The MLitt in Global Social and Political Thought is a one-year interdisciplinary Masters degree. It explores the history of social and political thought around the world and its influence in contemporary debates around identity, communication, governance, the economy, and diplomacy.
Postgraduate; leading to a Master of Letters (MLitt)
One year full time; part-time study is not currently offered.
A good 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
The Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies welcomes applicants from a range of disciplinary backgrounds including, but not limited to:
English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.
The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.
UK and EU: £9,000
Overseas: £18,480
Applications should be submitted as early as possible and no later than 12 August 2019. Applicants who will require a visa to study in the UK should normally apply by June.
For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.
The MLitt Global Social and Political Thought is an interdisciplinary degree that explores the history of social and political ideas from ancient times to the present. The degree will develop your understanding of the history, nature, and practice of contemporary global politics and provide training in comparative analysis of history, philosophy, political economy, and international relations.
This degree will deepen your understanding of the great historical traditions of social and political thought across the globe. You will learn about the different kinds of social and political thought determining political argument today as well as explore the relationships between political thought and:
The degree will be of particular interest if you intend to continue to doctoral research as it provides a broad-based research programme that is followed by specialised study with scholars of political ideas from ancient times to the present.
Throughout, the degree fosters comparative analysis across nations and cultures, helping to give you a sense of what global thought and identity mean. The degree will also develop the skills that you need to understand political thought and the manipulation of ideas and identities in our digital age; how they are created and shaped; and how they are communicated and transformed, with profound consequences for politics today and into the future.
The degree is distinguished by its interdisciplinary character and involves academic staff from a number of different Schools. The interdisciplinary nature of the degree means that you explore a range of methodological approaches and use ideas from different disciplines to illuminate social and political thought questions.
The MLitt degree is a one-year full-time programme. Students complete two compulsory modules in Semester 1 (September to December) and two further compulsory modules in Semester 2 (January to June). The period during June to August is used to complete the summer research project.
The MLitt degree involves both independent and group study, and teaching methods include:
Most modules are assessed through coursework, including:
The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details of modules offered at St Andrews, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2018–2019 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2019 entry.
Each semester is organised around core modules exploring the theory and methodologies needed to complete the summer research project.
The final module of the MLitt degree is the summer research project. The project takes the form of a period of independent supervised research where you explore a social or political thought topic in depth. Through the project you will apply the theory and analytical methods learned in the core modules.
You can choose to present your research project as:
If students choose not to complete the project requirement for the MLitt, there are exit awards available that allow suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Certificate or a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PG Cert or PGDip instead of an MLitt.
The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for 2019 entry. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue.
The Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies at St Andrews is a new initiative to foster interdisciplinary postgraduate education and scholarship.
The School’s interdisciplinary programmes and community provide postgraduates with a stimulating environment in which you can:
Scholarships
Scholarships are designed to help students support themselves during their studies. Find out more about postgraduate scholarships.
Postgraduate loans
Loans are available for students who meet the residency and other criteria. Find out more about postgraduate loans.
Recent Graduate Discount
The University of St Andrews offers a 10% discount in postgraduate tuition fees to students who are eligible to graduate or who have graduated from St Andrews within the last three academic years and are starting a postgraduate programme with the University of St Andrews. Find out more about the Recent Graduate Discount.
St Andrews offers a vibrant and stimulating research environment. One of the great strengths of our research degrees is the collegiate atmosphere which enables access to expertise beyond your formal supervisors and the ability to conduct interdisciplinary research.
Research students are supported by a supervisory team throughout their studies and are assessed by means of a substantial thesis of original research.
Our fantastic global reputation makes University of St Andrews graduates highly valued by employers. The MLitt Global Social and Political Thought provides the subject knowledge and general skills needed for a range of leadership and professional careers. It will be of particular interest if you are considering a career in academia or research. You will:
Alongside your studies, you will be able to complete M-Skills, a programme of in-person and online workshops and training materials for Masters students. M-Skills will help you develop the broader personal and professional skills you need to succeed in your degree and enhance your employability.
Additionally, the Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students on a taught postgraduate course and offers a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.
The Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies
University of St Andrews
Bute Building
Queen's Terrace
St Andrews
KY16 9TS
Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2032
Email: gradschool@st-andrews.ac.uk
Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our Admissions policy.
As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online. (PDF, 72 KB).
The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online. (PDF, 84 KB).
Study at the University of St Andrews and experience the world-class teaching and cutting edge research of Scotland’s first university.