Political Communication (MSc/PgDip)

Programme Structure

The programme is made up of three components.

• Core courses: three courses, taught over two ten-week teaching periods, from October to December and January to March
• Option courses: three courses, also taught in ten-week blocks, from October to December and January to March
• A dissertation: written during the final phase of the course, from April to September (MSc only)

Core courses

• Media and Democracy
• Political Institutions, Crisis & Communication
• Qualitative Research Methods OR Social Science Statistics 1

Option Courses

• China's International Politics
• Chinese Politics and Society
• Challenges in International Politics
• Comparative European Politics
• Critical Perspectives on Human Rights
• Ethics of War and Peace
• EU in International Politics and Development
• Globalisation and European Integration
• Human Rights and Global Politics
• Institutions and Policies of the European Union
• International Relations Theory
• International Security and Global Politics
• Internet and Civil Society 
• Media and Regime Transformation in CEE, Russia and the FSU
• Media, War and Security

You may also choose, with the Convener's approval, from courses in the other departments in the School of Social and Political Sciences.

Note: Some courses might not be available every year.

Dissertation

The dissertation is your opportunity to explore your own specialist interest in Political Communication and to demonstrate the research and writing skills you have developed during the course.

With the advice of your supervisor you will develop a topic, undertake primary and secondary research, and write a 12,000-15,000 word dissertation which you will submit in September. The dissertation could form the basis for a PhD thesis.