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Political Science and International Relations

Apply for this course

The deadline for UK students to apply for this course for entry in 2023 was 31 August 2023.

The deadline for international students was 14 July 2023.

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What you'll need

As part of the application process, you'll need to submit:

  • School or college transcripts/certificates
  • University transcripts and certified translations if applicable
  • Degree certificates
  • Personal statement outlining your learning ambitions

Our application process

  • Sign into our online portal, Apply Yourself, and start your application
  • Submit your application
  • We'll email you to let you know we're processing your application
  • Track the progress of your application using the Postgraduate Application Tracker (we'll send you a link to the tracker)
  • We'll email you when a decision has been made
  • If you've been made an offer, you can then accept or decline it using the Postgraduate Application Tracker.

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Master of Arts

A Master of Arts (MA) is a master’s degree awarded for a postgraduate programme in the arts.

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Course overview

The Political Science and International Relations MA provides training in research methods, the application of political concepts and theories, and develops an advanced understanding of politics and political science. Your employability is enhanced through skills training, alongside the chance to gain advanced work experience through our Advanced Placement Scheme that places students with an employer to work on a project.

Introduction

The MA offers a range of optional modules that enables you to specialise or generalise in key areas of political studies including British Politics, International Relations, and Comparative Politics. The MA also provides comprehensive methods training to equip you with the skills required for doctoral research, or a wide range of careers in fields such as journalism, business, the Civil Service, central government, local government, charities, and education.

If you are interested in applying for this MA, or if you have any questions whilst undertaking your programme of study, please do not hesitate to contact the Programme Lead.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for graduates with a Bachelor’s in Politics/International Relations or a broadly related discipline who want to advance their understanding of politics and political science.

What you'll learn

  • Political science research methods
  • Advanced work experience from the opportunity to participate in the Advanced Placement Scheme with placements available in areas such as: local government, national charities and trade unions
  • Application of political concepts and theories
  • An advanced understanding of politics and political science
  • The ability to write a political science dissertation at postgraduate level.

Course content

Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.

Studying this course part-time

International students may be able to study this course on a part-time basis but this is dependent on visa regulations. Please visit the Government website for more information about student visas.

If you're able to study part-time, you'll study the same modules as the full-time master's degree over a longer period, usually 24 months. You can make studying work for you by arranging your personal schedule around lectures and seminars which take place during the day. After you complete all the taught modules, you will complete your final dissertation or project and will celebrate your achievements at graduation the following term.

Studying part-time means you can study alongside work or any other life commitments. You will study the same modules as the full-time master's degree over a longer period, usually 24 months. You can make studying work for you by arranging your personal schedule around lectures and seminars which take place during the day. After you complete all the taught modules, you will complete your final dissertation or project and will celebrate your achievements at graduation the following term.

Standard pathway

On the standard Political Science and International Relations pathway, students take the compulsory module Political Science Research Methods and then can choose from a selection of optional 15 and 30 credit modules in semester one and a selection of optional 15 credit modules in semester two.

Students on this programme have the option to take a Contemporary Europe pathway, which involves different compulsory and optional modules. Please select Contemporary Europe pathway for information on this pathway.

Compulsory modules

POLITICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH METHODS (POLI530)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 1

The purpose of this module is to provide students with an understanding of fundamental issues in political research methods and an overview of some of the research methods used to investigate political and social phenomena. Students will be required to use and demonstrate knowledge of key methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and methods used in practical scientific research.

Optional modules

MODERN SLAVERY, FORCED LABOUR AND HUMAN RIGHTS (POLI521)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 1

The module will introduce students to cross-disciplinary approaches to the study of trafficking and slavery in modern and contemporary contexts. It will draw on material from a range of fields including politics, sociology, criminology and law. Students will have an opportunity to study a range of sources, including policy documents and statistical information to engage critically with modern slavery and human trafficking. Current research from the Centre for the Study of International Slavery, the Anti-Slavery Knowledge Network and the Modern Slavery PEC will allow students to engage with the latest research and policy developments in the field.

EUROPEAN NATION-STATE AND POLITICS OF NATIONALISM (POLI502)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 1

The history of the nation-state formation and disintegration reflects the history of modern Europe which has been formed and often torn by these processes. While the nation-state is the most successful political organisation of modernity and a focus of peoples belonging, its design and its inherent association with a particular national group and its identity is not without controversy. The principal aim of this module is to analyse the political significance of the nation-state in European politics from 19th Century to the present. It covers waves of nationalism (1848, 1917, 1945 and 1989) and provides academic tools for understanding politics of national identity, minorities, immigration and citizenship in the past and in our time.

POLITICS IN ACTION ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCHEME (POLI500)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 1

This module provides an opportunity for students to gain credit from experience acquired in a placement, usually off campus, and outside their immediate academic context, in a setting that matches their academic and possible career/industry interests. During this placement students will have the chance to develop materials and/or undertake tasks within a practical or vocational context; to apply academic knowledge from their degree, and to develop their personal and employability skills within a working environment. Students will also be encouraged to critically reflect on their time on their placement, and tie their experiences into a broader theoretical understanding of what constitutes ‘politics’.

Politics of the Environment (ENVS525)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 1

Over the last decade the environment, and perhaps more importantly the concept of sustainable development, is claimed to have become a critical dimension that underpins decision making at a variety of different spatial scales, more particularly international, European, national, regional and local arenas. In this module we explore the extent to which environmental concerns are taken into account in various decision-making processes within the public, private and third sectors. The module will be assessed by an essay (50%) and an open book exam (50%) which provides students with significant choice to explore those parts of the module they find most interesting.

RE-INSCRIBING POWER AND IDENTITY IN/FROM CONTEMPORARY EUROPE (POLI505)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 1

This module is designed to introduce students to the range and diversity of current research in languages and cultures. In individual sessions, students will be encouraged to consider the range of theoretical and methodological approaches which they could adopt in approaching their individual research projects. This module aims to provide students with an awareness of the key theoretical issues central to cultural studies, and to develop in them an understanding of current methodologies.

ADVANCED TOPICS IN ELECTORAL RESEARCH (POLI518)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 1

This module examines some of the most crucial topics in contemporary electoral research, and aims to provide students with a deep understanding of the factors explaining people’s political preferences and electoral behaviour in different contexts. The module takes an interdisciplinary approach that combines sociology, psychology and political science. Geographically speaking, this is a comparative module that focuses on full democracies, and students are encouraged to think about how the mechanisms covered in the different sessions may (or may not) work in other democratic contexts.

WAR WRITING (ENGL488)

Credits: 30 / Semester: semester 1

War Writing addresses the ways that wartime and peacetime are imagined by writers across the 20th and 21st centuries. We will focus on the theory of “permanent war,” which is the idea that the economy and discourse of war permeates social relations, even in periods that are notionally “peacetime.” We will consider the topic by addressing the essay and the novel, and we will discuss how the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction are sometimes blurred as writers find new forms to accommodate their responses to war.

EUROPE AND THE WORLD (POLI501)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

This is a mandatory module of the MA Contemporary Europe offered by Politics department. This module provides an in-depth analysis of the external policies of the EU in the current context and critically analyzes the role of EU in international affairs. The module will trace the evolution of the EU as an international actor, scrutinize the EU’s external action in different policy areas and its relations with its regional and global partners.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND TRANSFORMATION (POLI513)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

This module follows the evolution of the field of conflict studies: from the early adoption of an IR framework of bargaining to explaining conflicts within states, to testing structural, country-level correlates of conflict resolution or recurrence, to the recognition of multidimensional conflicts and the shift toward dyadic data, and finally, to the recent focus on armed group fluidity and theories about how rebel spoiling, splintering, and alliances lead conflicts to take new forms.

BREXIT AND BEYOND (POLI522)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

The module analyses the process leading to Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union and the form it took (referendum and withdrawal agreement) as well as the ongoing implications for British politics, society and culture.

BRITISH FOREIGN POLICY (POLI511)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

Anglo-American Relations
The Decline of Empire and the Commonwealth
Britain and the Post-War World
Britain and the Middle East
Legacies and Development
Britain in International Groups
Britain and Iraq
Britain and the Road to Brexit (And Beyond!)
Foreign Policy Ideology

Literature, Slavery and Empire (ENGL750)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

At the end of the sixteenth century, England was making its first attempts to build a tradition as a nation of travellers and unsuccessfully attempting to establish colonies in north America. By the end of the Eighteenth century the European Grand Tour was a standard part of a British aristocratic education, and the British Empire was a global force actively participating in the international slave trade. This module looks at both literary and non-literary records of and responses to: the relationship between the ‘old world’ or the Mediterranean and the ‘new world’ of the Americas; the encounter with unfamiliar people and lands; the rise of and debate about the international slave trade, from the perspective of both the enslaver and the enslaved; the literary and cultural importance of these developments for the city of Liverpool.

Business and the Environment (ENVS470)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

Environmental issues are of growing importance to businesses both large and small. Companies and organisations have to comply with a burgeoning body of environmental legislation and environmental considerations are becoming more prominent in relations with industrial partners and clients, suppliers, customers, banks, insurers and local communities. Whilst such pressures are forcing businesses to pay more attention to the environmental implications of their actions, some businesses which are forward looking, perceive the environmental agenda as a great business opportunity. This module is designed to explore some of these issues more fully.

COMPARATIVE PEACE PROCESSES (POLI133)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

Comparative Peace Processes examines the similarities and differences between peace processes. What common features can be identified in terms of how and why peace processes develop? What aspects of threat removal are most common, such as decommissioning, disarmament and reintegration? What political tools, such as consociation, partition, secession, devolution or integration, might be used? After a short overview, the module addresses these questions via a series of case studies, including Northern Ireland, Lebanon, Israel-Palestine Bosnia and the Basque region.

INTERNATIONAL RECORD KEEPING (HIST561)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

The module provides an overview of record keeping developments from an international perspective. It introduces students to record-keeping structures, traditions and practices throughout the world, and to the legislative, cultural and political traditions which affect those practices. In doing so it enables students them to approach record-keeping theory and practice in their home country both critically and comparatively. The module considers the role that records and archives have played over time, particularly, from 1945, in the area of human rights.

QUANTITATIVE METHODS AND WORLD POLITICS (POLI510)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

The module introduces students to the quantitative study of international relations, security studies and comparative politics. Much of the most important research on topics such as the foreign relations between states, public attitudes towards global issues, and violent conflict within societies is quantitative. The module provides a guide to navigating these areas of research.

Beginning at an introductory level with descriptive statistics, it will introduce students to the most frequently-used tools for the statistical analysis of politics. Using statistical software, students will replicate existing studies and familiarise themselves with some of the major datasets in the fields of comparative politics, international relations, and security studies.

By the end of the module, students should have the confidence to replicate existing research in political science, make use of quantitative datasets in the study of politics conduct their own quantitative empirical investigation. Having studied statistics in a previous university degree is not a requirement for the module as we start from an absolute beginner’s level.

ANTI-COLONIAL LEGACIES IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS (POLI526)

Credits: 15 / Semester: semester 2

This module explores a series of dissident perspectives in international politics which evaluate how the study of international affairs exists as part of a continuum of empire. Examining the core features of different knowledge traditions emanating from postcolonial theory, decolonial methodologies and non-western thought, and critical positions in geography, history, sociology, and legal studies; this module situates the study of international politics with each of their epistemic stances, methodologies, and distinctive themes. We will evaluate what are often regarded to be the core concepts of International Relations theorisation (e.g., the treaty of Westphalia, liberalism, realism) and topical events like far- Right extremism, climate change, the Migrant Crisis, and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, with the diverse socio-political and ethical commitments that exist within the interdisciplinary field of anti-colonialism. This includes ideas of decolonization, abolitionist thought, reparative justice, and world repair.

Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.

Our curriculum

The Liverpool Curriculum framework sets out our distinctive approach to education. Our teaching staff support our students to develop academic knowledge, skills, and understanding alongside our graduate attributes:

  • Digital fluency
  • Confidence
  • Global citizenship

Our curriculum is characterised by the three Liverpool Hallmarks:

  • Research-connected teaching
  • Active learning
  • Authentic assessment

All this is underpinned by our core value of inclusivity and commitment to providing a curriculum that is accessible to all students.

Your experience

You will benefit from the expertise and community found within the Department of Politics, which is based within the School of Histories, Languages and Cultures in 8-14 Abercromby Square. Students will be taught in a variety of building on campus.

Virtual tour

Supporting your learning

From arrival to alumni, we’re with you all the way:

Why Politics at University of Liverpool?

  • We are able to offer an excellent range of modules providing both a national and international focus. Pathways offer students module choices to develop their own specialist interests
  • We are a small department that works to create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Due to the small size of the seminar groups and the MA programmes in general, lecturers know students individually, and are easily accessible
  • The Department of Politics is home to the Europe and the World Research Centre, through which you will you will be able to take advantage of the strong programme of organised activities such as conferences, guest lectures, seminars
  • We aim to be a flexible and open department. We adopt a positive and flexible policy towards the postgraduate requirements of overseas and/or part-time students, including effective timetabling on taught programmes and facilitation of language training.

Careers and employability

Student career development is a major interest for the department and we actively encourage you to integrate career planning into your academic studies. The programme offers students the chance to discuss and develop their career options by working to secure placements and other activities that maximize employment potential.

The programme’s Advanced Placement Scheme involves you working within an organisation on a set project in its entirety, enhancing your project management skills. Previous placements have been based in various departments within The Liverpool Combined Authority, Communications within Liverpool City Council, Trade Unions and National Charities.

The MA delivers ideal training if you are interested in an academic career in doctoral research. The MA also provides a solid foundation if you are interested in exploring a career in education, media, third sector industries, the Civil Service, central/local government, or business.

If you have a professional background in any of these (or other relevant) areas, the MA provides you with the opportunity for continuing professional development, whilst enabling you to bring your experiences to the cohort which will further enrich the programme.

Career planning

Three career coaches standing outside the Careers Studio

Our campus Career Studio is a space for students and graduates to drop into and talk to a career coach. Career coaches are highly trained to help no matter what stage you are at in your career planning. You can access support to find and apply for full-time and part-time roles, placements, internships and graduate schemes. You will also find the help you need if you have a start-up idea or want to create a business plan. You can explore the world of work, prepare for job interviews, and access careers events and workshops. The Career Studio is open Monday to Friday from 10am-5pm, simply drop in at a time that works for you.

From education to employment

Two graduates in postgraduate robes.

We develop our programmes with employers in mind. You will be supported to enhance your long-term employment prospects as you learn. We do this by exposing you to professionals, a variety of sectors and supporting you to work collaboratively with others to develop transferable skills. You are equipped with a clearer view of what to focus on in your area of interest, and to reflect on your studies. Our digital employability tools give you a tech-enhanced curriculum experience and make it easy for you to prepare for the world of work. You can use tools like the Handshake platform to connect with employers and message the Career Studio 24/7.

Networking events

Postgraduate students hold a discussion while sat round a table in in the Liverpool Guild of Students.

You can start building good professional networks by attending events and employability activities. Our events are designed to develop your skills and expose you to many different employers, as well as to help you make contacts in your field. We help you improve your confidence when speaking to employers and give you access to unique opportunities. Our networking events also boost your understanding of the competencies and skills that employers are looking for in their recruitment process, giving you a competitive edge.

Your future

Career options are wide and extensive, including working in:

  • National and international political organisations
  • Mental health charities
  • Non-governmental organisations
  • Media
  • Education
  • Armed forces
  • Civil service
  • Political parties
  • Corporate organisations
  • Financial sector
  • Doctoral research.

Fees and funding

Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.

Tuition fees

UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)
Full-time place, per year £10,400
Part-time place, per year £5,200
International fees
Full-time place, per year £21,400
Part-time place, per year £10,700
Fees stated are for the 2023-24 academic year.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support.

If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan worth up to £12,167 to help with course fees and living costs. Learn more about tuition fees, funding and Postgraduate Loans.

Additional costs

We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.

Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this course.

Additional study costs

We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.

Find out more about additional study costs.

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries to help cover tuition fees and help with living expenses while at university.


ANID CHILE Awards

  • International students
  • Chile

Postgraduate taught and research students from Chile are eligible for this scholarship.

Chevening Scholarships

  • International students

The University, in partnership with Chevening, is delighted to offer this generous scholarship to students who are studying a master’s programme and who have future leadership potential. Please note that there is a fee cap applied to MBA programmes that requires applicants to cover any additional tuition costs over £18,000. You will still receive all additional allowances.

CONACYT Award

  • International students
  • Mexico

The University of Liverpool has an agreement with CONACYT to support postgraduate taught and research students from Mexico.

FIDERH Award

  • International students
  • Mexico

20% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate taught and research programmes. Must be Mexico national.

Fulbright Commission Scholarship

  • International students
  • University of Liverpool alumni only
  • United States

One scholarship is available for a master’s student from the US and another is available for a postgraduate research student to undertake a three to six month research stay from the US

FUNED Awards

  • International students
  • Mexico

Up to ten awards are available for Masters or Research students from Mexico in receipt of FUNED loans. The award gives students a 20% reduction in fees for all applications received.

HLC Scholarships for Postgraduate Study

  • Home and international students

The competition is open to all students who have applied for a relevant HLC programme by 3 July and commence study in the course in the first semester of 2023.

The HLC School comprises the following Departments:

  • Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology
  • History
  • Irish Studies
  • Languages, Cultures and Film
  • Politics

HRM Princess Sirindhorn University of Liverpool Scholarship (Thailand)

  • International students
  • Thailand

The University is able to offer one award to a new postgraduate taught master’s student from Thailand.

The scholarship is open to all subjects offered as a one-year taught master’s programme.  However, priority will be given to those students who wish to study in a subject area associated with HRH Princess Sirindhorn such as science, IT, medicine, the arts, geography, history and languages.

John Lennon Memorial Scholarship

  • Home students

The John Lennon Memorial Scholarships were set up by a trust fund endowed in the University for the provision of scholarships in the memory of John Lennon. The award is intended to support students from Merseyside who might be in financial need and enhance, among other things, awareness of global problems and environmental issues.

Current or prospective UK (taught and research) students, either born in or with very strong family connections to Merseyside can apply for these awards.

JuventudEsGto Scholarship

  • International students
  • Mexico

Residents of State of Guanajuato, Mexico, wishing to study at postgraduate taught and research levels are eligible for this scholarship.

Marshall Scholarship

  • International students
  • University of Liverpool alumni only
  • United States

One scholarship is available for a master’s student from the US to cover the cost of tuition fees. Another, to the value of £20,000, is available for Doctoral study visit: https://www.marshallscholarship.org/

Postgraduate Opportunity Bursary

  • Home students
  • University of Liverpool current students and alumni only

Recipients must have been in receipt of one of the University’s Widening Access Awards as an undergraduate.

UK University of Liverpool graduates who have graduated in the last two years and are progressing to a standard master’s course, including MRes programmes, in 2023.

Graduates must have been in receipt of the University’s Widening Access Award during their undergraduate studies i.e.

Liverpool Bursary
Mature Students’ Bursary
Liverpool Scholars’ Award
Realising Opportunities Award
North Liverpool Academy Scholarship
Estranged Students’ Bursary
Young Adult Carers’ Bursary
Care Leaver’s Opportunity Bursary
The Liverpool Life Sciences UTC Scholarship
Recipients of the Asylum Seekers Bursary who now have a ‘home’ fee status classification.

Postgraduate Progression Award – International Students

  • International students
  • University of Liverpool current students and alumni only

Current international University of Liverpool students and alumni are eligible for a £2,500 fee reduction when progressing to a master’s course.

If you’re a current international University of Liverpool undergraduate or alumni, including Study Abroad and Exchange students and students from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, progressing to either a full or part-time new postgraduate taught programme you’re eligible to receive our Postgraduate Progression Award.

Postgraduate Progression Award – UK students

  • Home students
  • University of Liverpool current students and alumni only

The Postgraduate Progression Award is available to all UK University of Liverpool undergraduate students or alumni considering a postgraduate taught/master’s course, including MRes qualifications, at our Liverpool campus.

Eligible applicants MUST have completed their undergraduate degree at the Liverpool campus.

Sport Liverpool Performance Programme

  • Home and international students

The University is pleased to be able to offer scholarships to support talented athletes in achieving their full potential. See https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/sports/team-sport-liverpool/performance-programme/ for more information.

Student Scholarships for the MA Political Science and International Relations

  • Home and international students

The Department of Politics is pleased to announce four scholarships for students wishing to pursue the new MA in Political Science and International Relations in 2023.

These £5,000 scholarships are open to both Home and International students and will be awarded on the basis of demonstrated academic ability through a written statement outlining the applicant’s strengths and suitability for the MA.

Please note: these scholarships cannot be combined with any other scholarships or bursaries provided by the University.

The Aziz Foundation Scholarship

  • Home students

The University of Liverpool together with the Aziz Foundation are offering master’s scholarships to support British Muslims who are dedicated to bringing positive change to society and have career aspirations in media and journalism, technology, sustainability and the environment, law, policy (excluding health policy) and creative content.

Successful applicants will receive a full scholarship for their tuition fees and access to a programme of training days and career mentors via Aziz Scholarships Plus and the Aziz Scholars Association.

Students in receipt of one of the Aziz Scholarships are not eligible for other University of Liverpool bursaries or scholarships.

Turkish Ministry of Education Scholarship

  • International students
  • Turkey

Postgraduate taught and research students from Turkey are eligible for this scholarship, see the Turkish Ministry of Education website https://meb.gov.tr/ for more information.

University of Liverpool Commonwealth Postgraduate Bursary

  • International students
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Brunei
  • Canada
  • Cyprus
  • Dominica
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • India
  • Jamaica
  • Kenya
  • Malaysia
  • Mauritius
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Pakistan
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and The Grenadines
  • Singapore
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tanzania
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uganda

The University of Liverpool Commonwealth Postgraduate Bursary fee reduction for students from Commonwealth countries new to studying at the University of Liverpool on master’s programmes.

University of Liverpool Graduate Association Hong Kong & Tung Postgraduate Scholarships

  • International students
  • China
  • Hong Kong

The University is able to offer competitive scholarships for both postgraduate taught master’s and research programmes.

University of Liverpool Humanitarian Scholarships for Masters Programmes

  • International students

The three awards available cover full tuition fees, visas and support for accommodation and living expenses.

This scholarship is open to support people who have recognised status as either refugees or are under humanitarian protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention. This status must be held outside of the UK.

The scholarship is open for all postgraduate-taught programmes, excluding medicine, dentistry, veterinary and nursing.

University of Liverpool International College (UoLIC) Excellence Scholarship

  • International students

The University of Liverpool will award five University of Liverpool International College students, who achieve the highest academic excellence (minimum 75%) in their UoLIC Pre-Master’s programme, the prestigious UoLIC Excellence scholarship.

University of Liverpool International College (UoLIC) Impact Progression Scholarship

  • International students

University of Liverpool International College recipients of the Kaplan awards will receive the £3,000 Progression Impact Scholarship, deducted from first-year tuition fees, on successful progression to their UoL degree programme.

To be eligible for our Impact Progression Scholarships, students must apply for one of the Kaplan Impact Scholarships demonstrating their commitment to making an impact across issues of importance to the University and Kaplan. Themes include:

Sustainability
Women in STEM
Community
Career Focus (Employability)

Vice-Chancellor’s International Attainment Scholarship

  • International students

Open to all new international students starting a one-year full-time postgraduate master’s programme in September 2023 who:

  • Achieve a UK first-class undergraduate degree award or equivalent qualification as defined by the University of Liverpool (click here for a list of equivalent qualifications) are studying at the Liverpool campus.

Vice-Chancellor’s International Attainment Scholarship for China

  • International students
  • China

Details are:
1 (one) Full scholarship
2 (two) £10,000 scholarships
5 (five) £5,000 scholarships
10 (ten) £1,000 scholarships
All scholarships will be awarded after the formal registration at the University and will take the form of a fee waiver.

Please note: This scholarship cannot be combined with any other scholarships or bursaries provided by the University.

Entry requirements

The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.

My qualifications are from: United Kingdom.

Your qualification Requirements

About our typical entry requirements

Postgraduate entry requirements

You will need a 2:1 Bachelor’s degree in Politics/International Relations studies or in a broadly related discipline (eg classics, history, philosophy, sociology, English, modern languages etc.).

International qualifications

If you hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, but don’t meet our entry requirements, a Pre-Master’s can help you gain a place. This specialist preparation course for postgraduate study is offered on campus at the University of Liverpool International College, in partnership with Kaplan International Pathways. Although there’s no direct Pre-Master’s route to this MA, completing a Pre-Master’s pathway can guarantee you a place on many other postgraduate courses at The University of Liverpool.

English language requirements

You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language. International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.

English language qualification Requirements
GCSE C
IELTS C
View our IELTS academic requirements key.
International Baccalaureate

Standard Level (Grade 5)

INDIA Standard XII 70% or above from Central and Metro State Boards
WAEC C4-6
Hong Kong use of English AS level C
Cambridge Proficiency C

About our entry requirements

Our entry requirements may change from time to time both according to national application trends and the availability of places at Liverpool for particular courses. We review our requirements before the start of the new application cycle each year and publish any changes on our website so that applicants are aware of our typical entry requirements before they submit their application.

We believe in treating applicants as individuals, and in making offers that are appropriate to their personal circumstances and background. Therefore the offer any individual applicant receives may differ slightly from the typical offer quoted on the website.

More about life in Liverpool

Discover more about the city and University.

Why study at Liverpool? Victoria Gallery & Museum

Why Liverpool?

Liverpool bursts with diversity and creativity which makes it ideal for you to undertake your postgraduate studies and access various opportunities for you and your family.

Accommodation Postgraduate students walking through the campus.

Accommodation

To fully immerse yourself in the university experience living in halls will keep you close to campus where you can always meet new people. Find your home away from home.

Fees and Finance Image of the outside of the Management School building

Fees and Finance

Discover what expenses are covered by the cost of your tuition fees and other finance-related information you may need regarding your studies at Liverpool.

Changes to Political Science and International Relations MA

See what updates we've made to this course since it was published. We document changes to information such as course content, entry requirements and how you'll be taught.

23 March 2023: New postgraduate taught course pages

New course pages launched.