Master’s in International and Security Politics

Master’s in International and Security Politics

The politics of violence and uncertainty

The master’s degree in International and Security Politics focuses on key international security issues generated by armed conflict, terrorism, climate change and transnational migration across the world. At the intersection of defense policy, economics, peacekeeping, and international relations, this training program provides a strong understanding of how public and private actors address these issues and try to solve them, as well as expertise for analyzing contemporary forms of conflicts and hostility, locally as well as globally.

Brochure

Overview

In addition to being an absolute priority for governments across the world, security has colonized our language as much as our everyday lives. Not a day goes by without politicians and media outlets mentioning yet another ‘security issue’. The master’s programme in International and Security Politics asks what this tells us about our contemporary world, and whether our world has really become more dangerous and uncertain than before.
At the intersection of international relations studies, security and defence studies, political theory, sociology and history, this programme provides a deep understanding of how security and international security transform both conceptually and practically in an increasingly interconnected and rapidly changing world. It does so by analysing the role of different actors in shaping and addressing security issues which develop beyond the single framework of action of States. The programme seeks to provide students with the necessary critical skills for understanding and addressing the social-political mechanisms driving security related issues (from transnational armed conflicts and violence to environmental and IT security), and the growing uncertainty attached to them.

Career opportunities

  • Public administration at national and subnational level: ministries, regional and local authorities, but also other public administration agencies recruit experts in public policy.
  • International and European organisations: the European Union, the FAO, the OSCE or the European Environment Agency.
  • NGOs, Think Tanks, trade unions, interest groups and lobbies open recruit experts with backgrounds in political science and international affairs.
  • Businesses are increasingly recruiting people qualified in international affairs.
  • Academic career: students graduating from our MA can also access PhD programmes in order to pursue an academic career.

Sara DEZALAY

Professor of political science, Head of the master International & Security Politics

Course schedule

Semester 1 (M1)

Semester 2 (M1)

Semester 3 (M2)

Semester 4 (M2)

Core courses

Global History 24h 6 ECTS
Armed Conflicts and Peacemaking 24h 6 ECTS
History of conceptions of peace 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
Public Policy Analysis 18h 4 ECTS
Critical Approaches to International Relations 18h 4 ECTS

Career development (Choose 1)

Diplomacy in practice 12h 3 ECTS
Agriculture in practice 12h 3 ECTS
Digital Politics in practice 12h 3 ECTS
Think tanks in EU Governance 12h 3 ECTS
One-day field trip 8h /

Languages

French (FLE) or English ** 16h 2 ECTS
Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) 16h /

Core courses

Public International Law 24h 6 ECTS
Theories of Security and Contemporary Challenges 24h 6 ECTS
Sovereignty and the State in International Relations 24h 6 ECTS

Research courses

Introduction to Research Design 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
European Union Digital Policies in comparative perspective 18h 4 ECTS
Cybersecurity 18h 4 ECTS

Career development

Studytrip Geneva 30h 2 ECTS
Career talks 4h /

Languages

French (FLE) or English ** 16h 2 ECTS
Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) 16h /

Core courses

International Policy in Practice I (Defense) 24h 6 ECTS
Politics of Global Justice 24h 6 ECTS

Research courses

Political Science Research Approaches and Methods 18h 4 ECTS
Work-in-progress document / 2 ECTS
Statistics and the Political Sociology of Quantification 18h 4 ETCS

Optional courses (Choose 1)

Cybersecurity / Renseignement 18h 4 ECTS
African Politics, Capitalism and Global Commons 18h 4 ECTS

Career development

Professionalization workshops 4h /
One-day field trip 8h /
Wikifactory I: Research for society 10h 2 ECTS

Languages

French (FLE) or English ** 16h 2 ECTS
Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) 16h /

Core courses

International Policy in Practice II (humanitarianism, development, human rights & conflict resolution) with IPP 24h 6 ECTS

Research courses

Master’s dissertation / 13 ECTS
ESPOL-Lab seminar participation + students’ seminar participation 12h 1 ECTS

Career development

Internship / 6 ECTS
Wikifactory II: Research for society 10h 2 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.

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