Course in brief

This MA explores how contemporary politics, conflict and debates about human rights and security are informed by the processes of globalisation.

You will study topics including human rights and humanitarian intervention, the world economy and the changing global order, global governance and the United Nation system, the growth of global networks and movements, global security, conflict resolution and peace-building, international relations and law, global poverty and development, and the politics of sustainability and environmental decline. Because globalisation transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries, our MA takes an interdisciplinary approach to challenge conventional political and international relations approaches.

There are two core modules: Globalisation and Global Politics, and Conflict, Security and Human Rights. You can also select two optional modules to focus on an area of particular interest, for example human rights and humanitarian intervention, global environmental politics, the Middle East, conflict resolution, genocide, international relations theory, the nature of warfare, and global ethics. 

Key facts

Location Brighton: Grand Parade

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years 

Apply online

Please make sure that you meet the entry requirements before applying. If you have any questions the course team will be happy to help.

Apply now for your place

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2017. They should be used as a general guide.

We operate a flexible admissions policy – this means that you could receive a lower conditional offer than the typical offer, informed by our assessment of your complementary non-academic achievements and experiences. For courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer that follows if your application is successful.

Degree and/or experience
Normally a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with 6.0 in writing and minimum 5.5 in the other parts.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country
 
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For academic preparation courses.

Course in detail

Course structure

On the Globalisation: Politics, Conflict and Human Rights MA, you will:

  • study key developments and issues in relation to politics, conflict and human rights.
  • consider these areas within the context of contemporary globalisation
  • be encouraged to develop an informed and critical understanding of contemporary globalisation
  • receive close tutorial support.
  • be able to pursue a wide range of careers as well as opportunities for further postgraduate research.

The programme is founded on the notion that politics, conflict and human rights must now be understood in the context of contemporary globalisation.

Student studying at Pavilion Parade

Modules

Globalisation and Global Politics

This module begins by examining a range of approaches to globalisation and global politics before exploring the processes, institutions and ideologies that are widely considered to be driving them. For example, economic globalisation is studied in relation to the financial crisis of 2008 and wider debates about global economic disorder. In particular, the emphasis is on fostering an informed understanding of contemporary globalisation through study of critical theories, debates about power, patterns of global poverty and inequality, and development responses.

In relation to claims about a shift in global power, the rise of China and its implications for the Asia-Pacific Region and the rest of the world are explored.  At an institutional level, the Human Rights Council, the International Criminal Court and the European Court of Human Rights are examined. The politics of global sustainability is considered in relation to the formation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Finally, the politics of a transnational/global movement is investigated through the study of La Via Campesina.

Conflict, Security and Human Rights

This module examines contemporary conflict, security and human rights debates in relation to globalisation and the evolution of global politics.  Areas and issues examined include: the relationship between global security and international relations theory; conflict resolution theory and the prospects of conflict resolution in Syria; state building and peace-building in Somalia; and a global NGO (Amnesty International) dedicated to monitoring conflict and human rights abuses.

Environmental security is considered within the context of global environmental decline, focusing in particular on Moscow’s apparent resource-based approach to international relations. As for human rights, the major theories and critiques are examined, with specific reference to humanitarian intervention and the emergence of the concept of human security. In this vein, the politics of movement under contemporary globalisation is explored by studying the Geneva Convention and the rights of refugees.

Modules

  • Globalisation and Global Politics
  • Conflict, Security and Human Rights
  • Research Methods
  • Dissertation

Two from:

  • Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention
  • Cultural and Critical Theory (International Relations Theory)
  • Global Environmental Politics
  • Conflict Resolution and the Irish Troubles
  • Legacies of Warfare
  • Global Ethics
  • A Learning and Teaching option

Staff profile

Dr Paul Hopper

Dr Paul Hopper has been a member of staff at the University of Brighton since the early 1990s, before which he taught sociology and social and political philosophy at the University of Sussex. He leads the Globalisation, Politics and Culture MA and the Globalisation, Politics and Culture BA(Hons), and has developed option modules such as Race and Racism and the Sociology of Globalisation for undergraduate programmes.

Paul's research interests revolve around globalisation, especially in relation to: culture, communication and identity; global movements and networks; global governance; development; and the environment. He is concerned with how globalising processes are both informing and being informed by these areas. His work seeks to move beyond general and abstract accounts of this subject, focusing instead upon how globalising processes are interpreted and experienced within specific contexts.

In substantiating this position, Paul has undertaken a series of case studies as part of his research, ranging from examining how globalisation has informed debates within the Islamic world to how the Chinese party-state has for reasons of political expediency used economic globalisation but resisted its cultural and political dimensions. This research has been published in several books, including Rebuilding Communities in an Age of Individualism (Ashgate, 2003), Living with Globalization (Berg, 2006), Understanding Cultural Globalization (Polity, 2007), Understanding Development (Polity, 2012) and Understanding Global Environmental Politics (Polity, 2009).

Paul Hopper

Student views

Rosie Miller

"I chose the University of Brighton to study my undergraduate degree purely because of the course syllabus, which was hugely appealing to me. I then wanted to continue to study and be taught in the same way, so decided to do the MA.

"The course covers a wide range of topics; my favourites include global security, conflict resolution, energy security and human rights. The way in which the course is taught is hugely stimulating. The small seminar groups enable debate and close learning, while the student-lecturer contact time enables you to quickly see your tutor if you have any issues.

"The humanities building is situated in central Brighton, opposite the Pavilion, which is convenient to get to and not far from the train station. My plans when I finish the MA are to go travelling, and hopefully end up working in an NGO focusing on environmental policymaking."

Rosie Miller

Michal Pawlak

"I am a Polish student currently undertaking the Globalisation: Politics, Conflict and Human Rights MA. I have been studying at the University of Brighton for nearly four years.

"I can strongly recommend this course to anyone who is interested in the contemporary political deliberations that affect the world and our understanding of it. It covers a wide range of critical debates that question conventional perspectives on areas such as environmental politics, development and conflict, to name a few. The focus of this study moves beyond a single disciplinary approach by emphasising the complex and multifaceted nature of these issues and topics."

Michal Pawlak

Careers and employability

This MA is relevant to careers in the public sector, teaching, the media, the legal profession, business, journalism, management and human resources, as well as to further research. You may also seek work in development, charities, non-governmental organisations and the environment, as well as the European Union and the United Nations.

Humanities student

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 6,120 GBP

International (full-time) 14,490 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more.

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2017–18. Tuition fees are payable for each year that you study with us.

Where UK/EU students are subject to regulated fees, the annual fee increase cannot exceed the UK government’s maximum regulated tuition fee limit set for the relevant year. For all other students, ie those not subject to regulated fees, tuition fees are subject to a maximum annual increase of the higher of 5% or RPI.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.
 
The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

i360 and ticket booth on the seafront  What to expect enriching experiences 

Campus where this course is taught

Grand Parade campus

Our Grand Parade campus is in the heart of Brighton, across the road from the Royal Pavilion and a five-minute walk from the beach. After your lectures you’ll be right in the city centre, close to all the best pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes that Brighton has to offer.

The campus is home to a creative community of arts and humanities students, specialising in everything from fashion and textiles to politics and philosophy. It is also the location of the University of Brighton Gallery and Sallis Benney Theatre, which host events throughout the festival season and beyond.

The world-renowned University of Brighton Design Archives are in the basement of Grand Parade and offer extensive resources for the study of British design in the twentieth century. St Peters House, the campus library, is also nearby and houses a specialist collection of arts books and journals.

Accommodation

Brighton

Our Brighton halls of residence are located across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • Grand Parade is in central Brighton and has one hall of residence, Phoenix Brewery, within walking distance. 
  • Moulsecoomb is two miles from the city centre and also has one hall of residence, Moulsecoomb Place, on campus. 
  • Varley Park offers the biggest choice of student accommodation with ten halls of residence. 
  • Falmer campus has two halls of residence: Great Wilkins and Paddock Field. 
    Varley Park and Falmer are around four miles from Brighton centre; there are good public transport services nearby.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. 

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our Brighton accommodation webpages and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 644100.

Paddock Field

Moulsecoomb Place


  

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Grand Parade campus map

 

Find out more

Sign up for course updates

  • Year of entry
  • Providing this information will help us make our updates even more relevant to you.
    Please make sure you read our privacy policy

Ask a question about this course


If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

Search again

Find another course
Back to top