Master’s in Digital Politics and Governance
Master’s in Digital Politics and Governance
Understanding the Politics of the Digital
Digitalisation is a critical issue in today’s global and European politics. The fast spread of the internet to 63% of global population today and the increased use of digital tools for politics and policy-making bring about new opportunities and challenges. While it was hoped that the internet and digital tools would reduce barriers leading to more collective, democratic and borderless collaboration inducing positive social and political change, more recently the internet became to be seen to more likely reinforce existing barriers and even as rising threat to individuals, society, (democratic) governments. Thus, this master brings together students from different backgrounds to study various political, legal and social problems of the today’s digitalisation processes and explore new solutions to address them.
Overview
The master’s programme Digital Politics and Governance examines the ways in which digitalisation affects states, politics, government, diplomacy and society. It explore how public authorities (regional bodies, nation states, European institutions, UN agencies) and private actors (individuals, organisations, transnational businesses, NGOs, etc.) shape the digital transformation of politics. The Master discusses opportunities and challenges as well as the negative and positive externalities of such digital transformations for states, societies, organisations and individuals.
Because these questions require political, legal and technical knowledge, the master’s programme in Digital Politics and Governance is organised in close collaboration with practitioners and expert from related disciplines such as law and computer science. It includes a partnership with FLD Lille Paris Campus, the Law department of Lille Catholic University; numerous interventions from digital technology professionals; and field trips to key European Agencies and digital-related policy events.
Career opportunities
- National regulation bodies: for example, in France, CNIL, ARCEP;
- Big tech companies: for example in their public affairs departments;
- Businesses and private sector: for example as digital strategy advisor;
- Start-ups or think tanks in the digital sector: for example France Digitale;
- Public administration at national and subnational level: ministries, regional and local authorities, but also other public administration agencies recruit experts in digital transformation of public policy;
- International and European organisations: the European Union, the OECD or the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity;
- NGOs, trade unions, interest groups and lobbies operating in the digital and data sector, in citizens’ digital rights or digital inclusion;
- Academic career: students graduating from our MA can also access PhD programmes in order to pursue an academic career.
Giulia SANDRI
Associate Professor of Political Science, Director of ESPOL-LAB Research Center, Co-Head of the master Digital Politics and Governance
Felix-Christopher VON-NOSTITZ
Associate Professor of Political Science, Co-Head of the master Digital Politics and Governance
Course schedule
Semester 1 (M1)
Semester 2 (M1)
Semester 3 (M2)
Semester 4 (M2)
Core courses
| Introduction to Digital Democracy | 24h | 6 ECTS |
| Methods for digital analysis | 24h | 6 ECTS |
| Digital Diplomacy | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Research courses
| Workshop: Academic Writing | 12h | 3 ECTS |
Optional courses (Choose 1)
| Introduction to Political Science* | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Advanced Comparative Politics | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Critical Approaches to International Relations | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Public Policy Analysis | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Career development (Choose 1)
| Digital Politics in practice | 12h | 3 ECTS |
| Agriculture in practice | 12h | 3 ECTS |
| Digital Politics in Practice | 12h | 3 ECTS |
| Lobbying and NGOs in Practice | 12h | 3 ECTS |
Languages
| French (FLE) or English ** | 16h | 2 ECTS |
| Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) | 16h | / |
Core courses
| Digital Political Communication | 24h | 6 ECTS |
| Law and Digital Society | 30h | 6 ECTS |
| E-Government and E-Governance | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Research courses
| Introduction to Research & Epistemology | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Optional courses (Choose 1)
| Global Justice | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Approches socio-économiques de l’agriculture | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| International Migration | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Cybersecurity | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Digital Media and Political Participation | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Digital Policies in a comparative perspective | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Career development
| Studytrip Talinn | 30h | 2 ECTS |
| Career talks | 4h | / |
Languages
| French (FLE) or English ** | 16h | 2 ECTS |
| Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) | 16h | / |
Core courses
| Digital sociology | 24h | 6 ECTS |
| Privacy and data protection law | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Research courses
| Political Science Research Methods | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Work-in-progress document | / | 2 ECTS |
| Statistics and the Political Sociology of Quantification | 18h | 4 ETCS |
Optional courses (Choose 1)
| Digital political marketing | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Smart Cities | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Shared optional course with other MA | 18h | 4 ECTS |
| Advanced research methods | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Career Development
| Professionalization workshops | 4h | / |
| One-day field trip (Brussels) | 8h | / |
Languages
| French (FLE) or English ** | 16h | 2 ECTS |
| Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) | 16h | / |
Core courses
| Contemporary issues in digital politics | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Research courses
| Master’s dissertation | / | 14 ECTS |
Career development
| Internship | 8 ECTS |
Languages
| French (FLE) or English ** | 16h | 2 ECTS |
| Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) | 16h | / |
* Compulsory option for students without a background in political sciences
** French (FLE) compulsory for non-francophone students. English compulsory for francophone students. In case the student is a native FR/EN (to be checked by Clarife), replace with other language of choice.
The course schedules are not contractual and are subject to change at any time by the teaching staff.
