International Studies - 2012 entry

Course content

These courses are offered at three levels: a master's degree (MA), a postgraduate diploma (PGDip) and a postgraduate certificate (PGCert). To gain a master's in International Studies, you will have to pass all the taught modules and the dissertation. To gain a PGDip you will have to pass all the taught modules. A PGCert is awarded upon successful completion of three taught modules (particular modules are specified for each named award).
 

Each of the four named awards share common modules during the first semester. These three modules are compulsory and provide the foundation for the specific pathways taken in the second semester and the dissertation.
 

Compulsory Modules

International Relations in Theory and Practice provides an advanced investigation into theoretical approaches in the discipline of international relations, as well as an overview of contemporary debates. The module aims to establish a clear understanding of the role and purpose of theory, and its relation to substantive issues in international relations.
 

Global Political Economy examines the emerging global political economy from the vantage point of competing theoretical perspectives and the evolution of these perspectives, resulting from theoretical debates and the progressive encounter with empirical developments. Different theories reveal different aspects and dimensions of the global political economy and they will be used to present key historical developments and contemporary issues in the global political economic order.

Readings in Social Science provides a critical introduction to the practices and controversies of contemporary social analysis and their relevance to substantive research. Its overall aim is to identify and analyse the bases - and hence implications - of the methodological choices social scientists make. Particular attention is paid to meta-theoretical controversies that have surfaced in social science over recent years and decades. Rather than remaining deracinated, these points of controversy are rooted in concrete examples and substantive debates - with an emphasis on their implications for concrete research projects and relevance for the techniques of contemporary political analysis.
 

As part of the general research training provided, all four named awards also require students to take the following module in the second semester:
 

Research Methods in the Social Sciences acquaints students with basic social science research methods so that they can understand how evidence is produced and critically appraise the research they use. It includes discussion of research strategies and study design; research ethics; principles and methods of sampling; questionnaire design, interviewing and focus groups; principles of qualitative, documentary and survey analysis; comparative historical analysis; statistical analysis using SPSS; presenting findings and writing up research.

During the rest of the second semester students then take specific modules related to their chosen pathway within the International Studies course.
 

MA in International Studies (International Relations)
Students choose two optional modules from:

• International Security in the Global Era
• Global Governance, Civil Society and Social Movements
• International Development
• International Relations of East Asia
• Global Theory: From Kant to Hardt and Negri
• Citizenship in Theory and Practice
• Gender in a Global Context
• Global Politics and the Environment
• The Law and Politics of Transnational Organisations
• Violence and Post-War Reconstruction
• International Energy Politics
• Independent Study
   

MA in International Studies (Global Political Economy)
Students take Production, Finance and Global Governance plus one optional module from:

• Global Governance, Civil Society and Social Movements
• Global Theory: From Kant to Hardt and Negri
• Gender in a Global Context
• Global Politics and the Environment
• The Law and Politics of Transnational Organisations
• Independent Study
   

MA in International Studies (Security)
Students take International Security in the Global Era plus one optional module from:

• International Development
• International Relations of East Asia
• Global Politics and the Environment
• International Energy Politics
• Violence and Post-War Reconstruction
• Independent Study
   

MA in International Studies (Environment)
Students take Global Politics and the Environment plus one optional module from:

• Global Governance, Civil Society and Social Movements
• International Development
• Global Theory: From Kant to Hardt and Negri
• Citizenship in Theory and Practice
• International Energy Politics
• Gender in a Global Context
• Independent Study

Note that availability of options may vary from year to year.
 

Dissertation
MA students are required to complete a 15,000-word dissertation on a topic related to any aspect of international relations as agreed with the dissertation module leader. Students are asked to work on their initial proposal during Semester 2. The main work on the dissertation will normally take place from June to early September. The dissertation also involves a presentation at the annual Postgraduate Day which is held every summer. This event brings together a guest speaker from outside the university, research students and all postgraduate students on the international studies courses.
 

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department

Department of Social Sciences

Course length

Full-time: MA: 12 months; PGDip: 9 months; PGCert: 9 months
Part-time: MA: 24 months; PGDip: 18 months; PGCert: 18 months

Teaching location

Headington Campus, Gipsy Lane

Start date

September 2012

UKPASS code

P037965

Entry requirements

Students are normally required to have at least a second-class honours degree from a university in the UK or an equivalent qualification from countries outside the UK. The degree should be in an appropriate discipline.

Scholarships and funding

For scholarships offered by the Department of Social Sciences see:http://www.brookes.ac.uk/studying/finance/support

For general sources of financial support, see:

• funding for students from the UK and EU
• funding for students from outside the EU

Why Oxford is a great place to study International Studies

Oxford has much to offer scholars of international studies and as one of the world's great academic cities, it is a key centre of debate, with conferences, seminars and forums taking place across a range of international relations topics within the university and within the city of Oxford. In addition to our own excellent libraries and resource centres, postgraduate International Studies students have access to Oxford's Bodleian Library. Since Oxfam was founded in the city in the 1940s, Oxford has attracted a diverse range of voluntary organisations and now has one of the highest concentrations of non-governmental organisations outside London, making it the perfect place to begin a career in the third sector.

Support for students studying International Studies

Our Student Support Coordinators can give advice on the course, finance, accommodation or personal issues which may be affecting your study and will also regularly update you with information on visiting speakers, careers advice and course announcements. They can also help you to access other support services in the University such as ‘Upgrade’, which offers confidential advice on study skills, and English language support through the international centre.

Annual postgraduate day
The department holds its Annual Postgraduate Day at the beginning of the summer where a range of activities are organised for the postgraduate community. Students from across the MA International Studies programme are joined by research students and academic members of staff. The day begins with a guest lecture and discussion on a topic of interest within the field. Previous visiting speakers include Professor Grahame Thompson from the Open University and Professor Stuart Croft from the University of Warwick.

The day continues with Postgraduate Panels, where our current research students give presentations on their ongoing doctoral research. As a master’s student you will be given the opportunity to give a brief presentation on your dissertation project enabling you to get useful feedback and advice from academic and research colleagues.

How Brookes supports postgraduate students

Supporting your learning

From academic advisers and support co-ordinators to specialist subject librarians and other learning support staff, we want to ensure that you get the best out of your studies.

Personal support services

We want your time at Brookes to be as enjoyable and successful as possible. That's why we provide all the facilities you need to be relaxed, happy and healthy throughout your studies.

Departmental research highlights

Professor Magnus Ryner has conducted work on the financial crisis for the International Labour Organisation (ILO). He conducted a research project on historical episodes of financial crisis. The results were discussed at a symposium at the ILO Headquarters in Geneva in January 2010, and they will be published in the official ILO journal International Journal of Labour Research. He was also invited to speak at a conference organised by the State Governor of Paraná in Brazil, which was transmitted live on Brazilian public television and throughout the Americas. Professor Ryner spoke on the question of the European Union’s position in the world order that will seek to address the financial crisis.

Staff involved in teaching on the programme have in recent years been awarded a number of ESRC grants. Dr Michael Lister’s project entitled 'Anti-Terrorism, Citizenship and Security in the UK', examines to what extent citizens of the United Kingdom feel that their security has been enhanced (or even diminished) by contemporary anti-terrorism measures.

Findings from Dr Mikko Kuisma’s ESRC-funded research project on Welfare State Practices and the Constitution of the Citizen: Nordic Models of Capitalism in an Age of Globalisation have been published by Policy Network, a leading international progressive politics think tank.

Dr Rico Isaacs is conducting research funding by the British Academy into the effectiveness of Election Observation Missions (EOMs) in ensuring freer and fairer elections in the former Soviet Union. EOMs have been central to the Organisation for Cooperation and Security in Europe’s (OSCE) strategy to promote democracy in former Soviet states and his research will engage not just existing scholarship on democracy promotion, but will also inform policy towards democratic assistance in the region by ensuring it is more responsive to the interests and needs of recipient states.

Research excellence

The programme is taught by a truly international team of leading scholars from across the globe. Our vibrant research culture is driven by a thriving and collaborative community of academic staff and doctoral students. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 75% of our work was judged to be of international quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour. Our strong performance in the RAE, along with our expanding consultancy activities, have enabled us to attract high quality staff and students and helped to generate funding for research projects from bodies such as the ESRC, the British Academy and the European Union.

Consultancy:

Dr Michael Lister has given briefings as part of his project on public attitudes to counter-terrorism policy in the UK to policy-makers at both the Home Office and the Welsh Assembly.

Professor Tina Miller has been commissioned to do work on improving maternal and newborn health by the World Health Organisation, which is a key focus within the millennium development goals.

Research areas and clusters

The research of those staff contributing to the programme is organised within 3 dedicated research groups.

• Critical International Studies
• European Politics and Society
• Social and Political Change

As well as meeting to discuss and analyse central texts in the field each group undertakes a number of activities including:

• Organising work-in-progress seminars
• Offering support and feedback for external grant applications
• Hosting visiting fellows
• Sponsoring seminars and symposia

Find out more by visiting our website at http://hss.brookes.ac.uk and browsing our staff profiles.