Politics and Sociology (MA)

This postgraduate programme builds on the rich tradition of 50 years of the teaching of Political Science and Sociology at NUI Galway, offering students the opportunity to critically explore social and political forces that impact on contemporary issues. The MA (Politics and Sociology) provides the theoretical and empirical skills that graduates of Politics and Sociology require for the analyses of why our societies are the way that they are and if they can be improved.

The programme comprises of core taught modules in Politics and Sociology and a thesis  of 20,000 words which will be supervised by a member of academic staff in the School, providing one-to-one support and expertise in the student’s chosen field of enquiry

Graduate attributes/learning outcomes for the programme

• Students of the programme will acquire essential graduate employment skills, including written and oral communication skills, group work skills, critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills.

 On successful completion of this programme students will be able to:-

• Apply knowledge of contemporary and classical political and social theory to issues in contemporary society.
• Think critically about a range of political and social issues and problems.
• Design and conduct advanced political and social research on a range of political and social problems.
• Organise and present their work effectively.
• Work effectively in a group setting. 

Subjects in this course are:-

• Required SP6117: Module Dissertation (Politics and Sociology)
• Required SP6123: Research Methods of Social Science
• Required SP6124: Dissertation Workshops
• Optional SP6115: Comparative Politics
• Optional SP6120: Irish Politics, North and South
• Optional SP6119: Conflict, Power and Peace
• Optional SP6116: Social Theory
• Optional GG6101: Gender and Conflict
• Optional HI6100: NGOs and the Making of the 20th Century World
• Optional SP6112: Political Theory
• Optional SP6114: Welfare, Social Change & Irish Society