European Politics and Society

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The increased integration of Europe and its rise as a world power has meant that it has become increasingly important to understand European societies and politics. Not only is it important for EU citizens, but also for others around the world who watch with interest the rise of this new economic, political and social entity. This course will aim to provide this understanding through two basic approaches: political and social. The political approach begins with an overview of political developments in Europe over the twentieth Century (Cold War; fall of the Iron Curtain; breaking of the Berlin Wall; nationalist struggles and strife; integration of Europe) and a comparative understanding of political institutions and parties in different countries as well as at a European level.
The social approach will consider the ways in which European societies have been shaped and changed, including factors such as migration, European social policies, citizenship, work and family. The course will critically assess key theories and concepts in looking at Europe, such as ideas of modernisation, social cohesion, identity and whether or not Europe can be studied as a series of types of societies or as one society. Participants will be encouraged to think about relevant contemporary issues such as population decline and xenophobia. It will look at some of the main social divisions and social relationships in Europe using a range of contemporary sources.
The course is therefore a timely and appropriate way to provide an overview of European developments through the study of key concepts and issues. It will provide participants with an up-to-date knowledge of these developments, the tools and concepts for analysing them and introduce them to the new frontiers of knowledge in these developments.
The course is based upon research projects and consultancies for the European Commission and other funding bodies carried out by the teaching team and is linked to the research centre "The New Europe Centre" Aberdeen.
The degree will appeal to those who need the relevant resources to pursue a career at a European or national level and be informed of European developments and debates, whether it is in the NGO sector, business, academia or the public sector. It will help furnish participants with practical research and analytical skills that they can use in a variety of jobs.
The learning outcomes of the course are to:
o Equip students to understand social patterns and divisions in Europe
o Enable students to understand basic concepts and theories relating to the comparative study of Europe
o Provide students with the ability to assess and use data sources on European society
o Equip students with the intellectual skills to understand key European debates.
o To develop the necessary skills to sustain life-long learning
o To develop the ability to undertake independent investigation

For further information, please contact:

Alyson Millar
Postgraduate Secretary
School of Social Science

Tel: +44 (0)1224-272762

Email: socscipg@abdn.ac.uk

Web:

In the full-time mode the programme is taken over one year as follows:
First Half-Session
Comparative European Politics (30 credits)
Research Methods (30 credits)
Second Half-Session
European Societies (30 credits)
Elective option (30 credits)
Dissertation (60 credits)
In part-time mode the programme is taken over two years.
Comparative European Politics
The first part of this course is devoted to European history after the Second World War with the collapse of the iron curtain, the Cold War and the end of Communism. This core course will look at political institutions, political behaviour and political processes in the whole of Europe taking into account the former Soviet bloc as well. It will present the issues of the role of the nation-state, federalism and the European Union, the form and process of public policies in European countries, the function and performance of governments and parliaments and their interaction. It will deal with the development and role of political parties and party systems in European comparison and with elections and voting at the regional, national and European level. It will discuss the link between social capital and political behaviour as well as the form and development of political value systems and political attitudes. This core course will also present the main elements of conventional and unconventional political participation on the one hand and the development of civil society in the whole of Europe on the other.
The Comparative Study of European Societies
This core course will look at Europe as a society as well as by comparing different nations and regions within it. It will look not just at the European Union, but also countries that are also in the broadest sense "European" stretching to the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia. It will address key contemporary issues such as citizenship and belonging, identities in a European context, work, family and the demographic challenge as well as work-life balance. The quality of life in Europe and social capital may also be addressed as well as issues of social stratification. The course will look at contemporary phenomena such as xenophobia and racism from a sociological perspective. Hence it will consider problems and challenges in considering Europe as a society. In addition to considering these key issues, the course will take a research perspective by looking at the evidence for these trends and patterns, enabling students to be able to seek out information and assess it for themselves.
Research Methods modules
Research methods training is designed to assist students to complete their dissertation. The methods course chosen will be from amongst he portfolio of modules available on the School of Social Sciences Masters of Social Research or in the discipline-specific methods modules taught by the Department of Sociology as best fits the background, experience and needs of individual students.
The choice of methods module will be made with the advice of the Programme Convenor. The portfolio of methods modules available is described under the Masters of Social Research (MRes) entry.
Elective module
The elective module will be chosen from amongst the portfolio of modules available on other MSc degrees in the Department of Sociology, the School of Social Sciences and the College of Arts and Social Sciences, depending upon the modules available at the time, the interests of the students and their background.
The choice of elective module will be made with the advice of the Programme Convenor. The portfolio of modules available is described under the Graduate School of the College of Arts and Social Sciences web entry (see /students/index.php)
Please note that not all these modules may be available to students on the MSc in European Politics and Society.

Examination is exclusively by means of course work and continuous assessment. Students will be permitted one resubmission of failed work but no resubmission of the dissertation.
For the award of the MSc in both full and part time modules, there is a requirement also to complete a 15,000 word dissertation under supervision from the research team.

Applicants for admission will normally be expected to hold a relevant Honours degree with at least 2(i) standard from a recognised university or body. In exceptional circumstances applicants without this qualification may be admitted subject to having an alternative qualification, or an approved level of work experience, appropriate to the field of study.References are not required in order for applicants to submit an application. They are not usually required in order for a decision to be made but in certain cases applicants may be asked to provide a single academic reference at the request of the academic selector. The English Language Requirement for all College of Arts and Social Sciences Masters programmes is an IELTS of 6.5 with 6.0 in the writing and reading (or equivalent TOEFL iBT or PTE). English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

University of Aberdeen Alumni Discount SchemeThe University of Aberdeen is very pleased to offer a 20% discount on postgraduate tuition fees for all alumni who have graduated with a degree from the University of Aberdeen.