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The MSc Politics and Social Justice programme will develop your knowledge, understanding and critical engagement with key issues, trends, processes and developments in international politics as it intersects with social justice. It is delivered by an international team of leading academics in the field.
This master’s degree develops a critical understanding of the changing nature of international politics within the context of globalisation and inequalities including linkages between different levels of governance (from local to global) and the growth of non-state actors operating at a global level.
The MSc Politics and Social Justice degree has been designed to be flexible and allows for part-time and full-time study, while also blending on-campus, and online delivery techniques.
The MSc comprises five core and one optional taught, 20-credit modules followed by a 60-credit research dissertation.
If you chose to exit the course before undertaking the research dissertation, you can exit with the award of Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip).
You will be required to design and undertake an extended piece of written research focused around a specific research question via the MSc Dissertation.
For the Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) stage, you will study the following modules:
To complete the PgDip stage, you will select one 20-credit module as an option. The selection of the optional taught 20-credit module is based both on your interests and on their availability (which can change from year-to-year).
Successful completion of the PgDip allows you to proceed to the master's module:
The statistical breakdown details below describe the core modules:
LEARNING AND TEACHING
Learning is within an international context and research underpins all modules across the course. You have the opportunity to work with academics and external partners on research projects.
ASSESSMENT
Your skills development and employability are embedded throughout assessments. Academics who teach on the course draw on their research networks for the benefit of your experience through the use of guest speakers from external bodies.
We welcome Scottish, UK and international students and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
Don’t worry if your qualifications are not listed here, we take a range of factors into account when assessing your application and are happy to consider other alternative combinations of qualifications and experience
If you are applying with an EU or non-EU qualification, please check our Postgraduate Entry Requirements page which gives more information about country-specific entry requirements.
You should normally hold a relevant Honours degree at 2:2 or above in any of the subjects below:
You will also be considered if you have a degree in another discipline or other professional training or experience relevant to course specialisms. In order to demonstrate your academic ability you will be required to complete written work and may be invited to attend an interview prior to acceptance.
If you are an overseas student then you must also meet UWS English language requirements (see below).
For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The qualifications below must have been gained within two years of the start of your course.
General English language requirements at UWS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)
Exceptions to this level of IELTS scoring exist for some accredited or professionally-recognised courses (see section below for more details).
SOCIAL WORK DEGREES
For our BA (Hons) Social Work and MSc Social Work programmes, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
All stated English tests are acceptable for admission for both home/EU and international students for this programme:
For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf) applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to, or require professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council, applicants are required to have an IELTS or Occupational English Test (OET)*.
For such courses, the IELTS score is as follows:
* Note that the Occupational English Test (OET) will now be accepted in addition to IELTS as proof of a Nurse's English Language Competence (Nursing & Midwifery Council, 2019).
For our BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and MSc Advanced Biomedical Science programmes, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
TOEFL IBT*: 78; no sub-test less than:
* Please note that TOEFL is still acceptable for admission to this programme for both home/EU and international students.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use TOEFL to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level courses. We therefore still accept TOEFL tests taken in the last two years for admission to this programme.
West African Senior School Certificate of Education (WASSCE) including acceptance of WAEC Scratchcard*
*UWS will accept a WAEC scratchcard confirming that an applicant has achieved C6 or above as evidence of meeting English language requirement from Nigeria if the student graduated within the last 5 years. After 5 years applicants would be required to provide the WAEC Certificate.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum English language requirements have the option to study one of our preparatory and pre-sessional English courses. The UWS courses available are:
The MSc Politics and Social Justice equips you for employment in a number of sectors, particularly (but not exclusively) within the public sector and the civil service, international organisations and advocacy.
The MSc Politics and Social Justice also provides the academic foundation for you to base further, doctoral studies on after completing the master’s degree.
£7,500 Total cost of tuition
£11,750 Total cost of tuition
£11,750 Total cost of tuition
£15,500 Total cost of tuition
£1,070 per module (20 credits)
£1,680 per module (20 credits)
£1,680 per module (20 credits)
£2,210 per module (20 credits)
£7,500 Total cost of tuition
£11,750 Total cost of tuition
£11,750 Total cost of tuition
£15,500 Total cost of tuition
£1,070 per module (20 credits)
£1,680 per module (20 credits)
£1,680 per module (20 credits)
£2,210 per module (20 credits)
Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) postgraduate tuition fee and living cost loans may be available for eligible (Scottish/EU) students. Check SAAS website for more information.
All students should apply directly to the University through our online application system. Before you apply, you should check that you meet our entry requirements and you should have all your supporting documents ready.
The first stage of the process is to complete the initial application form. You will then receive a follow-up email with further instructions relating to your application including documents that you will need to forward to support your application, e.g. degree transcripts and certificates etc.
Most courses don't have a formal closing date, but they will close when they are full; apply early to avoid disappointment. There may also be funding deadlines that apply to you.
The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applies to all international students and researchers (apart from exempt nationalities) who are subject to UK immigration control and are intending to study or research at postgraduate level in certain sensitive subjects.
Students and researchers who are nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the United States of America do not need an ATAS certificate.
An ATAS certificate may be required for certain taught postgraduate master's degrees for international students at UWS.
For the latest information on ATAS and details of eligibility and how to apply for a certificate check the UK Government's dedicated ATAS web pages.
Do you have a question about applying for this course? Get in touch. We are here to help!
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