MA International Relations

Terrorism, migration, poverty, war, climate change, famine, disease pandemics, gender inequality, financial crises, transnational crime, underdevelopment: these are some of the issues that can only be fully understood through global politics.

Focusing on the big questions, our MA International Relations will equip you with the knowledge and skills to grapple with these challenges, helping you understand their causes and consequences within the international system.

You will be taught by leading authorities in the field.

About

International Relations looks at the big questions within global politics. These include issues surrounding war, peace, conflict and security, as well as a range of other important transnational dynamics, such as global economics, the environment, human rights, religion and migration.

Whatever your background, this flexible and cross-disciplinary MA will have much to offer. Perhaps you have a degree in international relations, politics, economics, law or business studies, but you’re now looking to specialise. Perhaps you studied geography, environmental studies or economics, and are interested in the wider applications of your knowledge. Or maybe you simply have a keen interest in global politics, but no formal experience in any of these subjects.The course also includes study and discussion with academics, politicians and officials. As a member of our postgraduate community you will also have the opportunity to attend numerous events and talks during your time here. We regularly attract distinguished lecturers, with previous guests including Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party; Caroline Lucas, MP for the Green Party; Gary Gibbon, Political Editor for Channel 4 News; Owen Jones, author and columnist for The Guardian; Caroline Flint, Labour MP; John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons; Shami Chakrabarti, former director of Liberty; Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Shirley Williams; Professor Anthony Giddens of the London School of Economics; Douglas Carswell, former UK Independence Party MP; Sir Stephen Wall, retired diplomat; and Lord Richard Dannatt, formerly Chief of the General Staff.

See our webpages to find out more about our postgraduate community and experience some of these lectures.

Admissions Live Chat

Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

You will be assessed through a range of methods on this degree, including essays, project work, presentations and the dissertation.

Most of our modules include opportunities for formative assessments, which will provide you with the expert feedback you need before you submit your final work.

Structure

This is a one-year, full-time Master’s degree programme. You will have lectures, seminars and workshops during your first two semesters, then over the summer you will work on your dissertation, which you’ll submit at the beginning of September.

Within your learning you will complete our core module, International Relations Theory, and choose from a number of options depending on your interests. For example, you may wish to specialise in European politics, or you may want to take a more global perspective, selecting from a broad range of modules.

Your dissertation is an integral element of your MA and an excellent opportunity to conduct independent research into a subject area that you find stimulating. You will select your own topic and will be allocated an individual supervisor to advise you on all aspects of writing and researching. We also organise a dedicated Postgraduate Day in the spring, when you will have the opportunity to discuss your dissertation as a work in progress with staff and fellow students.

Teaching and Learning

Our Political, Social and International Studies department within the School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication Studies possesses world-leading expertise in the research and teaching of international politics, public policy, media and society, and social and political theory.

You will be taught by experts in international relations, security studies, political philosophy, political communications and media studies. Our teaching is research-led, in that we ask the same questions of our students as we do in our research. Which means you can be sure your learning is at the cutting-edge of the discipline.

The department comprises more than 30 members of staff, all of whom actively engage with research in the field. We take an interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approach to our work, linking theory to practice, to create a distinctive programme of research. This has given us a strong international reputation for research in a wide variety of areas, including international relations, international security, terrorism, human rights, religion, Britain, the EU, Japan, Africa, the mass media (including digital media), political communications, popular culture, identity politics, public administration and public policy, political theory, and political rhetoric.

Independent study

Learning how to study and research independently, and how to present your subsequent work, are important skills that you will gain during this postgraduate degree. You will develop and hone these abilities from your first week with us, and you will build on them as you progress through the degree to your final dissertation.

How you'll spend your time during semester 1 and 2:

Teaching: 25%

Independent Learning: 75%

Whilst writing your dissertation, you will with a dedicated Postgraduate day where you will present your dissertation proposal and receive feedback from your peers and staff. You will then meet regularly with your dissertation supervisor.

Admissions Live Chat

Open Days

Assessment for Year 1

You will be assessed through a range of methods on this degree, including essays, project work, presentations and the dissertation.

Most of our modules include opportunities for formative assessments, which will provide you with the expert feedback you need before you submit your final work.

Compulsory Modules

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY

Code PPLI7005A

Credits 20

The main objective of this course is to introduce you to the academic study of International Relations theory. You'll investigate leading theoretical approaches and become familiar with important concepts and debates in International Relations theory. You'll be introduced to the nature of knowledge claims (epistemology) and fundamental assumptions about social/international reality (ontology) in International Relations.

PSI DISSERTATION

Code PPLX7010X

Credits 60

For all MA students registered on programmes in Political Social and International Studies except those undertaking a Dissertation by Practice. Students are required to write a dissertation of 10,000 words on a topic approved by the Course Director or other authorised person. The dissertation is to be submitted the first working day of September in the relevant year.

Optional A Modules

(40 credits)

GOVERNANCE, DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7023A

Credits 20

“Good governance” and durable democracy are key items on the international development agenda. However, despite their prominence in the development discourse, it remains contested not only how to achieve these political development goals, but also how to define them in the first place. The aim of Governance, Democracy and Development is to critically assess the possible definitions, contested causes and arguable consequences of “good governance” and democracy. Key topics to be discussed in the module include how to define and measure democracy and “good governance”, explanations for the emergence of democracy, theories on the survival of democracy and dictatorship, local forms of governance and democracy, aid and governance, trust and cooperation, the effects of democracy and dictatorship on prospects of economic development, and key challenges to democracy in the 21st century. Throughout the module, you will be expected to assess the strengths and limitations of central concepts and theories from the academic debate by applying them to relevant empirical evidence, such as political regime trends in Turkey or the economic effects of recent elections in Kenya.

PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBALISATION

Code DEV-7028A

Credits 20

Globalisation refers to the increasingly interconnected nature of social life on our planet. It has been described as ‘the most important change in human history’. You will critically examine a number of key debates about globalisation: about what is driving the process, and about what impacts it is having – for example, on economic development, poverty and inequality, conflict, and the environment. This module takes an inter-disciplinary approach, presenting different conceptual frameworks within which contemporary globalisation is analysed.

SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION

Code ENV-7025A

Credits 20

If everyone on Earth lived like a typical UK citizen we’d need three planets-worth of resources. But we only have one. Why do we consume the way we do? What drives our behaviour and how might we persuade people to live more sustainably? What do we mean by a sustainable lifestyle, anyway? These are questions academics, businesspeople, campaigners and policymakers struggle with every day and there are no easy answers. In this module you’ll get to grips with competing visions about what sustainable consumption is. You’ll gain an understanding of a range of theoretical approaches to understanding consumption behaviour and you’ll learn how to apply these theories to develop strategies for achieving sustainable consumption. You’ll begin by examining the impacts of western-style consumerism on the Earth’s social, economic and environmental systems. Using concepts such as ecological footprinting, needs and wellbeing, you’ll take a closer look at how economic and environmental systems interact. You'll contrast a ‘green growth’ approach to sustainable consumption with a more radical ‘de-growth’ model. Drawing on interdisciplinary social science theories from economics, psychology, sociology and ethnography, you’ll go on to investigate a range of strategies for achieving change, by government, business, civil society, and individual consumers. You’ll get hands-on experience testing and applying these ideas yourselves, in participative workshops, alongside award-winning innovative teaching methods. In lectures, you’ll learn about topics such as Ethical Consumption, Limits to Growth, Collaborative Consumption, Community-based initiatives, Life Cycle Analysis and Behaviour-change campaigns. Understanding the theoretical debates behind everyday actions for sustainability will make you better able to design and implement sustainability strategies in the workplace – whether in the public or private sector, or civil society. You’ll be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses in sustainable consumption campaigns and policies, and offer theoretically-informed solutions.

RELIGION AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Code PPLI7009A

Credits 20

Despite international relations’ secular bias, the need to understand and acknowledge the importance of the role of religion in contemporary global politics has never been greater. Religion has the capacity to be both a force for good and for ill in the world, whether in peacekeeping initiatives, international development, interfaith dialogue, promoting religious freedom and human rights or in its capacity for violence and intolerance of other faiths. In this module students will be introduced to theoretical approaches to religion and international security, sacred violence and clashing civilisations, just war and jihad, peace making, faith-based initiates, religious freedom, and religious persecution. Specific conflicts and rivalries including the war on terror, Israel-Palestine, Iran-Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, the persecution of Myanmar’s Rohingya and China’s Uighur populations will be considered alongside the role of religion in peace and reconciliation in South Africa and Northern Ireland. The module is research-led, using Marsden’s monograph on Religion and International Security (Polity 2019), and will equip students to have a greater understanding of the role religion plays in world politics.

WAR GAMES: DIPLOMACY AND STRATEGY IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Code PPLI7012A

Credits 20

Why are wars fought, and why are they are won (or lost)? War Games introduces you to key issues around diplomacy and strategy within global politics. Topics you will cover include the causes and costs of war, military strategy, nuclear warfare, and statecraft. But you won't only be reading about these issues. War Games is taught through a combination of seminars and simulation exercises in which you will help resolve an international crisis. These simulations will allow you to engage with the theoretical and practical challenges of inter-state relations, developing a more nuanced understanding of war and peace in global politics. This, in turn, will provide you with an excellent insight into the ways in which decisions are made in the international system.

RUNNING THE WORLD: GLOBAL GOVERNANCE AND EMERGING POWERS

Code PPLI7014A

Credits 20

Who runs the world? The United Nations and Bretton Woods institutions –the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organisation – form the bedrock of the 20th Century Liberal world order. But there is much more to global governance than these liberal institutions dominated by Western powers. The last century was shaped by postcolonial independence movements, by South-South commitments to make global governance more inclusive, such as the Non-Allied Movement during the Cold War, and by powerful cartels such as OPEC. Rising powers in the global South are now reshaping global governance structures through new groups and projects such as the BRICS, the AIIB and the Belt and Road Initiative. And, as the world seems to be moving away from American hegemony, the question of how rising powers will affect global order and the governance structures that sustain it is fast becoming one of the most pressing of the twenty-first century. This module offers students the opportunity to study different components of global governance in the 21st Century, from the North Atlantic power axis of the USA and Western Europe, to changes arising from Asia, while also considering Russia, the Middle East and African powers.

UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL MEDIA

Code PPLM7000A

Credits 20

Digital technologies are often hyped as revolutionising society. You will be introduced to the ways in which the internet and other digital technologies are (and are not) affecting society from theoretical and empirical perspectives. The module is divided into three blocks: the first introduces the theoretical debates surrounding digital media; the second discusses how our everyday interpersonal relations are affected by digital media; the third addresses the impact of digital technology on media and politics. Topics covered include: the network society; social networking and virtual communities, surveillance, digital journalism and online activism.

PUBLIC POLICY: THEORY AND ANALYSIS

Code PPLX7002A

Credits 20

How and why is public policy made the way it is? Our aim is to enable students to develop a rich and wide appreciation of the many ways that policy is made and the factors that influence these. You will gain advanced critical understanding some of the main theories, models and concepts used in the study of public policy and how they are applied. You will also develop substantive knowledge of specific policies and policy areas, which may include environment, health, immigration and welfare policy. In addition, students successfully completing the module will be able to demonstrate an empirical understanding of the public policy process in the UK, ability to make comparisons with other OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) democracies, and an understanding of the changing role of nation-states in policy development.

ELECTORAL INTEGRITY IN THEORY AND PRACTICE

Code PPLX7013A

Credits 20

Elections are the primary way in which citizens hold governments to account, obtain representation and allow direct decision making in referendums. However, there are also often under threat by old and new challenges to electoral integrity. These challenges might include cyber-security concerns; gerrymandered electoral boundaries; millions of people missing electoral registers; electoral violence and voter intimidation; ballot stuffing; and, poorly organised electoral management bodies. These problems can manifest themselves in elections in all parts of the world. They potentially have major consequences for who wins elections, democratic accountability, the inclusivity of society, conflict and security, global politics and more. This course will provide students with a comprehensive account of how, when and why elections go wrong and what can be done to improve them. Part I of the course introduces students to key aspects of democratic theory and theories of institutional change necessary for understanding the role of elections in democratic polities and why electoral institutions can be difficult to reform. Part II focuses on the key aspects of elections, from electoral systems, election monitoring and the voter franchise. The focus of the course is global. It will interest students of politics, (aspiring) practitioners in the field of elections but also international relations and broader social sciences such as development.

Optional B Modules

(60 credits)

CONTEMPORARY WORLD DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7000B

Credits 20

The objective of Contemporary World Development is to examine key debates around development objectives, processes and agencies. While issues discussed here are of contemporary significance, references will be made to the historical contexts in which these debates have arisen. Concerns central to development policy making will be reviewed through theoretically grounded critical perspectives. Topics covered include the Millennium Development Goals, donors and aid politics, state and NGOs, and poverty.

CONFLICT, CIVIL WARS AND PEACE

Code DEV-7015B

Credits 20

The number of violent intrastate conflicts has outweighed the number of violent interstate conflicts for more than five decades. Yet it was only with the end of the Cold War that academics and policy-makers started paying more attention to the possible causes and consequences of large-scale intrastate violence. Today, questions of effective conflict management, especially of large-scale civil wars, are among the top priorities of international development agencies. The aim of the Conflict, Civil Wars and Peace module is to critically assess the possible causes and consequences of violent intrastate conflicts as well as their implications for the wider development agenda. Key topics to be discussed in the module include causes, dynamics and consequences of different types of violent conflict, strategies and causes of terrorism, the role of gender during and after violent intrastate conflicts, the (contested) relationship(s) between natural resource wealth and civil wars, institutional approaches to conflict management, the rationale and possible effects of third-party intervention in civil wars, and post-conflict reconstruction efforts, including state- and peace-building as well as transitional justice. Throughout the module, you will be expected to assess the strengths and limitations of central concepts and theories from the academic debate by applying them to relevant empirical evidence, such as the role of gender during the Rwandan genocide in 1994 or the performance of Bosnia and Herzegovina's post-civil war power-sharing arrangement.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Code PPLI7006B

Credits 20

States and individuals seek ‘security’ from various threats and dangers but what, exactly, does it mean to be secure? Is security even possible? Who should have security, and from what should they be – or do they need to be - secured? Is security even desirable, or does the search for it sometimes have negative consequences? This module introduces you to these ‘big questions’ of security studies. You will examine the study of security in the international system, from its roots in classical political theory and Cold War strategic studies through to the development of a more broadly focused field today. You will consider the responses of different theoretical perspectives on these ‘big questions’ and apply these to a range of contemporary security issues, for example, conflict resolution, human security, the arms industry, migration, crime, poverty, and terrorism.

AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY

Code PPLI7008B

Credits 20

This module will use case studies of Southeast Asia, Central America and the Middle East to explore the reasons for American interventions and to assess their success or failure. It will offer an historical understanding of the assumptions and practices which lie behind contemporary US foreign policy-making. The module will introduce students to the institutions and processes involved in the making of American foreign policy.

EUROPEAN UNION: POWER, POLITICS AND POLICY

Code PPLI7013B

Credits 20

What is the European Union: an international organisation, a federal political system or something else? Who rules the EU: the European Commission or its members states? What is the concrete impact of EU policies on EU citizens? Is the EU a global power? In an era of crises, will the EU survive? To address these questions and more, you will examine: the origins, development and recent history of the European Union; the dynamics of EU decision making: and critically assess the key theories, models and concepts used in the study of the EU. You will also examine the working of EU policies in key areas, such as the single market, economic and monetary union (the Euro), energy and climate change, international trade, and security and defence. You will explore the role and internal operation of the EU institutions, as well as the interaction between the EU and the member states, including what the obligations of membership imply for member countries and what these means for state sovereignty and democracy. You will look at the relationship between the EU and its neighbours (including the UK), the global south and world powers. Finally, you will debate some major challenges the EU is facing, from the Eurozone and migration crises to Brexit and to the EU's response to COVID-19. This module is suitable for students politics & public policy as well as international relations, as it covers themes that cut across both disciplines and draws from both public policies and IR theories.

GENDER AND POWER

Code PPLM7015B

Credits 20

Providing a conceptual overview of feminist research approaches, you will examine contemporary gender and power relations. You will examine both the formal and informal power structures that shape the experience of gender. Bringing together the fields of media, sociology, politics and cultural studies, the module explores the extent to which feminist theory informs gender-based activism.

PUBLIC RELATIONS, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND THE MEDIA

Code PPLX7005B

Credits 20

This module enables students to develop an advanced understanding of the theory and practice of public affairs, interest intermediation, and the strategies used by interest, advocacy groups and others to influence the political process. As well as covering the main debates in the academic literature, it draws directly on the experience of practitioners and offers unique insights into this under-studied area of politics.

Admissions Live Chat

Open Days

Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.

MA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS