Environmental Politics MSc

The Environmental Politics MSc is aimed at students who work or want to work in environmental organisations, groups or movements. It provides an unusual mix of courses. On the one hand, students are provided with an understanding of the ideas that have influenced and continue influence environmental politics and movements in the west and in post-colonial contexts; as well as the strategies and tactics of resistance; and the communicative dimensions of such politics. On the other hand, a number of the options students can take include practical components intended to help you understanding how organisations working in these areas might analyse environmental developments. By the end of the programme students will be equipped to analyse environmental politics in case studies around the world.

The course will be taught staff who are active researchers in a range of areas from political theory and political philosophy, political communication and environmental politics.

A distinctive aspect of this course is its diversity of choices, enabling students to tailor their studies according to their specific areas of interest. For example, it provides options offered by departments of law and geography as well as a range of other political subjects.

The course builds on the existing MSc programmes and aims to prepare students for a range of careers in government institutions, public policy, international governmental and non-governmental organisations, as well as providing a thorough foundation PhD research. 

What will you study?

The course has three stages, each of which is designed to deepen your knowledge of environmental politics, whilst also placing this subject within wider social and economic contexts.

The first stage provides a comprehensive introduction into state and global politics, while being supported through the study of research skills and methods. It also offers the opportunity to pursue a more specialised direction in the field of politics, by choosing from political communication, law and regulation, challenges of climate change, strategies for achieving human rights.

In the second stage you will be able to pursue your interest in more depth by selecting from a wide range of options, aided by tutorial-led specialist topics.

In stage three you will build on what you have learnt and apply your skills in a piece of original research of 10,000–12,000 words.

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.

Core modules

• Environmental Politics: Movements and Ideas
• From State to Global Politics
• Research Skills and Dissertation/Project Proposal

Optional modules

• Applied Research Project
• Dissertation
• Conflict Theory and Resolution
• Nationalism and Modernity

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Our links with industry provide a practical base for our courses. They also help us to ensure your studies are kept up-to-date and relevant to the workplace.

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