PIR-40152 International Development: Environment and Conflict
Environmental change creates a central challenge for human life and politics in many areas of the world, and shapes the relationships between the Global North and Global South. As such, environmental change and the challenges it creates is at the heart of issues of international development. This module examines approaches to development, and focuses on issues of ecological disaster, climate change, resource scarcity and the ways these shape politics and conflict in key areas of the world, particularly the Middle East and Africa.

PIR-40095 Research in Action
This module provides an in-depth and hands-on advanced introduction to the various ways in which empirical research in Politics and International Relations is designed and conducted. It examines how research topics and questions are identified, explores key types of research design, and considers the different approaches to evidence gathering, including interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, documents and texts. Working in small teams, you will then design and conduct your own small-scale practical research project on a topic of your own choosing. Students have devised a range of projects on this module in the past, including, for example, on attitudes towards the place of religion in politics, environmental values of young people, opinions on immigration policies, views on humanitarian intervention in conflict zones, and perceptions about the global war on terror. By taking this module and undertaking your own project, you will acquire key research skills that will assist you later on in your dissertation work, and that will also equip you well for a range of future careers.  

PIR-40144 Advanced Approaches to Politics and International Relations
This module explores the philosophies, assumptions and approaches underlying the study of Politics and International Relations, and examines how scholars have approached the questions of what to study and how to study, and the ways in which these issues are bound up with historical and current power structures in the world. In doing this, the module equips you with a solid understanding of the conceptual and methodological underpinnings of key approaches to the study of Politics and International Relations, and the skills to apply these successfully in your own work. The critical thinking and analysis skills that you will develop on this module will serve you well in your dissertation research, and will also prove very valuable in future employment. 

Recommended optional modules

The Theory of Global Security (PIR-40088)
Engaging with key concepts like threat, risk, securitisation and vulnerability, this module offers an advanced introduction to the analysis of global security, from classical International Relations theory to what is known as Critical Security Studies. You will learn about the main theoretical traditions through which security has been understood since the end of World War II, focusing in particular on the post-Cold War period, and how shifting conceptions of security are allied to changing understandings of the state, society, the economy, and culture. By doing this, you will be able to critically engage with contemporary debates on security studies. 

Post-Conflict Development: Cases and Approaches (PIR-40146)
Post-conflict reconstruction and security is one of the most critical challenges facing international development. This module uses in-depth case studies to address challenges of development after conflict, and to put those challenges into contemporary context, both practically and conceptually. The module also examines how understandings of and approaches to post-conflict reconstruction and development have evolved over time. The module gives you the opportunity to study a case in depth, and to devise your own post-conflict development plan, drawing on concepts and challenges of development and applying them to real-world examples.

Economic Development and Environmental Transformation (GEG-40006)
Are economic development and environmental concerns always opposed? Why does environmental conservation not seem to work? And what areas should be conservation priorities to sustain global ecosystems? What does international development assistance do for the people who depend most directly on their local environments for their livelihoods? This module helps students find their own answers to some of these pressing questions by introducing them to development geography. Students explore key ideas from this subdiscipline including political ecology (the study of environments as products of social action) and performative economy (the idea of economy as an abstract realm we bring into being by describing it). The coursework involves using in-depth case studies of economy and ecology to evaluate different pathways towards, and definitions of, development.

International Environmental Law (LAW-40043)
This module offers a critical perspective on the development of international environmental law. It provides a grounding in the legal norms, institutions and processes of the field, and explores current environmental global issues such as biodiversity loss, trade and environment, food security and climate change through specific treaty regimes. Drawing on a range of legal, policy and other literature, the module highlights key challenges facing the regulation of the environment today.

Dimensions of Environmental Politics (PIR-40106)
This module provides an overview of key concepts, debates, processes, and discourses in relation to the political dynamics of 'the environment'. You will explore the following three key questions: i) How did 'the environment' come to be seen as a political question?; ii) How have political institutions responded to what have been called environmental problems?; and iii) What are the challenges such problems individually or collectively pose for existing political structures, institutions, and practices, and the theoretical presumptions underlying them? Through this module you will gain a good understanding of the broad field of environmental politics, and then be able to explore specific areas further in other modules or in your dissertation.

International Refugee Law (LAW-40058)
This module explores international refugee law in its historical, political, and social context. It examines international refugee conventions, national immigration and asylum rules and legislation, and international refugee protection regimes. In doing this, it offers an insight into the plight of asylum seekers as they seek international protection. 

Optional modules

Human Rights and Global Politics (LAW-40046)
This module explores political and legal strategies to advance human rights in a global political framework. You will be introduced to the main debates on the ways that political structures shape human rights: the relationship between democratisation, development, human rights and violence; the possible emergence of a global civil society to understanding human rights practices; the expansion and role of transnational human rights monitoring and activism; and the need for an understanding of political violence and terror to assess and address causes of human rights violations. To deepen your understanding of the connections between global and local causes and responses to contemporary human rights issues, you will examine a number of key issues, such as the responsibility to protect, humanitarian interventions, aid and development, security in the post 9/11 era and more. 

Key Themes in Human Geography and Sustainability (GEG-40020)
This module provides cutting-edge insights into the diversity of inquiry, debate and active research currently taking place within contemporary human geography and the diverse range of sustainability-related issues of relevance. In particular, these relate to the current United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and especially the creation of sustainable cities and communities, good health and wellbeing, reduced inequalities, and clean energy. Through exposure to current research, students are able to generate new subject-skills and knowledge which they can apply in the real world, and which can help in the development of new approaches for tackling current societal challenges. 

International Diplomacy (PIR-40136)
This module provides an advanced introduction to the field of diplomatic studies. It explores the ideas and concepts of contemporary diplomacy, and then examines how diplomacy, both within and between states, is conducted and regulated. In doing so, it considers a range of mechanisms and processes, including negotiation, multinational conferences, the creation of international organisations, the evolution of international trade, covert diplomacy and international norms and regulations. 

Crises, Conflict and Diplomacy (PIR-40138)
This module critically analyses the role of diplomacy in addressing contemporary conflicts. Using in-depth case studies from a range on international settings, you will explore diplomatic practices and processes and examine how a variety of actors – states, international and regional organisations – have attempted to resolve conflict through diplomacy, and how diplomacy has shaped the outcomes of crises. In doing so you will gain practical insights into the intricacies of negotiations and mediations and their effects on conflict resolution, and you will be able to reflect on the changing nature of diplomacy. 

Politics and Security Dynamics in the Middle East (PIR-40162) 
The Middle East is a region with immense cultural, economic, political, and security impact, and one that has far-reaching implications for the rest of the world. On this module you will gain a deeper understanding of this diverse, dynamic and strategically significant region, and explore how and why it is crucial for navigating today's complex global landscape. We examine the delicate interplay between modernity and tradition in this region, the state structures and nation-building processes, the conflicts and the revolutions, and the ideologies, identities, and beliefs of the different actors, peoples and states. We also delve into the intricacies and tensions of interstate relations, and their lasting consequences on the international stage.  

The Changing International Agenda (PIR-40093)
In the period since the end of the Second World War, we have witnessed radical shifts in the nature of the international system, such as the rise and fall of the Cold War, the birth of the UN, European decolonisation, and the 'war on terror'. This module offers an in-depth critical assessment of the development, change and nature of the international system post-1945. Engaging with key themes in contemporary International Relations, you will explore the reasons underlying these transformations: the policies made within states or non-state actors; how policy makers are constrained by the international system; why various actors behave in the ways that they do; and the implications of their actions. You will examine some of key debates that serve to question the contemporary nature of the international system, such as the legitimacy of humanitarian intervention, the meaning of the 'war on terror', and whether globalisation makes nation states irrelevant. 

Maritime Security (PIR-40128)
The study of international relations and of global security has traditionally focused on territory, state and sovereignty in terms of the land; the impact of events and developments at sea have largely been ignored. In light of recent technological developments, changes in international law, environmental concerns and the emergence of maritime economies, this module seeks to readdress this imbalance. It explores the developments, changes and challenges that have made the sea increasingly important in contemporary international relations and security, examining these in both a theoretical and a practical perspective.

The International Politics of War and Memory (PIR-40156) 
The module explores the social and political forces that enable and perpetuate wars and the international, national and local politics that influence the memorialisations of war. You will examine particular case studies as examples of these themes. In doing so, you will develop an understanding of why wars happen, how and why violence occurs, and what shapes the aftermaths of violent conflict, as well as an appreciation of how different wars have been memorialised, and the ways that war memory shapes and is shaped by contemporary politics. 

The Geopolitics of Nationalism and Populism (PIR-40142)
This module examines the geopolitical aspects of nationalism and populism. You will explore theories of nationalism and populism from an International Relations perspective, and will lean about the relationship between nationalism/populism and foreign policy, and the effects of nationalism/populism on security, war and peace. You will also explore specific narratives and ideologies of nationalism and populism such as the New Right and White Nationalism. 

Politics and Security Dynamics in the Middle East (PIR-40162)
This module explores the intricacies of one of the world's most strategically significant regions. A region with immense cultural, economic, political, and security impact, the Middle East has far-reaching implications for the rest of the world, and so gaining a deeper understanding of this dynamic region is crucial for navigating today's complex global landscape. In this module, we re-examine the delicate interplay between modernity and tradition, as well as the ideologies, identities, and beliefs that have showcased transformative political potential. We explore state structures and nation-building processes, conflicts, and revolutions, all of which have had lasting consequences on the international stage. By delving into the intricacies of interstate relations and the roles of substate actors, we provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the region's diverse and ever-evolving dynamics. 

The Global Politics of Islam (PIR-40158)
This module examines the historical and contemporary politics of Islam across the Muslim-majority world. You will explore a variety of manifestations of Islamic politics across a range of case studies, covering various strands of Islamism, Muslim conservatism, Muslim reformism, and Muslim militancy. You will also investigate a number of different explanations for the emergence and evolution of Islamic politics, focusing in particular on ideas, ideologues, structures and organisations across the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. 

Foundations of Human Rights (LAW-40048)
The module provides a foundation with which to study and critique human rights theory and practice. Focusing on gender, sexuality, race, class, ethnicity, religion, and power in relation to human rights, you will develop a practical and theoretical understanding of human rights law, politics and philosophy at domestic, regional and international levels. You will explore historical, philosophical, and structural aspects of human rights, including Enlightenment perspectives, theories of rights, universalism/relativism debates, sovereignty and non-intervention concerns, and other issues pertinent to international law and relations.

Equality, Discrimination and Minorities (LAW-40047)
This module focuses on issues of equality and discrimination in international human rights policy and practice, focusing on religion, race, ethnicity, and caste/descent. You will explore conceptual and normative aspects of ethics, equality, and non-discrimination, and examine and critique a range of equality issues through a number of case studies from the UK and further afield. 

Race and Justice: Civil Rights in the US (PIR-40119)
The 1960s American Civil Rights Movement is one of the most iconic protest movements for political and social equality in recent history. The fight for legal and social equality for black people in the United States greatly influenced further fights for equality for other racial or ethnic groups, women, and the disabled. It continues to influence protest movements throughout the world. But, despite its successes, discrimination remains a major issue. On this module, you will examine discrimination, inequality and civil rights from the second half of the 20th Century. You will also explore the state of civil rights law and the extent to which the courts have effectively enforced social change, using legal cases and case studies to analyse the state of civil rights in the US today. 

Comparative European Politics (PIR-40096)
This module examines political participation, political parties, elections, governments, and parliaments within the context of European democracy, comparing and contrasting processes and systems, and adopting an empirical focus. It also explores broader issues relating to socio-political and electoral change, such as declining political loyalty, falling turnout levels, and decreasing trust in political institutions and actors, and considers the consequences of these changes and the challenges they pose not only to the state and to citizens, but also to the future of liberal democracy. 

Quantitative Research and Data Analysis (GRT-40020)
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of quantitative social science research. You will become familiar with the different ways in which quantitative research is designed, and then, using real-world data, you will learn about the different ways in which quantitative data can be analysed and evaluated. In the process, you will gain hands-on experience of SPSS software. You will also examine many of the fundamental conceptual issues in quantitative research such as questions of causality and inference, operationalisation, sampling and representativeness, and testing for significance and association.

Qualitative Research Methods (GRT-40021)
Through discussion of the principles and practices of qualitative social research, this module explores the wide range of qualitative methods used in social science research. You will examine how qualitative methodologies inform research design and learn to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different methods of investigation, such as interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and visual research. You’ll be introduced to associated methods of data capture, including field notes, audio and/or video recordings, and transcripts, and the ways in which this evidence and data can be managed and analysed, including by using NVivo software. 

Modern Foreign Language
You can choose to take one modern foreign language module over the course of your programme. This includes modules in Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian or Spanish. Modules are offered at various levels, ranging from absolute beginners, to intermediate, to advanced level. If you wish to take a language module, the Language Unit will undertake an assessment of your proficiency, based on your existing language qualifications and skills, and will register you on the appropriate module. You may only take one foreign language module as part of your programme.

Postgraduate English as an Academic Practice
International students whose first language is not English can choose to take a module in Postgraduate English as an Academic Practice. The Language Unit will undertake a diagnostic language assessment to determine which module would be most suitable. Only one Postgraduate English as an Academic Practice can be taken as part of the MSc programme.

Master's Dissertation (PIR-40105)
In addition to taking your taught modules, you will also research and write a dissertation on a topic of your choice. You will be supported in this by participating in a number of workshops that will help you focus and refine your ideas, and prepare a dissertation research proposal. Then, you will work under the guidance of a supervisor who has expertise in your chosen field of interest.

Your dissertation will be 15,000 words in length, and will count for 60 credits. 

Researching and writing a dissertation gives you an exciting and rewarding opportunity to examine and investigate a topic, question, or issue of your own choosing in considerable depth. In addition, it enables you to develop key transferable and employability skills, including advanced research skills, problem-solving and analysis skills, information handling skills, and written communication skills. It also shows that you have a sound ability to work independently and to plan your work and manage your time. These are all skills that are highly valued by prospective employers.