European Politics
MA
Admissions requirements
An upper second-class undergraduate honours degree in politics or a cognate discipline such as economics, philosophy, history, sociology or international relations.
Duration
1 year full-time
2 years part-time
Programme description
Located in the internationally renowned Sussex European Institute (SEI), this programme offers the opportunity to examine systematically the recent dramatic changes in the political systems of western and eastern Europe. It combines theoretical and analytical questions with subjects of direct relevance to contemporary government in Europe.
This MA will appeal to students who intend to pursue a research degree; those who prefer to seek employment in government service at the supranational, national or subnational levels; those pursuing occupations such as journalism or teaching; and the growing numbers employed in the private sector who have to deal with the European context. It is also appropriate to the needs of students from other European countries wishing to pursue postgraduate study abroad.
For more detailed information about individual courses, refer to politics and contemporary European studies.
Programme structure
Autumn term: you take Politics and Public Policy; and The Making of Contemporary Europe.
Spring term: you choose two options from Class, Conflict and Civil Society in Post-War Europe; Energy and Environmental Security in Europe; European Political Integration; Government and Politics of France; Political Analysis and Research Methods; Political Economy of EU Enlargement and Accession; Political Economy of EU Integration; Political Parties and Party Systems in Comparative Perspective; The Comparative Politics of Western Europe; The Domestic Politics of European Integration; The Idea of Europe; The International Relations of the EU; The Politics of Citizenship and Immigration; The Politics of Eastern Europe in Transition.
Note: availability of options will differ according to student demand and faculty availability.
Summer term: you research and write a dissertation (worth 60 credits). This will be closely supervised by a member of staff. The research and writing process takes place mainly in the summer, before the presentation and examination at the end of the programme.
Assessment
Courses are assessed by a variety of methods, including unseen examination papers, term papers and literature reviews.