PROSPECTIVE POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS
The department offers a growing range of postgraduate courses in politics and international relations, including taught and research degree programmes. Students wishing to undertake further study after their undergraduate degree is completed can elect to register for an MLitt programme, or the MRes research training route. The department also offers postgraduate research degrees, typically PhDs.
- MSc International Relations
- MSc International Relations and International Law
- MSc Strategic Studies
- MSc Strategic Studies and International Law
- MSc Latin American Studies
- MRes (Political Research)
- MPhil and PhD
Why Study Politics and International Relations at Postgraduate Level?
Postgraduate training has become an important step in the development of careers in politics in the public sector (local government, government funded research, civil service, EU internships) and with private companies (Quangos, university research centres, polling surveys). A postgraduate qualification in international relations is particularly useful to students wishing to join relevant areas of the civil service (Foreign Office, Defence, Development), to work for non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or to secure internships in regional and global projects under the auspices of the EU, UN and OSCE. Private companies involved in research, global trade and insurance, international media reporting will also seek applicants with a postgraduate qualification in international relations.
Students who wish to continue with their studies after an MSc/MLitt/MRes and embark on a PhD can also opt for a research career in academia, or as specialist researchers.
Applying
For international students, all postgraduate taught programmes, beginning in September, have a deadline of the 1st of the previous July. Any application received after this date, will not be considered for that September, but instead will be considered for the next available intake, either the following January or September. For more information on the intakes for each programme please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/prospectus/pgrad/ Please note this deadline is to ensure students have sufficient time to complete the application process and apply for their visa, and arrive in Aberdeen in time of the start of their programme.
There is no programme deadline for those students classed as UK/EU for tuition fee purposes.
Postgraduate's success
Supervised by Dr Lynn Bennie, Alistair Clark received the 2007 PSA's Arthur McDougal Fund Prize for Elections, Electoral Systems or Representation, for his PhD thesis entitled 'Local Parties, Participation and Campaigning in Post-Devolution Scotland'. Alistair graduated in 2006 and has recently been appointed as Lecturer in Politics at Queen's University, Belfast.Alastairs's thesis drew on two of the Departments specialisms - Scottish politics and party organisation.