StudyQA — Master: Political Science and Public Administration (Research)

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This programme will train you in conducting research into political institutions. Graduates are ready for further academic study and for research positions in the public or private sector.

A unique, two-year master's programme designed for students willing to challenge themselves and take their studies to the next level: this is the research master (MSc) in Political Science. The programme offers excellent and thorough academic training that will provide useful no matter what your career ambitions are. A strong focus on skill development and the ability to conduct independent research are at the core of this programme. You will be able to choose from a wide range of courses on Political Science topics such as: Legislative Behaviour, Political Parties and Particularism, Public Opinion and the Political Process, International Regimes and Institutions, and Comparative Federalism.

The Master´s programme in Political Science Research complements the substantive and elementary research competencies acquired in the Bachelor´s programme with highlevel substantive and methodological insight, in order to train students in conducting research into political institutions and their designs, workings and implications. Graduates of this Master´s programme are expected to be able to formulate a research proposal that meets high academic standards.

Teaching methods

The MPhil in Political Science Research distinguishes between four types of courses: substantive courses, methodological courses, advanced research seminars and finally, thesis preparation in the Thesis Laboratory. The end product of the programme is a thesis meeting the criteria for publication in a scholarly journal, as well as a proposal for further research that conforms to the usual criteria of funding agencies.

Structure and duration

The duration of the programme is two years.Students attend a variety of specialised courses in Political Science, Institutions and Institutionalism, Philosophy and Science and Qualitative and Quantitative Methodology. Furthermore, students attend several specific research skills courses and take part in a "Thesis Laboratory" to prepare for writing their MA thesis.

Research at the Department of Political Science

The quality of the Department´s research and teaching is continuously evaluated through both internal and external reports.In recent national research quality assessments, the Leiden Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences was awarded top marks for the majority of its research programmes. A recent study, the `European Benchmarking Project´ conducted by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies, compared thirty leading European universities and concluded that in the field of social sciences, Leidenranks among the very best in Europe.

As one of the largest departments in Europe, Leiden´s Political Science Department encompasses a wide range of research interests, spanning political philosophy, political behaviour, comparative politics, national politics and international relations. The central theme of its research programme is `The Institutions of Politics: Design, Workings, and Implications´.

Graduate students can play a key role in the department, engaging in collaborative projects with faculty members. Such activities have led to high numbers of publications authored by and co-authored with graduate students in recent years.

This programme has a workload of 120 ECTS.

Language requirements: * IELTS overall band: 7.5 * TOEFL paper based: 625 * TOEFL computer based: 263 * TOEFL internet based: 106Students are admitted to the MPil Political Science Research on the basis of a BA in Political Science or a BA with a Major in Political Science, obtained with excellent results. Other degrees and degrees in related fields can only be admitted if the student´s prior training meets the standards of `The Bologna Declaration on the Basic Requirements of a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in Europe´, agreed by the European Conference of National Political Science Associations at Berlin, September 1, 2003.The admission committee will use the following criteria for assessing the student´s suitability for this programme: * motivation for conducting research in political science * average academic performance at BA level of 8 (rounded off to a whole number) or above in the Dutch grading system or equivalent in other grading systems * demonstrable affinity with knowledge of an area of research in the programme, as evidenced by a BA thesis relating to that area or by a comparable paper in which relevant literature and research is discussed. (Attach your paper to your application form) * training in methods and techniques of political science research and statistics at the BA level should minimally account for 14 ECTS credits * research skills, having completed the research cycle independently or in a small groupNOTE: for applications for September 2009 the following (adjusted) language requirements apply: Demonstrated English-language proficiency as evidenced by a TOEFL score of at least 623 (paper based) / 263 (computer based) / 106 (internet based) or an IELTS test of at least level 7.5; writing proficiency in English at Dutch VWO pre-university education level English Language Requirements IELTS band: 7.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 625 TOEFL iBT® test: 106