MPhil Politics

Newcastle University

MPhil Politics

  • Country United Kingdom
  • Course Duration 12 month
  • Course Type Full Time
  • Courses Campus On Campus
  • Language Specification IELTS
  • Program Level Post-Graduate
  • Education Required Graduate
  • Admission intake SEP
  • Minimum GPA 3.3
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Application Charges

Application Fee Tution Fee
Free GBP 18,600

Application Date

Application Start Date Application Closing Date
2022-12-08
2023-01-10

Program Description

Our broad range of research means you can specialise in topics including:
  • political philosophy
  • comparative institutions or behaviour
  • British politics
  • international relations
You'll receive training on how to become an independent researcher. You'll be supported by a supervisory team of at least two members of our research staff who will guide you through the research process. Your supervisors will also play a key role in helping you develop a thesis project that will open job opportunities in academia or outside of academia depending on your goals.You will be able to take part in the Researcher Education and Development. This is an advanced and interdisciplinary research training and researcher development programme created by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.You'll also have the opportunity to enrol in the Postgraduate Certificate in Research Training. This provides a broader knowledge of different research methodologies. It equips you with the skills to carry out advanced research in your area of interest.

 

The politics of difference
We examine the issues thrown up by the social and political differences of humanity from a variety of perspectives including:
  • analytical and continental political philosophy
  • comparative politics
  • international politics
  • post-colonialism
Political participation and elections
We examine the different forms of political participation that link society to the political systems of the world. We look at both the formal electoral process and non-electoral politics (social movements, protest groups, etc) Our research on the emergence of virtual political participation means that some of our work intersects with popular culture and political communication.
Political ideologies and political thought
We focus on the history of political thought as well as how these ideas are part of programmes for political action. Our research incorporates both historical and contemporary political thought prominent in the Western tradition as well as Asian philosophy and post-colonial thinking. This is an interdisciplinary theme, serving as a bridge between empirical political science and political theory. 
Global economic and environmental challenges
We study the importance of political ideas such as sustainable development and globalisation, as well as the struggle to define the core problems that society faces. These challenges pose questions to the nature and reform of global governance, while generating tensions between the state and transnational forces in global politics and political economy. 
Democracy, the modern state and political organisations
Our work examines the role of interest groups, social movements, political parties, third-sector actors and charities, community organisations and postcolonial nationalism in relation to the modern state. We draw from ancient and modern political thought to understand the interpretation of democracy (including democratic rights and the foundations of democracy). 
Political economy of development
Our research focuses on the interaction of economic forces and principles with political power in the development of societal economics and welfare, as well as on theories of development and post-development. We cover a range of geographic areas in Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia. 
Critical geopolitics and security
Our research focuses on thinking critically about the political dynamics, consequences and discourses of historical and contemporary geopolitics. We cover both historical and contemporary questions of security. 
Theory of international relations
We take an active role in the global debate on the units, actors and structures that shape the dynamics of international politics. Our research covers the political consequences of the constitution of the international as a distinct kind of relation.
Governance in Britain and wider Europe
Our research investigates the dynamics driving public policy-making at national, EU and international levels. We focus on the challenges multi-level governance offers for concerns about legitimacy and accountability. This includes the changing relationship between the governing and the governed over matters of politics and policy. Our geographic scope includes the United Kingdom, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia, and the Mediterranean 
Global justice and human rights
Our work in political philosophy reflects the increasing need to tackle issues at a global rather than a state-only level.We tackle questions of justice from an issue perspective as well as surveys of nationalism, states, and various non-cosmopolitan theories of global justice.

Political research and methods

We conduct qualitative and quantitative research reflecting both empirical and critical political methodologies. We use quantitative methods (ie econometrics, experiments, rational choice models) to make sense of topics as diverse as party systems and transitional justice. In terms of qualitative research we employ a diverse range of approaches (ie ethnography, hermeneutics and discourse analysis, etc) to understand the complexity of issues such as conflict, migration, participation. Our aim is to push innovation in the research methods we rely on.Our department is committed to theoretical and methodological pluralism as well as supporting PhD students who want to pursue an interdisciplinary research agenda. Recently our academic researchers have published in top-ranked academic journals and worked in close collaboration with over 3,000 non-academic partners at the local, national, and international levels.Our programme is international, with students coming from 27 countries in the last six years. We welcome research projects devoted only to politics subjects as well as interdisciplinary work that engages faculty from other departments and/or universities.