MSc in Conflict, Territories and Identities
Nijmegen, Netherlands
MSc
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Apr 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 2,695 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Application deadline with scholarship: 31.01.2026| Final deadline for EU students: 01.07.2026| Deadline for EU students who want to get assistance with housing: 01.05.2026
** Institutional tuition fee EU/EEA: €14,084.00 | For non-EU/EEA students: €18,873.00
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
How can violent conflicts be analyzed and addressed? This is a recurring question, particularly given the ongoing violence in countries like DR Congo and Afghanistan, and the outbursts of civil war in Iraq and Ukraine more recently. In this Master's you will study national and international conflict, and the territorial boundaries and borders in the minds of the people involved. You will also become familiar with the theory and practice of those organisations, such as NGOs and the UN, who intervene in violent conflict and its aftermath, as well as the efforts by local actors to transform and resolve conflict.
The foundation of this specialisation is socio-geographical, addressing issues such as the influence of territorial belonging, geopolitical framing and social construction of others, threats, and conflicts, including violent symbolism. Both the political and social construction of conflicts, territories, and identities, as well as the theory and practice of conflict transformations will be addressed. The specialisation focuses on conflict in the broad sense of the word: ranging from the violent conflicts taking place in countries like Ukraine, DR Congo, Colombia, Syria and Iraq to extreme regional tension between communities like the resistance to the arrival of refugees in EU countries, or drug-related violence in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. We look beyond the violent conflict itself by also paying attention to practices of post-conflict reconstruction and the long-lasting consequences of conflicts for a region and the people involved.
Facts and figures
- Degree: MSc in Human Geography
- Faculty: Nijmegen School of Management
- Croho code: 60466
- Duration: 1 year (60 EC), full time
- Start month: September
- Language: English
- Enrolled students: 80-90 per year
- Contact hours: 5-10 hours per week
Radboud Scholarship Programme
The Radboud Scholarship Programme offers talented, highly motivated, non-EU/EEA students with outstanding study results the opportunity to be awarded a partial scholarship for an English-taught Master’s programme.
NL Scholarship (for prospective students)
The NL Scholarship (formerly known as Holland Scholarship) is a partial scholarship for non-EU/EEA students who want to do their Master’s in the Netherlands.
Fulbright-Radboud Scholarships
The Fulbright Commission, sponsored by Radboud University, is offering scholarships for talented American students to study at Radboud University.
Deadline is 31 January
Curriculum of Conflict, Territories and Identity
The Master’s specialisation in Conflict, Territories and Identities is taught at Nijmegen School of Management. It has a course load of 60 EC (one-year) and offers space for elective courses, with which students can give their programme their own personal finishing touch.
Compulsory courses:
- Conflicting Theories: Applying Theoretical Approaches of Conflicts
- Preparing the Master’s Thesis
- Spaces of In/Security and Conflict
- Field Course Elective courses:
- Geopolitics of Bordering
- Globalisation and Extractivism
- Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding
- Free elective 6 EC
Elective courses, only at Master’s level, can be chosen from what we offer at the department, faculty, university and beyond. This includes compulsory course or bounded electives of one of the other specialisations. Not considered eligible are courses closely resembling the course Preparing the Master’s Thesis or language training courses.
Master's Thesis in Human Geography 24 EC
The Master's specialisation in Conflicts, Territories and Identities provides graduates entry into rapidly growing sectors of the job market, be it government, business or academia. Graduates will be able to apply the scientific insights and practical skills acquired to topics as varied as (post)colonialism, geopolitics, failing states, (religious and national) identities, discrimination and integration, bordering and othering processes, natural resources, humanitarian aid, diplomacy, peace operations.
After your studies
Our alumni find jobs such as:
- Policy advisor in local and national governments.
- Researcher in public or private think tanks or research institutes.
- Expert or advisory position with local and international organisations (UN, NGOs, humanitarian actors) dealing with conflicts or engaging in volatile geopolitical spaces of contestation.
- Our mission is also to nurture students as engaged citizens who can drive social change through activism and critical thinking.