Migration and Refugee Studies MA

Program Overview

This one-year full-time or two-year part-time MA program explores migration and forced displacement, examining challenges and opportunities faced by migrants and refugees globally. Students will develop a critical understanding of migration patterns, state responses, and societal impacts, gaining valuable research and analytical skills for careers in humanitarian organizations, government, and academia. The program emphasizes a global perspective, highlighting the diverse experiences of migrants and refugees, and the role of states, NGOs, and societies in addressing displacement and development.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This MA program focuses on the complex and evolving landscape of migration and forced displacement, exploring the challenges and opportunities faced by migrants and refugees globally. The program aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the social, political, and economic factors shaping migration patterns, as well as the responses of states, NGOs, and societies to these challenges.

Key Objectives:

• To develop a critical understanding of the theoretical and empirical dimensions of migration and refugee studies.
• To analyze the diverse experiences of migrants and refugees, including their integration, cultural diversity, and transnationalism.
• To examine the role of states, NGOs, and societies in addressing the challenges of forced displacement and development.
• To enhance students' research, writing, and critical thinking skills, preparing them for careers in various fields.

Outline:

Duration:

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Start Date:

September 2024

Application Deadline:

1 August 2024 (international), 1 September 2024 (UK)

Core Modules:

• Autumn Teaching:
• Global Governance of Migration and Refugees
• Migrants and Society: Global Transformations
• Spring Teaching:
• Research Methods and Professional Skills
• Summer Teaching:
• Dissertation (Migration Studies)

Options:

• Spring Teaching:
• Issues in Forced Migration and Displacement
• Migrants, Ethnicity, and Super-diversity
• Re-imagining Humanitarian Responses to Displacement
• Summer Teaching:
• Dissertation with Placement (Global Studies)

Placements:

• Optional placements are available for up to 12 weeks during the summer term and vacation.
• Students are responsible for applying and securing their placements.
• The Careers team provides support with finding employers, drafting applications, and preparing for interviews.

Recent Dissertation Titles:

• The perfect alternative to citizenship?
Explaining the low take-up of the ‘long-term residency EU’ status – Germany as a case study
• Rethinking the retreat from multiculturalism in the UK, the Netherlands and Sweden
• ‘You have to break the law to survive’: asylum regime dehumanising patterns and migrant resistance in Calais as a case study

Teaching:

• The program benefits from the expertise of a world-leading cohort of researchers on migration, refugees, and forced displacement.
• Students are part of the Sussex Centre for Migration Research's vibrant postgraduate community.
• The Centre organizes bi-weekly events with leading external speakers, hosts an annual conference of world-leading scholars, and arranges numerous events with local and international NGOs.

Careers:

• The program prepares students for careers in:
• Humanitarian organizations
• Government administrations
• NGOs
• Charities with a migration focus (e.g., Refugee Council)
• Students are also well-equipped to pursue doctoral study and an academic career.

Other:

• The program emphasizes the global impact of migration and its transformative effects on societies.
• The program highlights the importance of understanding the diverse experiences of migrants and refugees, including their integration, cultural diversity, and transnationalism.
• The program emphasizes the role of states, NGOs, and societies in addressing the challenges of forced displacement and development.
• The program provides students with valuable networking opportunities through the Sussex Centre for Migration Research's events and activities.
• The program emphasizes the practical application of skills gained through critical thinking, writing, and research.