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The MA in Participation, Politics and Collective Action is an innovative and interdisciplinary programme that combines theoretical rigour with participatory and action-oriented learning. The MA involves the study of participation at the local, regional and global levels with a particular focus upon Europe and Latin America.
This MA is the first of its kind, and links theoretical innovations in democratic theory from deliberative democracy to participatory governance, with methodological and pedagogical innovation in participatory practices.
Having completed the MA, students will have acquired the following subject-specific knowledge and understanding:
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As a student of Peace Studies you will be required to take the module Introduction to Peace Studies in order to provide you with a solid grounding in key themes and issues relevant to the study of peace.
Students on the MA in Participation and Politics are also required to undertake the following two core taught modules:
Participation and Politics
This module engages critically with the theories and values that underpin democratic participation and participatory political processes, in the contexts of governance, civil society and social movements.
Collective Action for Social Change
This module examines methods and practices of collective action in both the global north and south, enabling you to compare and contrast different approaches. It also examines a range of methodological tools for critically engaging with and researching participation.
You then have the opportunity to define your own engagement with the discipline by choosing from the full range of modules offered by the Department. It is therefore up to you to decide what specific dimensions of peace you wish to focus on, with possible options ranging from modules on: the environment, human rights, Islam, Christianity and politics, African politics, nationalism, international political economy, international politics and security studies, conflict resolution, East Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
To complete the MA degree, you will undertake a dissertation project in a topic of your choice, which must relate to the subject of Peace Studies.
The MA courses extend over a period of three semesters (full time) or five semesters (part time). You must complete course units amounting to 180 credits at Level M, which includes a dissertation worth 60 credits and taught courses amounting to 120 credits. Full Time students must take taught course units amounting to 60 credits in each semester.
The Postgraduate Diploma course extends over a period of two semesters (full time) or four semesters (part time). Students must study units amounting to 120 credits at Level M. Full time students must take taught units amounting to 60 credits in each semester.
Students may take the MA or Postgraduate Diploma on a part-time basis over a period of up to 5 years. For example part time students taking the MA or Postgraduate Diploma over 2 years would take 60 Credits in their first year, and a further 60 taught credits in their second year.
MA students begin preparing for the dissertation in the second half of their degree course. The dissertation is a 15,000 word piece of independent research on a topic of your choice – although the topic must be related to your field of study.
Having completed the MA, students will have acquired the following subject-specific knowledge and understanding:
The MA Participation and Politics aims to:
A variety of teaching strategies are employed, including lectures, tutorials, seminars and group work. In the case of the latter, where group work is formally assessed you either receive an individual rather than a group mark for your work to ensure that your own work on the group project is recognised and/or you are required to provide a diary of group meetings which inform the overall assessment of a group project. It should also be noted that formally assessed group work always constitutes a relatively small percentage of the final mark for any course in which it is used.
The form of assessment for course units varies according to the specific pedagogical requirements of the unit. However, a range of assessment methodologies are employed across the course units including: essays, exams (both closed and open papers) reflexive journals and formally assessed group presentations. All pieces of assessment are numerically marked. A dissertation of 14-15,000 words must be submitted by a date to be determined by the Department each year and clearly specified in the MA handbook.
To meet the Department's criteria for admission to one of the MA programmes you should have
The Department accepts applications for entry onto the MA programme throughout the year.
The Department does not have a formal closing date for application. However, for overseas students we RECOMMEND that you apply by the end of June as the visa application process can be quite lengthy.
Postgraduate Admissions, Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, BD7 1DP
peace-ma-admissions@bradford.ac.ukThe following resource will be provided for students
The Department of Peace Studies has two research libraries , the Adam Curle library dedicated to conflict resolution and peacekeeping and the Albert Greenwood library on international security issues. In addition, the University of Bradford is also host to the unique Commonweal Collection, run by an independent trust, which houses almost 10,000 volumes on various aspects of non-violent social change, including one of the largest collections of Gandhian material in the UK.
To support lectures and semianrs, handouts and audio-visual aids may be employed where appropriate. A virtual learning environment called "Blackboard" will also be used to support 'tandem' learning (posting of lecture notes, presentations, audio recordings of core lectures, readings and other relevant materials; email discussion groups, notice boards and announcements) and as a portal to the wealth of information and organisations which focus on peace and conflict issues. There is also a schedule of Departmental seminars and guest speakers.
The JB Priestley Library on the city campus and our specialist libraries in the School of Health and the School of Management provide a wide range of printed and electronic resources to support your studies. We offer quiet study space if you want to work on your own, and group study areas for the times when you need to discuss work with fellow students. Subject librarians for each School provide training sessions and individual guidance in finding the information you need for your assignment, and will help you organise your references properly.
Student PC clusters can be found in all our libraries and elsewhere on the campus. Many of these are open 24/7 . You can also use the University's wireless network to access the internet from your own laptop. Most of our online journals are available on the internet (both on and off campus), and you can also access your University email account, personal information and course-related materials this way.
Staff are on hand during the daytime to help you if you get stuck, and there is a 24/7 IT helpline available.
Students are expected to provide the following
Not applicableOn arrival at the Department students are provided with a number of induction events such as a library tour and a general introduction to the Department.
You will also be allocated a personal tutor who will meet with you on a regular basis to begin with and s/he will act as a point of contact throughout your course. The role of the personal tutor is to provide both pastoral and academic support.
Students are also provided with a number of lectures on essay writing and referencing conventions to help them prepare for the first assessment.
Each module typically includes a minimum of 2 hours per week of formally timetabled lecture/seminars or other group work. Some courses such as the Sri Lanka Study Visit or the Africa Study Visit involved trips abroad and periods of quite intensive study during these trips.
As part of the Dissertation , you will also have formally timetabled preparatory lectures, and on-to-one supervision with an allocated supervisor. The role of your supervisor is to provide you with guidance on issues such as reading, methodology, structure etc as well as to provide feedback on any draft chapters you may produce.
The Department also provides a range of opportunities for students to undertake non-assessed, extra-curricular activities that can add to the quality of your learning experience. This includes events such as the annual Departmental debate, Peace Jam and the Ferguson seminar series as well as a trip to Northern Ireland in the first semester.
Each 20 credit module has 200 study hours, of which there will usually be at least one lecture hour and one seminar hour a week for 11 weeks with the remainder consisting of directed study time.
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For more information about this course, please contact our Postgraduate Administrator:
By post: Postgraduate Admissions, Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
By email : peace-ma-admissions@bradford.ac.uk
By phone : +44 (0)1274 234171
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