Politics and International Studies

Contents

The programme has three specializations and the student is admitted to one of them. The two departments admit students for two-year master degree studies separately. The programme can be ended after one year, leading to a one-year master degree.

Political Science

The aim is to give you a systematic understanding of the basic questions of political science in order to be able to critically examine, assess and analyse politics and international relations on a scientific basis.

You acquire knowledge and skills that give the capacity for independent and critical assessment, and the ability to monitor the development of knowledge obtained by research in political science.

The programme provides an opportunity for more advanced studies in various special areas of the subject such as comparative politics, political theory, public administration and international politics.

Eurasian Studies

This specialization has a thematic and theoretical design that is consistently interdisciplinary. As an interdisciplinary specialization the main base is in economics, law, political science, peace and conflict research and history. The aim is to identify the problems of and explain the ambition behind the establishment of democracy, market economies and constitutional states in the Eurasian area.

Social and legal theories are spotlighted from cultural and historical perspectives. The regional focus is on the Balkan states, Russia including the former Soviet Union and North-East Asia, primarily China.

Peace and Conflict Studies

The aim is to give you a systematic understanding of the basic questions of peace and conflict research in order to be able to critically examine, assess and analyse the origin, development and resolution of armed conflicts on a scientific basis.

You acquire knowledge and skills that give the capacity to solve problems self-reliantly and the ability to monitor the development of knowledge obtained by peace and conflict research.

The education is given on a scientific basis and is anchored in research. You will be given the equipment to steadily develop your methodological skills and a scientific approach.

You are expected to take increasing responsibility for your learning as the training progresses, and also gradually acquire professionally relevant and research-based knowledge and skills.

You are encouraged to create and develop both national and international contacts. The knowledge is imparted and assimilated by instruction, private study, seminar discussions and also individual oral and written work. Throughout the programme considerable weight is systematically placed on both written and oral interpretations and presentations.

The progression in the programme is to lead on to a higher degree of intellectual maturity and greater insight into the complexity of the subject. This, together with the ability to integrate knowledge and skills and independently formulate and solve problems, will be presented in a final degree project.

The programme presupposes that the students have previously taken methodology courses covering basic qualitative and quantitative methods. The master thesis course (30 credits) presupposes knowledge of qualitative and quantitative methodology at the advanced level.

Instruction is given in English with the exception of a few elective courses taught in Swedish, for those with Swedish language skills.

The programme prepares graduates for a professional career as an investigator and analyst in both the private and the public sector, both nationally and internationally. The course also prepares students for research and teaching and is a qualification when applying for doctoral studies.

The political science specialization gives you a qualified education that leads to a broad investigative competence with specialist knowledge in both social and research fields.
The Eurasian studies specialization gives you a qualified training that leads to a broad investigative competence with specialist knowledge in both social and research fields.
Specialization in Peace and conflict studies provides you a broad competence with special knowledge of how to moderate conflict and build peace and justice at national and global levels.

Degree

The programme leads to a Master of Science in Political Sciences, 120 credits, with the specialization Political science or a Master of Social Science, 120 credits, with one of the specializations – Eurasian Studies or Peace and Conflict Studies – as the main field of study. The two-year master degree requires obtaining 120 credits with at least 60 credits being in one of the specializations including individual work (degree project) representing 30 credits.

After one year of study it may also be possible to get a Master of Science in Political Sciences, 60 credits or a Master of Social Science, 60 credits, depending on the specialization. For the one-year master’s degree 60 credits are required, with at least 30 credits being in one of the specializations, including individual work (degree project) representing 15 credits.

Accreditation

Uppsala University is accredited by the Swedish National Agencyof Higher Education

Funding details

Uppsala University offers a few scholarships to cover the tuition fee. Read more on www.uu.se/scholarships.