MA Social and Political Thought
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.
Critical Theory introduces students to issues resurfacing in contemporary Western social and political thought. After a brief reminder of the influential theories and works of Karl Marx, the module investigates the critically radical theories of contemporary society promulgated by the so-called Frankfurt School (Horkheimer, Adorno, Benjamin, Fromm, Marcuse and Habermas).
Later, these critical theories are developed via the works of Benhabib, Butler and Fraser in order to provide an evaluative platform upon which critical theory can be situated and judged in terms of its relevance to social relations in the 21st Century.
Social and Political Thought 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
- Globalization and International Social Change
- 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 Social and Political Thought
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.
Key Information
Start Date: 24 September
Duration:
12 months full-time
24 months part-time
Entry requirements:
a good honours degree in a social science discipline.
Scholarships
Funding information
Admissions Contact
School of Sociology and Social Policy
Tel: +44 (0) 113 343 8056