MA Political Theory

Postgraduate

In Colchester

£ 7,200 + VAT

Description

  • Type

    Postgraduate

  • Location

    Colchester

  • Duration

    1 Year

About the course
How are we to understand political life – as the expression of violence, tradition, domination, the search for freedom, the struggle for equality? How should we think about democracy – as the participation of citizens, the contest of representatives or the search for a common good through deliberation? What is justice – equality for all human beings, solidarity among some human beings or the free play of personal choice?
These questions have exercised minds since ancient Athens and, in recent years, they have received new interpretations in political theory, one of the most intellectually fertile sub-disciplines of politics


Our MA Political Theory will help you secure a solid grasp of key debates in social and political thought, give you a strong foundation in theoretical principles

You explore topics including:
Research methods in critical political theory and analysis
Classical and contemporary texts of political theory
Democratic theory and social justice
Philosophy of social science
Ethics and public policy
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


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

Facilities

Location

Start date

Colchester (Essex)
See map
Wivenhoe Park, CO4 3SQ

Start date

On request

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Reviews

Subjects

  • Political Theory
  • Politics
  • Teaching
  • Public

Course programme

Example structure
Postgraduate study is the chance to take your education to the next level. The combination of compulsory and optional modules means our courses help you develop extensive knowledge in your chosen discipline, whilst providing plenty of freedom to pursue your own interests. Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field, therefore to ensure your course is as relevant and up-to-date as possible your core module structure may be subject to change.
For many of our courses you’ll have a wide range of optional modules to choose from – those listed in this example structure are, in many instances, just a selection of those available. Our Programme Specification gives more detail about the structure available to our current postgraduate students, including details of all optional modules.
Year 1
MA Dissertation
Political Theory
Research Seminar in Political Theory and Methods
Advanced Research Methods (optional)
Comparative European Politics (optional)
Conflict Resolution (optional)
Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
Environmental Politics (optional)
International Security Studies (optional)
Political Economy (optional)
Political Explanation (optional)
Political Parties in Britain and Europe (optional)
Public Opinion and Political Behaviour (optional)
Research Design (optional)
Theories of International Relations (optional)
Theory and Explanation in Political Science (optional)
Survey Measurement and Question Design
Teaching
Courses are designed to provide you with an advanced understanding of either the politics of a geographical area or an aspect of the discipline
Courses include both compulsory and optional modules, so the course can be tailored to fit your interests and aspirations
Learn through discussion and problem-solving
Lab sessions allow you to improve your technical research skills
We encourage students to attend national conferences to meet researchers and discuss their work
Assessment
Your coursework comes in the form of essays, simulations, presentations and in-class tests
Dissertation
You are given guidance on how to prepare a Masters dissertation by our Graduate Director in the spring term
We link you with an appropriate supervisor at the earliest opportunity
Previous
Next

Additional information

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 The key member of our academic staff for this course is Professor David Howarth, who works on faith, politics and public space in democracies 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 The 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 This course will instil a wide range of analytical, critical, and communication skills that will enable you to pursue the career of your choice, whether in the public, private, or third sector, whether with a domestic or international focus Recent graduates have 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 We also offer supervision for PhD and MPhil in the following fields: government; ideology and discourse analysis; international relations; political behaviour; and politics 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;...

MA Political Theory

£ 7,200 + VAT