European Union
-Policies of the European Union
-Comparative Regional Integration
-Foundations of EU Law
-Global Governance
-EU External Relations
-Dissertation
-Placement
-Politics of International Intervention 1
-International Political Economy
-EU and Neighbourhood
-European Social Dimension
-Theorizing European Integration
-Global Governance
-Theories of International Relations
-Key Issues in International Relations
-International Security and Defence
-Politics of International Intervention 2
-EU Counter-Terrorism Law
-EU Employment Law and Social Policy
-Law of International Organizations

EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME

The aims of the programme are:
-To enable students to understand and evaluate contemporary debates in the study of European politics and policy, concerning the relationship between the European and national levels, institutional structures and the external relations of the EU
-To deepen students’ knowledge of theoretical aspects of European politics and policy, including different theories of European integration and external relations
-To enable students to develop their knowledge and understanding in at least three sub-fields of international politics: students take fiveprogramme compulsory modulesand three further modules from a list of optional modules available in the postgraduate curriculum
-To provide students, with the opportunity, through the placement option, to spend three months working in a field related to their degree (this will not only provide students with new insights into European Politics and Policy but also develop a broad array of transferable skills)

PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES

The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas:

Knowledge and understanding
-A critical knowledge of contemporary debates in the study of European politics and policy studies with particular reference to the relationship between European and national levels and institutional structures
-An in-depth understanding of theoretical aspects of European politics, including different theories of European integration
-A detailed knowledge and understanding within at least two sub-fields of European politics and policy, for example in-depth understanding of policy evolution and historical change in relation to European politics
-An understanding of processes of knowledge creation and contestation within European politics
-An understanding of techniques of research and enquiry and their application to the study of politics

Intellectual / cognitive skills
-Gather, organise and deploy evidence and information from a range of different sources
-Analyse and synthesise a wide range of material in verbal and numerical formats
-Deal with complex issues systematically and creatively
-Make sound judgements on the basis of incomplete evidence
-Demonstrate self-direction and originality in solving problems and analysing evidence
-Construct reasoned argument
-Apply theoretical frameworks to empirical analysis

Professional practical skills
-Make appropriate use of information and communications technology
-Form effective arguments
-Organise own workload to meet deadlines
-Formulate research questions
-Use software packages to analyse qualitative and quantitative data
-Present research findings orally and in writing

Key / transferable skills
-Communicate and present ideas effectively
-Reason critically
-Use information and communication technology for the retrieval and presentation of material
-Organise and plan their own work
-Adopt a proactive approach to problem-solving
-Collaborate with others to achieve common goals
-Deploy a range of relevant research skills
-Make decisions in complex situations
-Take responsibility for their own learning

GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES

We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.

In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why choose this course?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Department research and industry highlights

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

Course content and structure

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Assessment

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

Employability & career opportunities

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

How to apply

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

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