Politics (MSc)

University of Southampton

Connect behaviour, power, and global politics and develop the critical thinking and analytical skills needed to succeed in contemporary politics with this MSc Politics degree.

This research-led Pilitics Master’s degree gives you a balanced and in-depth understanding of politics at domestic and global levels. You'll explore political behaviour, governance and international relations and security, drawing directly on internationally recognised research in political science and political psychology.

Sitting at the intersection of politics, psychology and the wider social sciences and takes an interdisciplinary approach to analysing complex political problems. You'll examine how identity, emotion and cognition shape political behaviour, and how institutions and governance structures respond to global challenges.

You'll learn from researchers whose work shapes debates in political psychology, governance and international security. Teaching connects you to active research communities and current scholarship, demonstrating how political knowledge informs real-world decision-making.

Throughout the MSc Politics course, you'll develop skills for policy and practice so you graduate ready for professional roles. You'll develop:

critical analysis and problem-solving

clear written and verbal communication

qualitative and quantitative research skills

the ability to translate evidence into policy-relevant insights