Keele University Prospectus Postgraduate | 2016 | Page 67

Overview

Like them or loathe them,
political parties and elections are
important. Elections constitute
an essential element of modern
democracy and defining moments
for the distribution of political
power. For their part, political
parties help link politics and
society, compete in elections
and structure political processes
within and between key political
institutions. Political parties and
elections significantly shape the
nature, quality and legitimacy of
contemporary politics.
This programme is concerned
above all with investigating the
rich diversity of political parties
and elections in the contemporary
world. We were the first UK
university to offer a taught
master’s in Political Parties and
Elections: our course benefits
from Keele’s unusually high
concentration of international
research and teaching expertise
in this area, much of it organised
in the Keele European Parties
Research Unit.

Additional information
The aim of this programme is
to provide you with the factual
knowledge and conceptual and
analytical skills that will enable
you to reflect critically on the
manner in which political parties
and elections operate in the
modern world. In addition,
it provides you with the
opportunity to demonstrate
originality and self-direction
in generating and investigating
research questions.

More broadly, it aims to assist
you to develop a range of
cognitive and social skills relevant
to your intellectual, vocational
and personal development. In
pursuing these aims, the course
seeks to prepare you for a variety
of professional careers, including
those in governmental and
non-governmental organisations,
the media and business, or for
research beyond master’s level.

Module titles

Key Information
Course type
MA, MRes

Mode of study

Full-time or part-time

Entry
requirements

Applicants require a
second class degree
(2.2 or above) or an
overseas equivalent.

POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Political Parties
and Elections

Contact email
k.s.ainsworth
@keele.ac.uk

You are required to complete
180 credits to be awarded an
MA in Politics and International
Relations in any given pathway.
Core modules:
• Advanced Approaches to
Politics and International
Relations
• Research in Action
• Perspectives in Politics
and In FW&