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MA International Social Transformation

Compulsory Modules

Contemporary Social Thought gives you an advanced grounding in social and political theory and survey a number of theoretical approaches, including classical sociology, interpretivism, Western Marxism, psychoanalytic social theory, post-structuralism, postmodernism, globalization and cosmopolitanism.

Globalization and International Development examines the nature of globalization from a number of different theoretical perspectives: most obviously those that have developed from political economy and cultural theory. These perspectives will then be used to inform the consideration of a range of areas of social, political and economic life that have (arguably) been significantly altered by the impact of economic and/or cultural 'globalization'.

For example, the module will explore the changing nature of poverty in global society, the impact of globalization on human migration and the potential relationship between globalization and contemporary terrorism. In each case, close attention will be paid to how well theoretical explanations of globalization explain the changes observed.

International Social Transformation Dissertation allows you to tailor your own programme of training and research under the supervision of a relevant academic member of staff from the School.

Elective Modules

In addition to the compulsory modules, you also choose two modules from the following list.

Research Strategy and Design
Qualitative Research Methods
'Race', Identity and Culture in the Black Atlantic
Critical Theory
Liquid Sociology
Evaluation Research
From Conception to the Grave: Health in a Global Context

Full-time students may take either three modules in Semester 1 and one in Semester 2, as well as the dissertation, or two modules in Semester 1 and two in Semester 2, as well as the dissertation.

Part-time students have some flexibility as to when they take their modules, but we do advise candidates to consider the credit load between semesters. One pattern may be to take three modules in the first year, with two in Semester 1 and one in Semester 2. This leaves one module and the dissertation for the second year.

Postgraduate Diploma in International Social Transformation

Available on a 12-month full-time or 24-month part-time basis, the Postgraduate Diploma in Social and Public Policy covers similar ground to the MA, but does not include the dissertation module.

On the basis of a good performance in a full-time student's first semester, or a part-timer's first year, students initially registered for the Diploma may be transferred onto the corresponding MA.