MA Political Science

Postgraduate

In Colchester

£ 7,200 + VAT

Description

  • Type

    Postgraduate

  • Location

    Colchester

  • Duration

    1 Year

About the course
How do political scientists explain political outcomes? How does normative theory inform the way researchers approach their work? How do political science approaches differ from historical accounts of political phenomenon? How can political science be used to analyse the real world?
Our MA Political Science gives a general overview of such topics, and as our most flexible postgraduate course offers you a very wide choice of optional modules

You explore the main theoretical approaches to the study of politics and look at what the basic theoretical framework required to conduct research in political science is


Your optional modules may cover topics including:
Survey measurement and research methods
The economy and the state
Democracies in Europe
Theories of justice
Conflict resolution
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

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

Facilities

Location

Start date

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

Start date

On request

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Reviews

Subjects

  • Political Science
  • Politics
  • International
  • Staff
  • Conflict
  • Teaching
  • Conflict Resolution

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
Theory and Explanation in Political Science
Advanced Research Methods (optional)
Political Explanation (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 Parties in Britain and Europe (optional)
Political Theory (optional)
Public Opinion and Political Behaviour (optional)
Research Design (optional)
Research Seminar in Political Theory and Methods (optional)
Theories of International Relations (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

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 Our graduates from this course can expect to find jobs in market research, the media and central or local government It also provides a foundation for further research in political science You will gain key employability skills such as analytical reasoning, 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 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; 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 One Masters not enough for you? We offer a number of...

MA Political Science

£ 7,200 + VAT