MSc Political Science at University of Essex

Programme overview

The MSc Political Science is a one-year Colchester Campus degree in the Department of Government that surveys the main theoretical approaches to political outcomes and the research frameworks used in political science. It is the most flexible Essex politics course, with a very wide choice of optional modules, and includes quantitative methods training.

Department: Government | Duration: 1 year (full-time); part-time also available | Intake: October | Study mode: full-time; part-time | Location: Colchester, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

Core and compulsory modules are the MA Dissertation (60 credits, up to 10,000 words), Championing Your Research Idea, and Introduction to Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis I and II, plus 75 credits of Government options such as survey measurement and research methods, the economy and the state, democracies in Europe, theories of justice and conflict resolution.

Career pathways

Graduates find jobs in market research, the media and central or local government, and the course provides a foundation for further research in political science. Graduates have gone on to the Civil Service, local government, the World Bank, the United Nations, NATO and YouGov.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

A 2.2 degree or international equivalent in American Studies, Economics, Finance, International Relations, International Studies, Political Science, Political Studies, Statistics or United States Politics; or a 2.2 degree in any subject that includes two relevant modules (for example comparative political systems, democratic theory, econometrics, international security, political economy, public policy analysis or quantitative reasoning). Also considered: applicants with an unrelated degree and at least 5 years of relevant work experience (NGO, UN, government; CV required), applicants with a lower-class degree who achieved 2:2 or above in relevant modules, and first-class graduates in any subject. The MSc is recommended for applicants with basic statistical training; the otherwise identical MA suits those without. International applicants: IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in every component; a pre-sessional English pathway is available for those who do not meet the IELTS score.

Domestic applicants: GBP 11,600 for the whole programme Source

International applicants: GBP 25,075 for the whole programme Source

Intake: October

Duration: 1 year (full-time); part-time also available

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