International Political Theory (MLitt) 2022 entry
The MLitt in International Political Theory provides students with a dynamic and systematic understanding of how political theory can be brought to bear on international politics and world affairs. It is not a general international relations or international relations theory programme but a specialised programme in political thought.
Key information
Course type
Postgraduate, leading to a Master of Letters (MLitt)
Course dates
- Start date: 5 September 2022
- End date: 30 September 2023
Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
Course duration
One year full time
Entry requirements
- A 2.1 Honours degree. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
- English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.
The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic 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.
Tuition fees
Home: £12,590
Overseas: £25,450
Application deadline
Friday 29 April 2022, 5pm (BST). Applicants should apply as early as possible to be eligible for certain scholarships and for international visa purposes.
Application requirements
- CV or résumé
- personal statement indicating your knowledge of the programme and how it will benefit you (500 words)
- sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words)
- two original signed academic references
- academic transcripts and degree certificates
- evidence of English language proficiency (required if English is not your first language).
For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.
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Course information
The MLitt in International Political Theory is a one-year taught postgraduate programme run by the School of International Relations. The programme commences in September and ends the following August.
Highlights
- Offers a uniquely deep focus on both the history of political thought and contemporary political theory.
- Distinctive approach, different from that of traditional programmes in international relations or international relations theories.
- Ideal for further academic work leading to a PhD at St Andrews or elsewhere.
- Prepares students for a wide range of professional fields including law, policy research and consultancy, NGOs, charities, international organisations, civil service and publishing.
Teaching format
The programme consists of four taught modules taken over two semesters and a 15,000-word dissertation in an area of your choice.
Modules are taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars and tutorials. Average lecture sizes range from 20 to 30 students, and tutorial sizes range from 1 to 15 students. Assessment methods include a combination of examination and coursework.
Every MLitt student is assigned a dissertation supervisor who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process.
Modules
All International Political Theory MLitt students take two compulsory and two optional modules over the course of the programme. You may, with permission, take modules from other MLitt programmes in the School of International Relations or from another School.
The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2021–2022 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2022 entry.
- Analysis and Interpretation in International Political Theory: introduces methods and interpretive approaches that can be taken in the study of international political theory.
- Texts in International Political Theory: explores the work of important political theorists with particular attention to the ways in which their thought is relevant for international and global affairs.
Students choose two optional modules.
Here is a sample of optional modules that may be offered, subject to staffing and availability.
International Political Theory-focused options:
- Agency and Strategy in Non-Western Political Thought: explores different elements of non-Western thought to understand assumptions about the body, political community and the world.
- Contemporary Decolonial Thought: examines decolonial political thought, contextualising its content in terms of global issues such as trade and environmental politics, and engages with unconventional sources of knowledge in the form of postcolonial artforms (e.g music, literature, performance).
- Global Constitutionalism: explores developments in international politics and law that reveal an increasingly constitutional order.
- Migration and Political Theory: explores the relationship between political thought and the complex phenomenon of migration, including how migration influences understandings of citizenship, rights, borders, justice, and security.
- Political Theory or Race and Caste: gives students an opportunity to study forms of social hierarchy and injustice based on race, caste and descent, through reading key texts in political theory that grapple with conditions of racial and caste subordination and that gesture at the possibilities for emancipation from them.
- Politics After the ‘Death of God’: explores contributions in post-Nietzschean political philosophy and 20th-century political theology as a way to understand the currency of notions such as tragedy, evil and hope in modern politics.
- 'Reason of State': Origin, Nature and Career of a Concept: studies the meaning, origins, development and significance of the notion of 'reason of state' in western political thought.
- Theories of Friendship and Enmity: addresses a number of classical texts in western political thought on the themes of friendship and enmity.
- Topics in International Political Thought: introduces students to key themes in the international realm through a close engagement with the ideas of a single theorist.
Other MLitt options in the School of International Relations:
- Political Economy of Conflict: provides a political economy perspective on conflict in a developing economy.
- Political Order and Violence in the Middle East: examines the causes and consequences of political order and violence in the Middle East.
- Religion and International Politics: investigates the so-called 'global resurgence' of politicised religion.
- Security and Justice Institutions in World Politics: examines the development and efficacy of institutions in the fields of peace, security and justice.
- Terrorism and Liberal Democracy: addresses conceptual and definitional issues concerning terrorism; the relationship of terrorism to other forms of political violence; the origins, dynamics and development of contemporary terrorism; the efficacy of terrorism as a political weapon; the dilemmas and challenges of liberal democratic state responses to terrorism; and case studies in terrorism and counter-terrorism.
Optional modules are subject to change each year and require a minimum number of participants to be offered; some may only allow limited numbers of students (see the University's position on curriculum development).
The final element of the MLitt is a 15,000-word dissertation. The dissertation should focus on an area of international political theory in which you are interested. Each student is supported by a relevant supervisor from the School who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation must be submitted by the end of August.
If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there are exit awards available that allow suitably qualified candidates to receive 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 PGDip instead of an MLitt.
The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for 2022 entry. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue.
Conferences and events
The School of International Relations hosts a variety of research seminars throughout the academic session to promote the work of the faculty, students and visiting speakers.
A number of student-led associations and organisations contribute to development and profile of International Relations throughout the University and the community.
- Model United Nations (SaintMUN) promotes awareness and understanding of international affairs among the student body through simulated debates and seminars.
- The Foreign Affairs Society: encourages the St Andrews community to explore global politics and current affairs.
Funding
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 postgraduate scholarships.
After the MLitt
Research degrees
In addition to the MLitt, the School offers a two-year Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree option in International Political Theory.
Many graduates continue their education by enrolling in a PhD programme at St Andrews.
Careers
Students who graduate from the MLitt in International Political Theory go on to work in various professional fields including:
- law
- policy research and consultancy
- NGOs
- charities
- international organisations
- civil service
- publishing.
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 in building their employability skills.
"The wide range of political theories we covered and the ability to pick a module allowed me to get an overview of the field and then specialise in one area for my dissertation. I particularly enjoyed the wide range of sporting activities and societies at the University."
- Luxembourg
Contact
School of International Relations
University of St Andrews
Arts Building
The Scores
St Andrews
KY16 9AX
Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 1944
Email: irpgt@st-andrews.ac.uk
Policies
Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our admissions policy.
Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
Curriculum development
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.
Tuition fees
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.