Master in Political Science: Global Politics

The master's program Global Politics aims towards you who are interested in global political issues. You will learn how an increasingly complex world, where the global and the local meet, presents us with new challenges and opportunities. The program provides you with a solid practical base concerning concepts like justice, peace, security, power, culture, and democracy. You will learn how to analyze conflicts, international relations, and human rights claims and violations.

This is a multi-disciplinary program with a core of political science that addresses aspects of international relations, human rights, and peace and conflict studies. The focus lies on the transformation of society, especially concerning the relationship between the state and other actors such as international organizations and companies.

Changes in political control, from reduced central control to a greater degree of network control will also be addressed. You will analyze the growing importance of international norms, such as human rights. The emergence of other conflict patterns than those related to socio-economic resources (such as culture, ideology, and religion) is an important part of the courses.

Why study political science?

We live in interesting times. Our news tells us that the world is changing rapidly – political and economic institutions once seen as permanent appear increasingly fragile and subject to change. Yet, despite various moments of so-called ‘crisis’ in which change might be expected, we see significant levels of continuity concerning the underlying policies and actors governing that world.

Is the US losing power? Are the so-called BRICs taking over? What is the future of democracy? Is conflict increasing? And why does neoliberalism remain so resilient despite the financial crisis and ongoing economic instability? Only through developing expertise and forming new knowledge can we begin to understand these questions to ensure the world is managed optimally.

Political Science at Malmö University

This two-year master's program draws on the one-year master’s in political science, with additional opportunities for an internship, exchange studies, or elective courses. This provides you with the opportunity to deepen your knowledge and gain practical experience, as well as the chance to develop relationships and network with people and organizations working on political and global issues.

The program is thoroughly interdisciplinary and draws on the different strengths from fields within the Department of Global Political Studies, including international relations, peace and conflict studies, human rights, public policy, but also ethnography, and philosophy. To gain a deeper understanding of the changes in political science, we consider four key development areas:

• Global politics: an increasing number of international and intergovernmental organizations impact world politics
• Government and Governance: whilst new information technologies and surveillance legislation mean that the administrative powers of the state have never been stronger, the concept of ‘government’ has become increasingly surpassed by ‘governance’ at the transnational level. Few decisions affecting our lives are made exclusively within the national context
• Existing modes of power are challenged: there has been a significant change in how organizations like NGOs, as well as everyday individuals, challenge existing governance and modes of power. For example, social media has radically changed the transnational political landscape to both enable new forms of protest and contestation, as well as facilitate new political identities
• Global concerns : issues like climate change and terrorism show that increasingly the kind of problems requiring policy solutions far exceed the confines of any nation-state. That is to say, policy problems are increasingly transnational and therefore require transnational solutions

Malmö University strives to be part of society at every level. Whether that is regional, nationally or globally, its focus is making the world a better and fairer place.

We have a mission to be an active hub for research, education and innovation. Our research is often multidisciplinary and pursued in collaboration with partners from outside of the university.

Why choose Malmö University?

Malmö University is...

Collaborative

Offers high-quality education where teachers and students work closely together, and undergraduates are seen as important contributors to the learning process.

Entrepreneurial

Promotes an entrepreneurial and innovative learning environment that influences and is influenced by the education and research at Malmö University.

Multidisciplinary

Boasts multidisciplinary programmes whereby students learn from different faculties, crucially important in an increasingly complex job market.

Diverse

Truly international classrooms where around a third of students have an international background – invaluable for students who are looking for a global career.

Big, but not too big!

The ninth largest higher educational institution in Sweden, with 24,000 students.

Global

Students have the opportunity to study abroad. We have agreements with approximately 250 universities around the world.

Convenient

Copenhagen international airport Kastrup (Denmark) is only 20 minutes away by train, and Copenhagen city 30 minutes away. Network links from here can take you by train throughout Europe and by plane, anywhere in the world!