MA International Relations and Global Crises
Sheffield, United Kingdom
MA
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
GBP 17,725 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* £17,725 for international/EU students | £10,620 for UK students
Key Summary
Explore the theory, practice, and discipline of international relations in an age of increasing challenges and crises.
- Gain a critical understanding of the theory and practice of international relations.
- Explore the political, cultural, social, and economic crises facing the world today.
- Learn how patterns of power, knowledge, and inequality are reproduced globally.
- Develop practical expertise in non-violent communication and conflict resolution.
This course examines the complex worlds we live in. You’ll explore issues of race, class, gender, and geography to challenge how knowledge about contemporary international relations is produced. By studying topics such as terrorism, war, security, and peace-making – you’ll gain critical and practical skills to understand how global crises manifest and can be overcome.
All our courses are designed around key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.
In this course, you’ll discuss international relations and global crises with our expert academics and your fellow students. You’ll analyze contemporary international issues in-depth – critically examining the discipline of international relations itself, to unpack the relationship between theory and practice.
The teaching and design of the modules you’ll study are both informed by our team’s ongoing research and expertise. We use consistent block-teaching times, helping you plan your commitments outside of university.
You learn through
- Interactive workshops
- Lectures and seminars
- Independent study
- Personal supervision
- Practical activities and group work
- Special guest lectures
Throughout the course you’ll learn critical and practical skills, helping you make sense of the complexities and contradictions of world politics. Core modules cover the origins of international relations, key events, issues, and crises of the past and present.
You’ll learn why we should seek to decolonize and decentre how knowledge about international relations is produced and reproduced. These modules provide a solid foundation so you can fulfill your potential, whether you’re new or returning to the discipline of international relations.
You will be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate-level employment through a number of key areas. These include
- Access to specialist support services to help with your personal, academic and career development
- access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones, webinars, and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments
- dedicated one-to-one supervision support with your dissertation research project
Applied learning
Throughout the course, your learning, research, and assessments will be tied to real-world issues within international relations. You’ll produce portfolios of work that explore and analyse these issues from theoretical and practical perspectives, learning to communicate these complex ideas in a supportive environment.
In the module Peacebuilding Communication, you’ll develop practical expertise such as non-violent communication, mediation and conflict resolution skills. You’ll also undertake an independent project where you’ll apply the learning and skills you’ve developed. You’ll produce either a dissertation on a topic of your choosing, or a high-level critical policy evaluation of an international intervention designed to address a contemporary global crisis. Within this module you’ll work with other students to organise a conference.
Networking Opportunities
You’ll be part of an active community in the politics and international relations subject group, our department and the wider university. In the subject group we’ll conduct research projects and publish academic books and articles in areas such as:
- charity and community work
- the European Union and NATO
- international migration
- the politics of welfare, terrorism, and counterterrorism
- the political theory of new social movements
- gender, war and security studies
Throughout the course you'll interact with academics and specialists in your field. The course features several special events with guest speakers, including those working in the field of politics and international relations. Through the Sociology and Politics Seminar Series you’ll meet researchers working on a range of social, political and international issues.
This course prepares you for a career in
- Non-governmental organizations
- International organizations
- The voluntary sector
- The civil service
- Parliamentary or political research
- International development
- Political think tanks
- Teaching
- A wide range of graduate schemes across different professions with an international focus
- Further academic study, such as PhD research