Master of Science in Political Science (International Politics)
The Main Subject International Politics examines trends, ideas and influences that determine current international relations (with attention to historical backgrounds). The Main Subject National Politics mainly studies domestic political processes (with attention to the broader international political context).
What
The increasingly cross-border nature of aspects of social life implies that domestic and foreign politics are becoming ever more intimately linked. Against the background of economic shifts and shifting power relations (the rise of the BRICs, but also the increased role of non-state actors), the international community must learn to deal with religious fundamentalism and nationalism, financial crises, and climate change, among other things. The contemporary world order has therefore become highly complex. The Major International Politics investigates the trends, ideas and influences that determine international relations. Attention is given to both the historical backgrounds and the contemporary political, economic and institutional aspects of international relations. You study the rapid developments in the international field, which enables you to position yourself better – privately and professionally, and to function better in an international context. The different perspectives guarantee an education that is as varied as the study object itself, namely the international reality. The main subject additionally gives you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge in one of the three majors: Diplomacy and World Politics, International Political Economy or European Politics.
For whom
The admission requirements vary. Depending on your prior education, you are either able to enrol directly, or there are additional requirements.
Structure
Internationalisation
The Master's programme offers the opportunity to study abroad. One possibility, among others, is the Erasmus+ programme. For more information, join one of our information sessions or contact the Faculty Internationalisation Committee.
Master's Degree in Teaching
In addition to the (domain) master described above, you can also choose a Master's Programme in Teaching (in Dutch: Educatieve Master). For more information, go to www.ugent.be/educatievemaster.
Labour Market
Our study programme is by definition very versatile and that is reflected in our graduates' employment opportunities. They can be found in journalism, administration, parliament, political parties, trade unions, sociocultural associations, business, international organizations, diplomacy, banking institutions etc. It is clear that the careers in which our graduates end up, do not fit under one and the same heading. Some of our graduates even find career opportunities abroad. The Master's programme has study abroad opportunities. The versatility of the programme on the one hand and the specific political science course units on Belgian and international politics on the other, make the Master's a suitable study programme not only to cope with the social challenges of the 21st century, but also to critically analyze and shape them.
Quality Assurance
At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University continuously focuses on quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.
More information:
Unique Selling Points
- The Political Sciences programme covers a wide range of political phenomena, both at a local as well as at a national, European and international level.
- Our programme places strong emphasis on social commitment, social relevance and current affairs. Our lecturers frequently participate in public debate.
- There is a strong focus on contextualizing current affairs in a broader historical perspective.
- From the third year onwards, students are given the opportunity for specialization, either in Belgian, European, or international politics.
- We introduce multidisciplinarity: in addition to an in-depth understanding of politics, our students are made acquainted with other disciplines such as public law and economics.
Strengths
- Our Political Sciences programme boasts a dedicated and approachable team of lecturers, committed to giving shape to the programme together with the students. Our lecturers are also involved in quality assurance, both at faculty and at study programme level.
- Our students are brought into contact with the professional field via guest lectures, talks, and a variety of alumni activities.
- The reciprocity between research and education is ensured by means of seminars, electives, and the Master’s dissertation, in which students are confronted with research conducted by their lecturers. This reciprocity is beneficial to lecturers and students alike.
- We place great store by critical learning. Throughout the curriculum we teach our students to take a critical stance vis-à-vis politics. By means of peer feedback, they contribute to the learning environment and learn to reflect on their own work as well as that of others.
- Continuous topicality in a Political Sciences programme is a must. Taking our cue from new political issues and social challenges, we constantly evaluate and adjust our curriculum. As a result, learning pathways such as ‘sustainable development’ and political economics’ have taken up an important position throughout the curriculum.
Challenges
- Implementing more active teaching methods in the Bachelor’s curriculum remains a challenge because of large student groups. We continue to invest in this.
- Labour Market Entry: our students are in high demand on the labour market but are not always sure in which job types they might end up. We want to remedy this by strengthening the ties between our programme and the labour market/professional field.
- We want to stimulate our students more to collaborate with each other in e.g. group works.
This study programme is accredited by the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (Dutch: NVAO). Accreditation was extended following the positive outcome of the institutional review in 2022. Programme quality was validated by a quality review, i.e. a screening of the Education Monitor by the Education Quality Board. The Quality Assurance Resolution (in Dutch) can be found here.
This information was last updated on 01/02/2023.
In case of questions or suggestions with regard to the publicly available information, please contact the study programme.