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We're well-established in political science, asking difficult questions to find important answers. How do you put an end to armed conflict? What are the benefits and consequences of intervention? What role do non-governmental organisations play in the prevention and resolution of conflict? Is immigration linked to terrorism? Does climate change affect transnational migration patterns? Our course helps you understand the evolving field of conflict resolution, exploring the causes and effects of destructive conflict across the world, and scrutinising the theory and practice of how it can be managed peacefully.

A research degree at Essex makes you a member of the best political science department in the UK. We are renowned especially for our expertise in the areas of political behaviour, comparative politics, ideology and discourse analysis, international relations, and conflict resolution.

Our four-year integrated PhD Government follows the MSc Political Science programme for year 1 before beginning the PhD study programme within the department in year 2. By opting for our four-year Integrated course, you will benefit from guidance and training to develop the research mind set needed for your PhD studies.

Over the last three decades, political economy has been one of the fastest growing approaches in the social sciences. If you are interested in how institutions shape the behaviour of political actors and how political decisions influence markets and vice versa, then you will profit from our course.

Politics is about psychology. Everything – tweeters sharing fake news, protestors chaining themselves to railings, delegates refusing to budge on climate targets, leaders invading their neighbours – boils down to the opinions, decisions and behaviour of individuals, and understanding those is the territory of psychology.

Politics is about psychology. Everything – tweeters sharing fake news, protestors chaining themselves to railings, delegates refusing to budge on climate targets, leaders invading their neighbours – boils down to the opinions, decisions and behaviour of individuals, and understanding those is the territory of psychology.

We live in an increasingly interconnected and globalised world where events that unfold on other continents can affect our lives very quickly. Sometimes politicians are able to work together in a search for solutions but disagreement, and even the possibility of conflict, never seems far away.

Why should we obey the law? Why don't democratic countries go to war with each other? Why don't young people vote? Why do oil-rich countries have poor human rights records? These are the kinds of questions addressed in our Graduate Diploma in Politics, which provides a thorough training in all major areas of political science, and is based in the top politics department in the country.

We live in an increasingly interconnected and globalised world where events that unfold on other continents can affect our lives very quickly. Sometimes politicians are able to work together in a search for solutions but disagreement, and even the possibility of conflict, never seems far away.

How do political scientists explain political outcomes? How can political science be used to analyse the real world? Our MRes gives you additional rigorous training in research design and methods compared to an MSc or MA, preparing you for PhD research in any sub-field of political science.