Postgraduate Taught

Postgraduate Taught

Funding

Eligible self-funded international Masters students will receive the Aberdeen Global ScholarshipVisit our Funding Database to find out more and see our full range of scholarships or email study@abdn.ac.uk.

 

Anthropology Programmes

MLitt Museum Studies

The MLitt in Museum Studies makes extensive use of the University’s internationally important collections and museums to explore museum history, collections, practices and social roles.  The programme gives you practical experience of working in a museum, working closely with professional and academic staff, and can be tailored to your areas of interests with an array of optional courses.

Programme Director: Prof Alison Brown

MSc Anthropological Research

A prayer wheel

The MSc Anthropological Research (formerly MRes Social Anthropology) offers a unique opportunity to delve into human cultures and societies within a world-renowned academic setting. This programme combines rigorous theoretical teaching with fieldwork opportunities to equip you with both the analytical frameworks and practical skills essential for advanced anthropological study.

Programme Director: Dr Johan Rasanayagam

Politics & International Relations Programmes

MSc Energy Politics and Law

The degree in Energy Politics and Law will give you an in-depth, multi-disciplinary understanding of energy, as one of the most important yet under-analysed topics in international relations. Opportunities exist for working on dissertation projects in collaboration with companies and agencies in the energy industry.

Programme Director: Dr Bennett Collins

MSc International Finance and Political Relations

A woman stands at a podium delivering a presentation

This programme combines the strengths of the School of Social Science and the Business School to explore the intersection between money, politics and power and the relationship between international finance and policymaking at the transnational level.  This programme is designed to train specialists for careers in the international finance or in the government/non-government (NGO) sectors, where an understanding of global flows of money, trade and labour, and the global distribution of wealth they engender, is required.

Programme Director: Dr John Bone

MSc International Political Economy

A globe sits on top of a financial report

This programme introduces you to the conceptual and theoretical terrain of international political economy, with a particular focus on the dimensions of globalisation that have re-shaped international flows of capital, goods, and labour.  You will gain an interdisciplinary understanding of the interactions of global politics and economics.

Some of the topics covered throughout this programme include neoliberalism, international trade, financialization, gender, poverty and inequality, development, post-development, and the rise of economic nationalism.

Programme Director: Dr Ritu Vij

MSc International Relations

A panel of diverse speakers at the UN.  A woman with dark hair is in focus.

This programme offers you the opportunity to study international order/disorder in relation to the interaction among states, transnational institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), multinational corporations, popular culture, and everyday life.

The MSc International Relations provides a sustained engagement with key issues in contemporary international relations including development & political economy, critical & human security, globalisation, gender, identity, human rights, and governance.

Programme Director: Dr Ritu Vij


MSc International Relations and International Law (Joint Programme)

A panel of speakers sit in a wood panelled room in front of an audience

Combining the strengths of the School of Social Science and the Law School, this programme combines courses in the theory and practice of International Law and International Relations, offering you a unique interdisciplinary perspective on a range of contemporary issues related to the transformed nature of global governance.  It offers students seeking careers in governmental institutions, international organisations and international non-governmental organisations the opportunity to advance their understanding of law and politics in the international arena.

Programme Director: Dr Ritu Vij


MSc International Relations and Management (Joint Programme)

Students listen to a professor in a lecture theatre

Delivered jointly by experts from the School of Social Science and Business School, this programme combines the study of how current international political and economic issues impact on how governments, businesses and other organisations operate globally.

You will develop a rigorous understanding of management theory, including business strategy, management, and leadership, while also engaging with topics such as terrorism, global security and globalisation in order to understand how global events impact on business in areas such as the availability of labour and raw materials, supply chain reliability, government regulations and changing market opportunities.

Programme Director: Dr Ritu Vij


MSc Strategic Studies

This long-established programme delivers a thorough understanding of strategic affairs by scrutinising salient, real-world security issues that affect a range of sectors around the world, while developing the methodology and knowledge needed to interpret strategic situations that present in these areas.  You will learn from experts who have experience in public policy; government departments; and international organisations such as NATO, EU, UN, and think-tanks; and who have worked as advisers to various governments including the UK, US, EU, and East Asia.

Programme Director: Dr James Johnson

MSc Strategic Studies and Diplomacy

A world map shows lines connecting different cities and continents

This programme is for anyone interested in the workings and interactions of governments across various levels, concerning governments which have both friendly relations and those which endure more strained relations.  It will also be of interest for professionals interested in progressing their careers who require knowledge on diplomacy and strategic thinking within both government and non-government organisations.

Programme Director:  Prof Mervyn Bain

MSc Strategic Studies and Energy Security

wind turbines on a hill in the countryside

This programme draws on the University’s expertise in international security and the energy sector to deliver a detailed understanding of global energy security, in the context of how different countries and regions operate today.  You will gain a multidisciplinary perspective on the challenges to the security of upstream energy supply, and the contributions of national and international strategies to addressing salient vulnerabilities.

Programme Director: Dr James Johnson

MSc Strategic Studies and International Law (Joint Programme)

students attend a lecture.  two male students with glasses are in focus

This programme combines the expertise of the School of Social Science and the School of Law to develop your understanding of the theory and practice of the uses of power and force by states to achieve national and international security objectives. 

You will also gain an appreciation of the development and implementation of international law, as it attempts to control coercion and limit violence in the international arena, and develop key skills needed for critical legal and political analysis of current international issues.

Programme Director: Dr James Johnson

MSc Strategic Studies and Management (Joint Programme)

three students work on a group project around a table

Drawing on the expertise of the School of Social Science and the Business School, this programme provides a mix of in-depth business understanding combined with a strategic approach to understanding global threats, risk and growth.  You will gain a comprehensive understanding of world affairs and specific issues that challenge business constantly, while developing the skills and knowledge needed to steer business and organisations through or around conflict.

Programme Director: Dr James Johnson

Sociology Programmes

MRes Social Science

Panoramic view of the crown atop Kings College on Aberdeen's campus, with a view looking toward the modern Sit Duncan Rice library

The MRes in Social Science is a one-year research degree, combining specialist and generic training to equip you with transferable skills for graduate employment in the public, private and third sector. It also lays the foundation to undertake future doctoral studies.

Programme Director: Dr Chris Kollmeyer

MSc Peace and Conflict Studies

This programme is designed for students wishing to develop an advanced knowledge of the intellectual terrain of conflict resolution and post-conflict peacebuilding.  You will explore the processes through which state and non-state actors have attempted to define and build peace in areas affected by conflict and examine the intersection and overlap between peacebuilding theory and these processes.  You will gain the skills necessary to pursue a career in conflict intervention and peacebuilding practice, or to pursue further studies in this subject at a PhD level.

Programme Director: Prof Gearoid Millar

MSc Policy Evaluation

Develop the skills needed to provide effective policy evaluation and programme monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for government and third sector organisations with this postgraduate programme.  You will acquire advanced skills in quantitative methods and analysis, and research design. 

You will also develop a theoretical and conceptual understanding of policymaking and programme implementation, enabling you to contribute to evidence-based policy formation and M&E processes across a range of fields in the public sector, voluntary organisations and private service providers.

Programme Director: Prof Gearoid Millar

MSc Sociology

This programme provides an in-depth understanding of and training in the use of sociological theory and methodology, complemented by a series of elective courses covering some of the main specialisms of the Department of Sociology.  It’s particularly well suited for those wishing to extend their knowledge of sociology into the postgraduate level, or for those with little or no experience of sociology who want to equip themselves for advanced study in the future.

Programme Director Dr Luisa Gandolfo