Program Overview

MA Political Science

The MA Political Science course at the University of Essex provides students with a comprehensive understanding of political science, including theoretical approaches, research methods, and analytical techniques.

Overview

The course is designed to be flexible, offering students a wide range of optional modules to choose from, allowing them to tailor their studies to their interests and career aspirations.

• The course starts in October 2026 and can be taken full-time or part-time.
• The full-time duration is 1 year, and the location is the Colchester Campus.
• The Department of Government at the University of Essex is one of the most prestigious in Europe, with an outstanding record of teaching, research, and publication.

Course Structure

The course structure includes:

• A dissertation that gives students the opportunity for independent learning on a topic of their choice, with one-to-one supervision from a member of staff.
• A range of optional modules that cover topics such as survey measurement and research methods, the economy and the state, democracies in Europe, and conflict resolution.

Entry Requirements

To be eligible for the course, applicants must have:

• A 2.2 degree or international equivalent in a relevant subject, such as American Studies, Economics, Finance, International Relations, or Political Science.
• Alternatively, a 2.2 degree in any subject that includes study in two relevant modules, such as Comparative Political Systems, Constitutional Democracy, or International Economic Law.
• If English is not the first language, applicants must have an IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with a minimum score of 5.5 in all components.

Fees and Funding

The fees for the course are:

• Ł11,025 for home/UK students.
• Ł23,875 for international students.
• There may be scholarships, bursaries, or discounts available to help with the cost of the course.

Career Prospects

Graduates from the MA Political Science course can expect to find jobs in a range of fields, including:

• Market research
• Media
• Central or local government
• The course also provides a foundation for further research in political science, and many graduates go on to pursue PhDs or work in academia.

Research Areas

The Department of Government at the University of Essex has a strong research profile, with staff working on topics such as:

• International conflict and violence
• British elections
• The obligations of the younger generation
• Why authoritarian leaders welcome natural disasters

Specialist Facilities

The university offers a range of specialist facilities, including:

• Laboratories of networked computers featuring extensive software for political analysis
• ESSEXLab, which provides opportunities for experimental lab research
• Student societies for politics, debating, and Model UN
• The university also organizes the Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis.