Syllabus - Master’s Programme in Politics and Sustainable Societies

Outcomes

Upon completion of the programme, students will have advanced, up-to-date knowledge in political science and relevant interdisciplinary research, as well as practical skills and key competencies that will enable them to contribute to creating a socially sustainable future in their professional lives.

The programme aims to educate social science graduates who can identify, analyze, and formulate responses to complex global societal challenges.

The programme shall also prepare students for further studies on a doctoral level.

Knowledge and understanding

For a Master’s degree the student shall:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both broad knowledge of the field and a considerable degree of specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field as well as insight into current research and development work, and
• demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge in the main field of study

Aptitutes and accomplishments

For a Master’s degree the student shall:

· demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyse, assess and formulate responses to complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information,

• demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues critically, autonomously and creatively as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames and so contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work,
• demonstrate the ability to clearly report and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge, and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences, and
• demonstrate the skills required for independent participation in research and development work or in some other qualified capacity

Ability to evaluate and assess

For a Master’s degree the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues and also to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work,
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning

Language of instruction

The language of instruction in the programme is English, which means that all teaching and examination is done in English, and that course literature is in English.

Contents

Political Science: Sustainable societies: Current frontiers in politics, 7.5 credits Global order, power and justice, 7.5 credits Advanced methods in social science, 15 credits Contemporary threats to democracy, 7.5 credits Politics of space and mobility, 7.5 credits AI and society, 7.5 credits Human rights and sustainable development, 7.5 credits The Master's programme in Politics and Sustainable Societies consists of four semesters of full-time study.

The first semester includes an introductory course on sustainable social development and contemporary social challenges, an advanced course on current debates on global order, power and justice, and a comprehensive course in scientific methodology that deepens participants' knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methods. During the second semester, four substantial courses are offered on contemporary threats to democracy, the interplay between politics, space and mobility, artificial intelligence and its impact on society, and human rights and sustainable development.

During the third semester, students can choose between completing an internship, or elective courses (at MDU or other universities), including two project-based research-oriented courses. These project-based courses are a course in literature review, where participants produce a systematic research review and critical analysis of the research field on a topic of their choice, and a course in research design, where students develop a study design on a topic of their choice.

Year 1

Political Science:
Sustainable societies: Current frontiers in politics, 7.5 credits
Global order, power and justice, 7.5 credits
Advanced methods in social science, 15 credits
Contemporary threats to democracy, 7.5 credits
Politics of space and mobility, 7.5 credits
AI and society, 7.5 credits
Human rights and sustainable development, 7.5 credits

Year 2

Political Science:
Elective courses (at Swedish and/or foreign universities), 30 credits
Internship, 30 credits
Research review, 15 credits
Study design, 15 credits
Master Thesis in Political Science, 30 credits

Minor changes in the course list may occur due to continuous quality work.

Choices within the programme

The third term of the program consists of elective courses. Students are guaranteed admission to courses adding up to 30 credits (Study Design, 15 credits, and Research Review, 15 credits). During the third term, students may also opt for elective courses at Swedish or foreign universities. Students are also given the opportunity to undertake an internship in Sweden or abroad.

University degree

The courses in the programme lead towards fulfilment of the requirements for the following degrees:

• Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) in Political Science
• Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) in Political Science

If the student chooses not to complete a course specified in the programme, that can affect the possibility of fulfilling the degree requirements. For more information about degrees and degree requirements, consult the local degree regulations, which are published (in Swedish only) on the University website.