The MPhil in Politics (Comparative Government) is an advanced graduate degree which provides training in research techniques and methodology and enables you to acquire substantive knowledge in this sub-area of the discipline. It is also suitable if you wish to embark later upon doctoral research.
The course emphasises the research-led study of government and political institutions from area-specific and comparative perspectives, and provides a range of educational experiences in a variety of learning environments to develop your written and oral communication skills as well as other technical skills. As well as a foundation for doctoral research, the MPhil will provide you with training and skills suitable for a wide range of careers, including academic, professional, commercial, diplomatic and governmental positions.
The Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) hosts a wide range of research centres and programmes which actively seek to develop collaborative research activity via conferences, workshops and other academic events, and which include graduate students in their activities.
Research centres provide opportunities for you to present your own work in research seminar series and at conferences in the department and beyond. The research centres have an established and popular visitors’ programme which has allowed many scholars of international repute to participate in the DPIR’s research activities.
Progression to the second year is conditional on passing examinations and/or coursework in research methods as well as the core course.
At the end of the course, you will complete two option papers of your choice assessed by examination or coursework and submit a thesis.
Expected January 2027
Start date
October 2026
University of Oxford
University Offices,
Wellington Square,
Oxford,
Oxfordshire,
OX1 2JD, Southern England, United Kingdom
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
However, each application will be assessed upon its own merits, therefore candidates with a degree in an unrelated discipline are welcome to demonstrate the relevance of their academic background to their proposed subject or topic of study.
Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or its equivalent.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
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