The Postgraduate Diploma in International Public Policy at Queen’s offers a high-quality programme of academic and personal professional development, providing students with the tools to understand and influence the contemporary policy problems faced by governments globally.
Students undertaking the Diploma programme will engage with a wide variety of theories, ideas and sources in the study of public policy both domestically and internationally, and will be introduced to a variety of research methods. As they progress through the programme, students can choose to examine public policy issues across a range of international policy domains including: climate change, AI and technology global ethics, security and terrorism, policing and crime, and EU governance.
As well as hearing from guest speakers, there will also be a study visit to the EU institutions, NGOs and think tanks in Brussels, and elsewhere in Europe. to better understand the interplay of public policy between national and international levels and hear about traineeship and other employment opportunities.
The programme uniquely offers opportunities for personal as well as academic advancement opportunities, and participants on the programme can avail of the opportunity to undertake the Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Work placements with the Northern Ireland Civil Service may be offered to a limited number of students.
Participants on the PG Dip programme will avail of the opportunity to undertake the Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
International Public Policy highlights
Global Opportunities
The PGDip in International Public Policy will involve a study visit to the EU institutions, NGOs, embassies and think tanks in Brussels and elsewhere in Europe to better understand the interplay of public policy between national and international levels.
Queen’s is ranked 22nd in the world for international outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020).
Professional Accreditations
Students undertaking the PGDip programme are also invited to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership.
Student Experience
Politics was ranked joint 1st in the UK for Research Intensity (Complete University Guide 2021).
Industry Links
During the CMI programme, students will hear from leading industry and NGO figures.
Career Development
Students on the Diploma programme will be able to participate in career development training.
Student Experience
During the year, there will be a number of guest lecture events and social occasions.
Queen’s was ranked joint 1st in the UK for Research Intensity (Complete University Guide 2021).
Queen’s is ranked in the top 170 in the world for graduate prospects (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022).
Internationally Renowned Experts
Students benefit from intensive teaching by a wide and varied range of QUB academics with strong publishing profiles and international reputations in their areas of expertise and will be assessed through a range of examination methods.
Students will hear from senior practitioners from the national and international organisations during their time on the programme.
Student Experience
Queen’s ranked 18 in the world for international outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023).
Queen's is ranked 10th for graduate prospects in the UK (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024).
Student Testimonials
As part of the MSc IPP, I had the fantastic opportunity to avail of the study trip to Brussels and Paris to visit the EU institutions, think tanks like Bruegel, NGOs like WWF and various embassies to the EU.
Having the opportunity to discuss complex and wicked policy problems including the climate crisis and long-term strategies of the EU, NGOs and delegation from Catalonia and Saudi Arabia in post-pandemic era. The experience helped to synthesise relevant political theory with practical real-world scenarios to develop my understanding of international policy with tangible consequences.
1. Students benefit from intensive teaching by a wide and varied range of QUB academics with strong publishing profiles and international reputations in their areas of expertise and will be assessed through a range of examination methods.
Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (3 years) basis. Individual modules may be studied as a short course. Part-time students typically complete one or two modules per semester. Full-time students typically complete three modules per semester.
To acquire foundational knowledge and understanding in International Public Policy, students will take three core modules:
• HAP7001 - Approaches and Debates on Research Design (Semester 1)
• PAI7070 – International Public Policy (Semester 1)
• PAI7030 - Global Political Economy (Semester 2)
Elective course include but not limited to the following (course section is updated regularly):
• PAI7027 Conflict Intervention
• PAI7100 Democratic Innovations
• PAI7103 Global Development
• PAI7106 Policy Analysis and Evaluation
• PAI7104 Interest Groups, Lobbying and Advocacy
• PAI7051 Contemporary Security
• PHL7057 Social Injustice
• PHL7056 Global Ethics
IPP PgDip students are awarded qualifications and obtain a Postgraduate Diploma by successfully completing 120 CATS points from taught modules or a Postgraduate Certificate by successfully completing 60 CATS points from taught modules.
Students with excellent performance across the courses may be offered an opportunity to complete the dissertation (15,000 - 20,000 word research dissertation; 60 CATS points) and obtain MSc degree
HAPP Dr Anastasia Ershova’s research is focused on bureaucratic and legislative politics in the EU context. Specifically she is interested in issues of bureaucratic discretion, policy effectiveness and policy responsiveness to public opinion.
Email: a.ershova@qub.ac.uk
HAPP Dr Muiris MacCarthaigh's current research interests relate to the politics and practice of state retrenchment and administrative reform, issues with which he is involved in a number of international research networks, and with a particular focus on the Irish case.
Teaching Times
Teaching takes place at a variety of times from 9-8pm Monday – Friday.
Learning and Teaching
Students benefit from intensive teaching by a wide and varied range of QUB academics with strong publishing profiles and international reputations in their areas of expertise, and will be assessed through a range of examination methods.
The objectives of the programme are to:
i. Provide advanced study of contemporary public policy theory and practice at national and international levels through a range of specialised modules.
ii. Develop students’ research and evaluative skills for understanding general and sectorally-specific public policy matters.
iii. Develop students’ ability to analyse and understand global public policy problems in new ways by developing skills to think critically, rationally and rigorously through a range of diverse and innovative teaching methods.
iv. Encourage students to creatively and systematically apply public policy models and theories to contemporary issues and specialist fields in a local, national and/or international context.
v. Enhance students’ transferable and intellectual skills, employability skills, as well as their continuing personal and professional development so as to enable them to work with self-direction and originality.
Specific Skills
Upon completion of the programme you will be well versed with the methodologies and approaches to international public policy and be able to research independently using the expert language of the subject.
The programme will enhance existing understanding of comparative methods, theoretical models, political and economic decision-making across the globe and public policy trends.
The programme will furthermore provide a firm grounding in the study of the emerging structures of governance beyond the nation-state
It will introduce the learner not only to the specialist literature of the field, but to key debates in contemporary international public policy.
Assessment
Assessment and Feedback are continuous throughout the course of study.
Assessments associated with the course are outlined below:
• Group work
• Seminar Presentations
• Learning Journals and logs
• Literature Reviews
• Portfolios
• Written essays
There will be ongoing online feedback associated with the course.
• Written feedback will be provided on assignments.
• Verbal feedback will be provided in class.
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
This module provides a themed examination of the changing politics of the world economy, through the lens of the sub/inter-discipline, known as International Political Economy. International Political Economy (IPE) has become the accepted academic term for the analysis of the exercise of economic power and the politics of economic policy and capitalist development placed in a global context. This module introduces students to theories and concepts in International Political Economy related to the exercise of power and authority. It then goes to analyze a number of key topics and issues relating to the power and politics of economic organization and management including: the future of United States supremacy; the politics of money and finance; theories of development; the politics and policy of economic development in developing countries; problems of underdevelopment; the politics of global civil society; the global politics of energy policy and climate change; and the political economy of environmental sustainability.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:, understand the main theoretical, ideological and normative interpretations of and claims relating to globalisation; understand the ways in which globalisation is reconfiguring political, cultural and economic processes; pursue intellectual questions in a rigorous and academic manner, employing analytical skills and critical thinking; communicate ideas to others in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in written form.
Skills
Students will develop key intellectual skills such as critical analysis, creative thinking, problem solving; communication, e.g., oral, listening and written, working with others, improvement of learning and performance, managing information They will also cultivate employability skills such as research and communication skills, independent learning (organising and prioritising ideas), critical/independent thinking, co-operative endeavour (e.g. tutorial based teamwork). Subject specific skills include: listening/analytical/literacy/presentation skills; comparative methods, textual analysis, developing cogent arguments, ability to participate in a tolerant and supportive learning environment
This module aims to introduce key approaches to research design, while also introducing some of the contemporary debates in research in the social sciences and humanities. It will also provide students with an introduction to some of the key practical research skills they will find of use when designing and conducting their academic research. These skills are also those which students will find necessary as they continue their academic and research career.
Students will have a high degree of choice across workshops, enabling them to tailor the module content to their pathway of student and personal research goals. The workshops will address five key areas: Fundamentals of Research; Debates; Philosophy of Science/Epistemology; Qualitative Methods; and Quantitative Methods.
The broad aims of the module are to:
• Introduce students to the diversity of research approaches and debates;
• Heighten awareness of methodological issues facing researchers in the social sciences and humanities;
• Develop an awareness of interdisciplinarity and its potentials and challenges in research;
• Encourage students to develop their research skills through the selective use of this reading guide and their own search for appropriate literature on research design topics that are of interest to them.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will have:
• obtained a clear understanding of some central issues and methodological debates that are basic to social science and humanities research;
• been introduced to interdisciplinarity in research, and developed an understanding of how it relates to their own work;
• communicated this understanding in an analytically rigorous manner through assessed written work;
• demonstrated the kind of methodological awareness that will allow them to pursue their own research or coursework in an analytically rigorous and self-critical manner.
• been equipped with the intellectual capacity to defend a particular approach to their own research;
• started to make preparations for a research dissertation.
Skills
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways
This module introduces students to the study of international public policy adopting a multi-level approach. Students will begin by looking at contemporary public policy making theories and models at national level, before turning to the international level and the interplay between these levels.
The Module will adopt a strong comparative dimension, and involve the use of official statistics and international league tables with a view to better understanding the bases of decision-making at international and national levels.
Module Contents
Week 1: Introduction
Section 1 – Theories and Models
Week 2: Theoretical approaches to the policy process
Week 3: Policy policy-making at international and national levels: Concepts and models
Section 2 – Comparative public policy
Week 4: Understanding public administration systems and cultures
Week 5: Examining key public policy sectors in national and international contexts
Week 6: Public policy reform
Week 7: Reading week and blog development
Section 3: Evidence-based policy-making
Week 8: Using official statistics for policy-making
Week 9: The role of international organisations, networks and NGOs in national policy-making
Section 4: Technology and Public Policy
Week 10: Public policy in a digital age
Week 11: Algorithms, data and public governance
Week 12: Class presentations and discussion
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the Module, students will have:
Developed an understanding of the various theories and models concerning how we can understand the process of public policy-making at the national and international levels, including key concepts, ideas and people
An advanced knowledge of public policy systems and processes and an ability to compare and contrast them globally
Understanding of the motivations, means and mechanisms and public policy reform
Cognisance of and experience with of engaging with official statistics from national statistics agencies, and understand the interplay between international and national levels in respect of evidence-informed policy-making
Awareness of the rapid changes to policy-making arising from digitisation generally, as well as the use of big data and algorithms in government and the challenges there present to traditional systems
Skills
Intellectual skills
Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT
Organizational skills
Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear argument; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
This module will examine the role of diplomacy and influence in shaping international affairs. Students will be introduced to theories of persuasion and diplomacy and examine a range of case studies highlighting the role of communication in diplomacy. Students will be introduced to the dynamics of persuasion in international affairs, both in terms of coercion and attraction. Sessions will also cover the role of social media in diplomacy, the impact of Artificial Intelligence and the role of the visual in diplomacy. Tutorial Sessions will cover a range of shifting topics reflecting developments in diplomacy, including the following:
1. Introduction to the course – what is diplomacy?
2. Theories and Concepts of diplomacy and its evolution
3. Understanding persuasion and influence in international affairs
4. Public diplomacy, foreign policy and political communication
5. Soft power and nation branding – useful concepts?
6. Case Study 1: The public diplomacy of the JCPOA
7. Case Study 2: The War in Ukraine
8. Case Study 3: Israel and Hamas
9. Artificial Intelligence as a threat to diplomacy
10. Summing up: the future of diplomacy
Learning Outcomes
1. Students will aware of the major theories of diplomacy and ways to study influence in international relations.
2. Students will understand how the practice of diplomacy has evolved over time and how this has impacted international affairs
3. Students will develop tools to analyse diplomatic initiatives and policy development
4. Students will understand how the rapid development of the internet has affected diplomacy
5. Students will be introduced to narrative analysis and its role in diplomacy
Skills
Intellectual skills
• Managing, Understanding & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage and use such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments in the context of theoretically informed knowledge
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT to source data and produce coherent information
• Data management: ability to source timely and relevant information from international organisations and databases
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear argument; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways
This module encourages students to examine the centrality of gender and sexuality in shaping political dynamics at the local, national and global level. It approaches the topic drawing upon feminist political thought; strategies for political mobilization and change; and feminist analyses of contemporary global politics. The module outlines the contribution of feminist scholarship in challenging understandings of politics and international relations as gender-neutral and draws attention to the, often neglected, experiences, agency and political claims of women and other minoritised groups. We will consider key contemporary issues such as transnational feminism, queer politics and social justice; feminism and global governance; reproductive justice; nationalism, populism and anti-gender politics; international security; borders and migration; feminism and the politics of crisis, feminist and queer visions for life. Students will have the opportunity to discuss theoretical perspectives and empirical examples as entry points to the gendered complexities of global politics.
AIMS:
This module is designed to provide you with the conceptual tools and study skills for developing your own critical appraisal of gender politics in an intersectional and transnational perspective. At the end of this module, you will have enhanced your skills to critically interrogate different dimensions of the political through the application of feminist intersectional lenses. Crucially, I also hope that you will feel empowered to apply this mode of thinking to analyse intersections between gender and other inequalities and to reflect on your own position in learning, knowledge production and politics.
Learning Outcomes
OOn successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
analyse and explain the causes of gender inequalities in the public/private realm;
understand how gender interacts with race, class, sexuality and nationality to produce divisions of power and resources, as well as processes of violence and exclusion.
discuss and assess different feminist perspectives.
apply feminist theories to analyse key issues in global politics and current political problems.
think critically about narratives and practices of politics and international relations.
independently develop a small research project of their choice.
Skills
Communicate ideas to others in a clear and concise manner, in oral and written form.\nPursue intellectual questions in a rigorous and academic manner, employing analytical skills and critical thinking.\nDiscuss issues that challenge dominant perspectives in an informed manner.\nEngage in small group activity.
Policy analysis and evaluation: From theory to practice
Overview
How do we choose between policy alternatives? How effective are the solutions implemented in a country in response to new policy problems? What are the methods and tools one can best apply to evaluate policies? What factors should be accounted for when evaluating the effects of policy changes? These are the big questions this Module seeks to answer. In times of growing mistrust in experts, evidence and institutions, understanding what policy solutions are effective and appropriate to address policy challenges could help build better systems and processes of government to improve citizen’s lives.
In this Module, students will have an opportunity to bring theory and practice together. By drawing on the key approaches to policy analysis the course will strengthen students’ understanding of processes and challenges associated with each stage of the policy-making process. By emphasizing the critical role of evaluation, the Module will allow student to learn about the tools and skills necessary to effectively evaluate policy changes using empirical cases. Taken together, the constitutive parts of the Module will provide students with the skills necessary to identify, analyze and assess policy measures and their suitability and effectiveness in addressing emerging challenges.
Specifically, the topics that may be covered in this Module include ( but not limited to):
- Policy analysis: What is it and why we need it?
- Analyzing polices: Approaches and their limitations
- Approaches to policy evaluation: Experimental approaches, Responsive and Realist evaluation
- Evaluation Quality: Understanding criteria & indicators
- Explaining policy change
Learning Outcomes
- Strengthen understanding of the policymaking stages
- Acquire practical skills in identifying policy goals, targets, instruments, outcomes and outputs.
- Develop a thorough understanding of methodological approaches applicable to policy evaluation and analysis.
- Foster a better awareness of the role contextual factors have influencing policymaking and evaluation.
- Engage with the empirical evidence and facilitate students’ ability to use it appropriately and systematically in policy evaluation and analysis.
Skills
The students will learn how to
o Critically assess theoretical arguments relevant to policy analysis and evaluation.
o Recognize and explain strengths and shortcomings of the extant approaches to policy analysis and evaluation
o Evaluate the effectiveness of policy solutions
o Identify and compare policy measures and their effectiveness/appropriateness
o Produce a well-justified assessment of policy measures and their prospective reforms
The focus of this module will be the exploration of key facets of policing and crime prevention. The module is taught in two interrelated parts: The first part deals with the front-end of the criminal justice system as represented by the state police and focuses on a number of key debates in policing studies such as the historical role of the police, issues around democratic accountability, the ‘doing of policing’ involving questions of race, sexuality, gender and age, as well as the impact of austerity, the burgeoning of the private security sector and the commodification of security more generally. The main emphasis is on state policing in the UK although many of the issues and debates have a resonance in other jurisdictions and contexts. The second part of the module focuses no less importantly on the back-end of the criminal justice system, namely the ways that crime prevention policy and practice has been operationalised in political discourse over the past three decades. This has shifted from viewing crime as something that requires a social response (employment, education and opportunities) to something that is deemed to be entirely voluntaristic, requiring a punitive, carceral response. The module demonstrates that policing and crime prevention are political activities that need to be framed within the broad ambit of social justice.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the learning process each student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate an advanced knowledge and understanding of the key facets of state policing and crime prevention policy and practice.
2. To demonstrate how historical accounts of crime and policing can help illuminate contemporary practice.
September 2016
3. Demonstrate an advanced knowledge and understanding of legal, socio-legal and criminological approaches to exploring the relationships between policing, crime and crime prevention.
4. Demonstrate a critical understanding of how crime and responses to it are the subject of considerable debate within contemporary society.
5. Use evaluative skills to make an overall assessment of the efficacy and effectiveness of crime control strategies in contemporary society and to identify areas of best practice, both nationally and internationally.
6. Analyse the effectiveness of state policing and crime prevention strategies in controlling, reducing or managing crime in contemporary society.
7. Situate debates about policing and crime prevention within a broader political canvas and to view each as an expressly political activity.
Skills
At the end of the module each student will be able to:
1. Engage in critical analysis and evaluation of the inter-relationship between policing and crime prevention and to situate these debates within the broader intellectual contours of criminology more generally.
2. Apply legal, socio-legal and criminological perspectives to studying policing, crime prevention and community safety.
3. Synthesise relevant and directed readings with independent research, and present findings both orally and in written format.
4. Engage in independent study and research and to develop skills around self-directed learning and to exercise initiative in the learning process.
5. Be in a position to assimilate a range of policy and statistical information regarding policing, crime and crime prevention and to draw conclusions and make assessments on this.
6. Be in a position to develop effective oral communication skills during class and group presentations.
This module explores the relationship between citizens and political decision-making in contemporary democracies. Around the world, conventional democratic processes and institutions have come under strain. Decreasing levels of voter turnout, low levels of trust in politicians and political institutions, and declining membership of traditional organisations such as political parties are just some expressions of a growing gap between citizens and decision-makers. This module will critically examine the changing nature of citizen engagement with democratic decision-making before considering ways of supplementing (or even replacing) conventional processes and institutions with greater opportunities for citizen participation. We will consider two broad, inter-related themes. First, the module will consider contemporary challenges facing democratic political systems, engaging with both democratic theory and relevant empirical literature. Second, using examples from around the world, it will then introduce students to a range of democratic innovations designed to supplement representative forms of decision-making, such as participatory budgeting and deliberative mini-publics. Students will engage in debates about different practical forms of participatory and deliberative processes as well as learn about how these processes are designed and implemented. The objectives are to enable students to engage critically in discussions about citizen participation in modern democracies and to develop their communication skills. Throughout the module there will be an emphasis on connecting academic research with democratic practice: where possible students will hear directly from practitioners and will have the opportunity to attend and observe real-world cases of democratic innovation.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module students:
- Will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of contemporary challenges facing democratic political systems, particularly regarding the role and attitudes of citizens;
- Will understand theoretical and empirical debates surrounding both established forms of citizen participation and democratic innovations;
- Will be able to draw on relevant criteria and evidence to critically evaluate democratic innovations and their design features;
- Will be able to communicate key findings from academic research in this field for the benefit of a non-academic audience.
Skills
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge; manage such information in an independent manner;
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments;
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field.
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing;
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning;
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment;
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development;
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance .
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT.
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines;
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information;
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear argument; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way;
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways.
The module explores the structure and institutions of the European Union (EU) as well as selected theoretical approaches to the study of European integration. It examines in detail the nature and roles of the EU’s main institutions (i.e. Commission, European Parliament, Council, European Council, European Central Bank, and Court of Justice), and provides a critical assessment of selected EU policies and political challenges facing the EU. In doing so the module explores the decision- and policy-making dynamics within the EU as well as some of the most pressing themes in European governance.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will:
• have a detailed knowledge of the institutional structure of the European Union
• have an appreciation of the explanatory value of selected theoretical approaches to the study of European integration and EU decision- and policy-making
• be able to critically assess the essential characteristics of the EU’s institutional framework
• have a familiarity with the EU policy base and policy priorities
• be able to identify specific, timely and pressing contemporary issues of relevance to the politics of the European Union
• have detailed knowledge of a selection of salient policy areas
• be able to pursue intellectual questions in a rigorous and academic manner, employing analytical skills and critical/independent thinking
Skills
Intellectual skills
• Managing and Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical and Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
This module explores and analyses the political development of the Irish Free State/Republic of Ireland in historical context. It combines an historical and thematic approach to provide students with an understanding of the politics of the Irish Free State, later the Republic. It introduces students to key debates on the Irish Revolution and its background, on Irish historical revisionism, on the foundations of statehood, and the institutions and political culture of the new state. Particular themes include partition , the pursuit of stability and order, negotiations of identity, problems of modernisation, Ireland’s shifting place in European and world politics, changing attitudes towards partition and ‘the Troubles’, the impact of social change on self-representation in a post-Tiger context.
Learning Outcomes
To enrich understanding of key debates and themes in modern Irish politics.
Skills
To enrich understanding of key debates and themes in modern Irish politics.
This course brings together students interested in the interaction between non-state actors, such as organised interests, and policymakers.
Lobbying is a highly professionalised activity that is important for policymakers. Scholars do not fail to stress the importance of the information lobbyists supply in political process. Without it, many modern-day democracies could not fully function. This does, however, not mean that corruption is absent in lobbying. Even when the profession of lobbyist is carried in an ethical way, scholarly work showed that business often wins. In a democracy in which corporate lobbying has a strong influence on public policy, special interests tend to prevail over diffuse ones, with obvious negative consequences on inequality and participatory democracy. This course seeks to explain the role of interest groups in political systems, across interest group type and mobilization strategy.
The course is structured around a set of seminars – these seminars focus on interactive discussion of the assigned materials and media coverage of contemporary news events while blending with some lecture materials. Given the seminar format, students are expected to keep up-to-date with the readings and topical issues in the arena. The reading list includes required material to be discussed during the weekly seminars and provides additional recommended materials that may be of particular use for the larger written assignments. Students are nevertheless expected to go beyond the list of required and recommended readings for their main written assignment (see below). This will prove the students’ ability to access sources independently from what dictated by the course contents. There is one core reading each week (typically articles published in academic journals, book chapters, newspaper articles). These are selected in a way to encourage a diverse, lively discussion. The required and recommended readings may provide accessible examples for you to draw on in class, in your discussion points or in the completion of your continuous assignments. The seminars are ‘participatory’, in the sense that the opinion of students is sought directly and consistently. Attendance at the seminars is compulsory as it links to credit for the Participation/Discussion Points set out below. The final part of the module sets up a simulation game around the creation of a global framework to make lobbying more responsible and sustainable.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module:
- Students will be able to assess and understand the role of non-state actors in political processes and various policy fields.
- Students will be able to apply diverse frameworks to understand key cases and patterns in Europeanization and globalization, and, more specifically,
- Studies into practices of interest representation, related to basic differences between types of
- Actors such as business interest associations, firms, social movement organizations, bureaucratic actors.
Skills
This module will assist in developing students’ skills in a number of important areas. These include:
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritising Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT
Organisational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear argument; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways
This module offers students the opportunity to address core issues in Politics via the comparative study of federations and regionalised and devolved states. Across Europe and beyond, territorial reforms have transformed the shape, governance, and politics of the traditional nation-states that dominated the post-war era. These changes have often, though not always, been the result of increasing demands for territorial autonomy and increases in regional identity among voters.
Comparative Territorial Politics explores this territorial challenge across a range of topics, including multi-level governance, nationalism and constitutional politics, political parties and elections across levels, territorial finance, and multi-level policy challenges.
Learning Outcomes
1. Understand the meaning of different forms of territorial governance, especially devolution, federalism, multi-level governance, as well as of concepts such as regionalism and nationalism.
2. Critically assess theoretical perspectives and empirical analyses on the development of regionalism and multi-level government in a comparative perspective.
3. Place Northern Ireland devolution in a comparative perspective by drawing comparisons with devolution across the UK and with other forms of territorial government in other multi-level and multi-national states.
4. Understand the multi-level dynamics that shape politics and policy in at the sub-state level
5. Effectively apply the comparative method
6. Develop research and analytical skills that facilitate independent learning
Skills
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways
This module examines the problem of social injustice in contemporary, plural societies. The first half of the module explores some of the main philosophical assessments of social injustice. Students will first be introduced to key critiques of liberal theory as a response to the structural disadvantages associated with difference (including race, gender, sexual-orientation, religion, and class, among others). Here, liberal policy approaches to difference (including toleration, uniform treatment, and non-discrimination), will be critiqued alongside liberal modes of justification for their failure to deal appropriately with the disadvantages suffered by affected groups.
The second half of the module discusses the practical implications of both social injustice and its potential solutions. Precise topics vary year-on-year, but may include discussion of some of the following questions: Is unfettered freedom of speech a necessary feature of or a hindrance in the fight for social equality? What role does historical injustice play in the ongoing oppression of marginalised groups? Is the recognition of difference the appropriate response to cultural domination? How has social media changed the shape of social justice movements? Is civil disobedience a legitimate response to injustice, and must it always be ‘civil’ in nature?
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module students:
• Should demonstrate a critical understanding of key debates about social injustice.
• Should be able to explain some of the central critiques of liberal theory as a way of dealing with structural oppression.
• Should be familiar with debates surrounding the role of historical injustice as it pertains to ongoing marginalisation.
• Should have a critical understanding of the changing nature of social justice movements.
Skills
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner.
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments.
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field.
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing.
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning.
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment.
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development.
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance.
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines.
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information.
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way.
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways.
The module will examine the key theoretical approaches and practical issues and debates that have defined the evolution of Security Studies. They will engage the changing definitions of security and approaches to understanding security. It will address both ‘domestic’ and ‘international’ security and the ways in which these are increasingly connected in both theory and practice. Moreover, it will introduce students to the inter-disciplinary nature of engagements with security (from politics to geography to technology). It will engage theorising in application by introducing students both to the major concepts and theoretical assumptions of understandings of security and showing how these play out in debates and practices of security. Students will be introduced to the core concepts and differences between ‘traditional’ rationalist theories of security and the emergence and development of varieties of critical security studies. They will then examine key issues in security that may include: The state, sovereignty and internal securities; uncertainty, the security dilemma and risk; regimes, regions and security communities; non-proliferation and disarmament; theorising war; migration and borders; surveillance and security; cyber-security; environmental security: beyond energy and resource conflict; Poverty, food, and human security; gender and security; and others. Students will therefore engage critically with the intersections of theory and practice; domestic and international; and state and human securities; and be able to understand contemporary transformations of security in relation to power, sovereignty, mobilities, and technology.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module students will:
- Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of different theoretical engagements with security and the diversity of critical approaches.
- Understand how theories of security translate into different political practices of security.
- Be able to apply critical security concepts to contemporary security practices.
- Critically engage in debates on key developments in the politics of security.
- Be able to reflect upon the ethical and political implications developments in security theory and practice.
- Be able to engage in depth with a wide range of security issues in a theoretically informed way.
- Pursue independent, creative and critical thinking through both written work and group discussions.
Skills
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways
The module will evaluate the changing nature of intervention, from unilateral forceful intervention to multi-lateral intervention, to humanitarian intervention, and third party mediation. Focusing on state, intergovernmental and non-governmental actors’ interventions, it will look at various conflict intervention practices in all phases of conflict from conflict prevention to post-conflict peacebuilding.
Learning Outcomes
To acquire an overview, both historical and substantive, of various approaches to analysis of conflicts and of conflict transformation. The content will deal with different theories of conflict origins, conflict process, and conflict transformation, as well as examining the practices of different state and non-state actors after conflicts.
Skills
Emphasis will be placed on the development of analytic skills for identifying different types of conflict and alternative modes of intervention. Special attention will be given to questions of language, moral justification and power.
This module offers students the opportunity to address core issues in Politics via a focus on the UK’s relationship with Europe in a time of flux. It is built around three broad themes: understanding, negotiating and delivering Brexit.
The first part of the module focuses on explaining the UK’s past relationship with Europe, it’s nature as an ‘awkward partner’ in European integration and the outcome of the 2016 Referendum (“understanding Brexit”). It introduces students to theories of Euroscepticism, ideas of British ‘exceptionalism’ and the study of elections, referendums and public opinion.
The second part of the module engages with the on-going Brexit negotiations, in terms of trade, citizens’ rights and borders. It introduces students to the politics of trade and negotiation dynamics. It considers and explain changes to both the UK and EU positions in the negotiations.
The third part of the module focuses on Brexit delivery - the administrative challenges of taking back control and the constitutional challenges of repatriating competences for central and devolved governments. It introduces students to studies of multi-level governance and devolution and theories of implementation, enforcement and good governance.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, the students:
- Should be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of the UK’s relationship with the EU
- Should understand debates about explanations of the EU referendum outcome and challenges for delivering Brexit
- Should be able to understand how different theories and approaches in political science can help make sense of the UK’s changing relationship with Europe
- Should have developed basic blog writing skills and basic policy brief writing skills
Skills
Skills
This module will assist in developing students’ skills in a number of important areas. These include:
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways
The modern era is distinguished by the emergence of divergent interpretations of the nature of freedom, individual, social, and political. This course is devoted to exploring the nature of these different conceptions and the theories of freedom associated with them. Benjamin Constant famously contrasted the liberties of the ancients, i.e. collective political freedoms, with the liberties of the moderns, i.e. individual freedoms. Berlin’s canonical contrast between negative and positive liberty, while partly inspired by Constant, approaches the analysis of freedom in a different way, foregrounding the contrast between ‘freedom from’ and ‘freedom to’. Recent work on freedom, however, challenges these accounts by reviving an older, republican, conception of freedom as freedom from domination. Where libertarian theories typically consider the state to be the primary threat to freedom, the non-domination account understands the state to be a potential bulwark against domination by other social actors. In this way, its concerns overlap with those of the critical theorists who are similarly concerned with obstacles to freedom in social relations more generally, reflected in theories of alienation and disciplinary power. This course will combine analytical and genealogical approaches to the problem understating the complexity of freedom in the modern world. Topics will vary from year to year but may include: liberal and libertarian conceptions of individual freedom, the relation between individual and political freedom, populist and constitutionalist conceptions of collective freedom; freedom as non-domination and the problem of structural domination; dimensions and theories of autonomy: moral, social, and political; alienation and disciplinary power.
Learning Outcomes
1. Students will be familiar with the standard theoretical analyses of the nature of freedom, i.e. negative liberty, autonomy and non-domination. 2. Students will be familiar with the historical development of different currents of thought about freedom in the modern era. 3. Students will be familiar with debates about interpersonal and structural accounts of domination, alienation and oppression. 4. Students will be familiar with debates about the different dimensions of freedom: personal, social, and political and their relations to one another.
Skills
Intellectual skills * Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner. * Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments. * Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field. Professional and career development skills * Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing. * Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning. * Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development. * Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance. Organizational skills * Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines. * Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information. * Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way. * Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways.
This module introduces students to the range of important issues relating to the phenomenon of
global terrorism and responses in terms of the global war on terrorism.
The key debates that students will engage with will include: the emergence of transnational terrorism structures, transnational terrorism case studies, state and transnational state responses to terrorism including international actors such as the UN, NATO and other regional organisations.
The study of these debates will lead to the investigation of particular groups, state actors, themes and responses which will culminate in a student-led simulation exercise.
Overall the module aims to equip students with an understanding of the key discourse and examples as they pertain to contemporary terrorist challenges and responses at a global level.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module students should
- Have acquired a good understanding of the basic concepts underlying the module;
- Have an in depth knowledge of a variety of manifestations of violence and terrorism and;
- Be able to critically discuss different responses to terrorism, situated on a spectrum from domestic to international measures.
Skills
The module provides students with opportunities to develop the following skills:
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: to identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; to manage such information in an independent manner;
• Analytical Thinking: to identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; to construct independent arguments;
• Critical & Independent Thinking: to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing;
• Diversity: to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment;
• Self-Reflexivity: to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development;
• Time Management: to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; to cope with stress; and to achieve a work / life balance.
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: to demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT.
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: to demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines;
• Clear organisation of information: to show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information;
• Organisation and communication: to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; to show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way;
• Enterprising thinking: to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, display originality of thought and argument.
This module provides a critical examination of the policies, theories, politics, and practices that comprise the field of international or ‘Global’ Development. This module is not only concerned with mainstream policies and practices, but also with the processes of resistance that result from the pursuit of ‘Development’ projects across diverse polities and geographical contexts. Interdisciplinary in nature, this module provides a comprehensive overview of the field. It engages with literatures and debates across International Political Economy, Human Geography, Business Management, International Relations, and Development Studies.
Students will examine the colonial origins of the development regime, the pursuit of "development" alongside US power and hegemony in the mid-20th century, the role of "modernisation" discourses and "state-led" forms of development, development as a vehicle towards neoliberal capital accumulation, radical and post-modernist understandings on the means and ends of development, the rise of "new" actors and discourses such as Chinese and Indian "South-South Cooperation", the growing privatization of global development, and the ecological limits to the pursuit of development alongside "post-growth" alternatives.
This module will be particularly of interest for those seeking work in international development, international organisations, or non-governmental sectors.
Learning Outcomes
* Students will possess an advanced understanding of the current state of international development both as a field of practice and area of academic debate and inquiry. * Students will be able to apply and interrogate a range of concepts from across International Political Economy, International Relations and Human Geography.
* Students will understand not only heterodox critiques of mainstream international development practices and discourses, but they will also receive balanced insights into the practical challenges and bottlenecks faced by practitioners in the field.
Skills
This module will assist in developing students’ skills in a number of important areas. These include: Intellectual skills * Managing & Prioritising Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner * Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments * Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field Professional and career development skills * Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing * Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance Technical and practical skills * Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT Organisational skills * Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines * Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information * Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear argument; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way * Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways
This module introduces students to key concepts, theories and debates in youth studies, and to contemporary youth issues. It provides an understanding of the ways in which major social science disciplines have conceptualised and studied young people, alongside some of the contemporary issues that affect their lives. The module explores the framing, conceptualisation and theorisation of youth across time, considering the academic and political interest in young people. In doing so, it will consider the relationship between young people, social change and social policy. The module encourages students to apply critical thinking and theory to contemporary ‘youth issues’, and to critically consider institutional and policy responses. A key focus is the consideration of ways in which division and disadvantage are reproduced, and how social justice issues are responded to at policy, practice and societal levels.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
• Critically assess the representation of ‘youth’ and ‘youth problems’
• Demonstrate an understanding of theories and debates in youth studies
• Apply theory and critical analysis to contemporary ‘youth’ and ‘youth issues’
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of social and institutional processes on young people's lives
• Compile and upload a comment piece
Skills
Students will be engaged in processes allowing them to:
• Understand how theory relates to policy and practice development
• Develop skills in the critical evaluation of youth policy and practice
• Develop research and organisational skills by using library resources and electronic resources
• Develop and enhance skills in critical thinking and analysis
• Develop oral skills through participation in workshops and group work tasks
• Develop skills in digital literacy through blog postings and discussion forum activities
• Develop an ability to write in a clear, structured and critical manner utilising a wide range of source material
The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement put an end to armed conflict in Northern Ireland and set up institutions designed to govern a society and polity divided along unionist and nationalist lines. As the experience of Northern Ireland shows, governing in such a context is not easy. Stability and cross-community agreement can be hard to reach, which has occasionally led to the suspension of Northern Ireland’s institutions. Yet these institutions have endured despite repeated crises and are heralded by some as examples of post-conflict governance.
The module explores contemporary developments in Northern Irish politics and discusses institutional design and politics in a changing Northern Ireland. It addresses topics such as the development of Northern Ireland’s consociational model of government, how institutions like the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive perform their functions, how parties and identity shape politics and voting behaviour, North-South relations after Brexit, and Northern Ireland’s place in Europe.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this module, students
- Should be able to understand how Northern Ireland institutions work and how they compare to other devolved institutions
- Should demonstrate a critical understanding of the debates about consociationalism and the role it plays in the stability of Northern Ireland’s institutions and of its community divisions
- Should understand party competition and voting in Northern Ireland
- Should demonstrate an ability to write well, concisely
Skills
This module will assist in developing students’ skills in a number of important areas. These include:
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways
The Politics and Political Economy of Energy and Low Carbon Energy Transitions
Overview
This module will take as it’s starting the concept of ‘Carbon Literacy’, its definition, measurement and development. Students will study policy making, governance and institutional structures at International, national, regional and local levels through the selection of relevant case studies. They will gain an understanding of the spectrum of carbon literacy and the challenges of identifying knowledge and capacity building needs for stakeholders, policy and decision makers at all levels, from global to local and individual.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module each student should have gained knowledge of:
• The emergence of carbon literacy and its role in the creation of a low carbon society;
• The conceptual and interdisciplinary dimensions of carbon literacy as a communication and policy language and tool;
• The scientific and normative components of carbon literacy in theory and practice;
• The positive and negative dimensions of carbon literacy in relation to communication and policy relevance; and
• The relationship between carbon literacy and existing frameworks for understanding and devising policies for the green economy.
Skills
The module provides students with opportunities to develop the following skills:
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: to identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; to manage such information in an independent manner;
• Analytical Thinking: to identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; to construct independent arguments;
• Critical & Independent Thinking: to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing;
• Diversity: to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment;
• Self-Reflexivity: to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development;
• Time Management: to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; to cope with stress; and to achieve a work / life balance.
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: to demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT.
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: to demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines;
• Clear organisation of information: to show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information;
• Organisation and communication: to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; to show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way;
• Enterprising thinking: to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, display originality of thought and argument.
Normally a 2.2 Honours degree (minimum 53%) or above, or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University or a 2.2 Honours degree (minimum 53%) or above, or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in any subject with relevant professional experience.
Applicants who do not meet these entry requirements may, at the discretion of the relevant programme convenor, be considered for admission on the basis of relevant work experience and/or an assessed piece of work.
Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 15th August 2025. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Application Portal against the programme application page.
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).
International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
The Postgraduate Diploma in International Public Policy will be particularly useful for students wishing to work in public affairs, consultancy, NGOs, public relations, journalism or the public service at national or international levels. Recent graduates have secured work in international NGOs (Peace Corps, Joseph Rowntree Trust); international consultancy firms (PwC, H/Advisors Cicero); public affairs companies (Gryphon, Minerva), the media (Financial Times) and the public service (Home Office, Central Bank of Ireland). http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
The programme attracts a premium fee arising from the associated field trip and the Certificate in Management and Leadership.
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.