MA Public Opinion and Political Behaviour

University of Essex

Postgraduate

In Colchester

£ 7,200 + VAT

The best Politics courses

See all

See all

Description

  • Type

    Postgraduate

  • Location

    Colchester

  • Duration

    1 Year

About the course
When angry at a particular government policy, some people sit in their armchair and complain, others write letters and organise committees, some participate in social media campaigns, while others still protest or even riot in the street

Politicians care about public opinion, so how do we explain these choices? How are reactions shaped by people’s social background, their economic circumstances, their personality, or even their genetic inheritance? Can politicians and the media influence public opinion and if so, how?
MA Public Opinion and Political Behaviour explores the interaction between the mass public and political elites in advanced industrial democracies

You are introduced to the latest theoretical debates about the nature, significance and measurement of public opinion, exploring when and how these opinions translate into political participation, from voting behaviour and signing petitions to suicide bombing


You also look at the main theoretical approaches in the study of politics, combined with a selection of optional modules including:
Quantitative data analysis in political explanations
Survey measurement and question design
Political parties in Britain and Europe
Measuring public opinion
Democracies in Europe
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

Facilities

Location

Start date

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

Start date

On request

Questions & Answers

Add your question

Our advisors and other users will be able to reply to you

Who would you like to address this question to?

Fill in your details to get a reply

We will only publish your name and question

Reviews

Subjects

  • Public
  • Politics
  • Teaching
  • Design
  • Government
  • Media
  • Political Parties

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
Political Explanation (optional)
Advanced Research Methods (optional)
Public Opinion and Political Behaviour
Theory and Explanation in Political Science
MA Dissertation
International Security Studies (optional)
Political Parties in Britain and Europe (optional)
Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
Environmental Politics (optional)
Theories of International Relations (optional)
Conflict Resolution (optional)
Political Economy (optional)
Political Theory (optional)
Research Seminar in Political Theory and Methods (optional)
Research Design (optional)
Comparative European Politics (optional)
Ideology and Political Discourse (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

"My MA gave me a thorough grounding in research methodologies and statistical analysis, neither of which I had any significant training in beforehand I have since continued my research through a funded PhD, and have taken some periods out of my studies to work at YouGov " Joe Greenwood, MA Political Behaviour, 2012 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 key academic staff for this course are Professor Paul Whiteley, who works on British elections, and Professor Lawrence Ezrow, who works on party ideology and strategy 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 Our course can lead to a career in the polling industry, market research, British and European Politics or the private sector You will develop key employability skills including analytical reasoning, survey design, polling, research design, and report writing Recent graduates have gone on to work for the following high-profile organisations: The Civil Service Local government The World Bank The United...

See related categories

MA Public Opinion and Political Behaviour

£ 7,200 + VAT

The best Politics courses

See all

See all