Migration Studies

This interdisciplinary, nine-month master’s degree analyses migration from a global perspective, in historical context, and as an integral part of development and social change. Taught by world-class researchers, it will introduce you to key migration and migration-related concepts, methods and theories across the social sciences, and prepare you for further research or for a career in policy and international development.

The course provides a broad, theoretical understanding of human mobility and the role of both internal and international migration in economic and political processes, social change and globalisation, as well as an overview of the major debates and literature on contemporary migration from different disciplinary perspectives. You will gain skills in critical analysis and research, and should develop an ability to contribute new perspectives to the study of migration. You should also gain an understanding of the dilemmas facing policy-makers at both national and international level, an understanding of the value of critical perspective for both academic and policy work, as well as the ability to help transfer theoretical knowledge to policy-oriented research.

In the first and second terms you will follow three core courses:

• Migration in the Social Sciences
• Migration, Globalisation and Social Transformation
• Methods in Social Research

These will be supplemented by a fortnightly discussion class, Keywords: a Key to Migration Debates and Social Thought.

In the second term, you will choose two option courses from a list which changes from year to year, and in the final term, you will write a dissertation of up to 15,000 words.

Teaching

Staff are mainly drawn from Oxford’s internationally renowned centres: the International Migration Institute (IMI) and the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS). Teaching on the degree is both theoretical and problem-focused and delivered through a combination of lecture courses, classes and tutorials, seminars, student-led presentations, essays and library work. You will be expected to prepare for each lecture, class or tutorial by reading a selection of recommended book chapters, articles and working papers. The MSc is a demanding course and, as is typical at Oxford, you will be expected to keep up with a considerable reading workload. Class sizes are small – generally between 5 and 26 students – encouraging active participation and enabling students to learn from each other.

A supervisor will support your academic development throughout the course, with regular one-to-one term-time meetings to oversee progress. The supervisor also guides your work on the dissertation. After the first term you may be able to change supervisor depending on your choice of dissertation topic. In addition, you will have a college advisor whom you may consult on issues concerning your personal wellbeing.

Assessment

On-course assessment, which will not count towards your final degree, will take the form of regular presentations and short essays. The degree is formally assessed by a 5,000-word core-course essay to be submitted at the start of the second term, a research methods portfolio of 6,000 words to be submitted before the start of the third term, two written examinations on one core and two options courses at the start of the third term, and a dissertation of up to 15,000 words to be submitted at the end of the third term.

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in a social science subject. It is also possible for students who have not specialised in a social science to read for the MSc in Migration Studies.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

Entrance to the course is very competitive and most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.8, a first-class degree or the equivalent.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

The admissions committee will occasionally consider a lower degree classification if the first qualification was taken some years ago, if you have gone on to further study since in which you have excelled, or if you have substantive work experience of relevance to the course.

Relevant professional experience is desirable but not required. 

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other appropriate indicators will include:

• Official transcript(s)
• CV/résumé
• Statement of purpose/personal statement:500 words
• References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, of which at least two must be academic

Scholarships

• Global Education
• Hill Foundation Scholarships