Our programme is designed to critically examine the theoretical and methodological issues surrounding the dynamics of peace and conflict in the contemporary world. You will have the opportunity to engage with the work of peace and conflict studies scholars, at both conceptual and empirical levels, and to draw on evidence from a range of recent armed conflicts.

Through the programme we also aim to address techniques in conflict resolution, such as mediation, in order to help you deepen your understanding, and enable you to develop skills in conflict analysis. We encourage you to use optional modules from Politics to support the core programme.

The programme culminates in the writing of a 20,000-word dissertation in a subject area of your own choosing that has been agreed together with your academic supervisor.

This is a degree aimed at those who want to engage critically, practically and creatively with global and local environmental problems through different disciplinary lenses. The course brings together theories, methods and insights from the social and environmental sciences and applies these to contemporary environmental issues, debates and controversies.

You are encouraged to take a range of social and natural science modules offered by the Department of Sociology, the Law School and Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) and will have the opportunity to acquire the skills to navigate, interpret and combine these different ways of knowing the environment. There is a strong emphasis on participatory and engaged research, making insights count in engagement with communities and policymakers. Normally, you will take three core modules and three (or more – depending on their weighting) optional modules.

The MA in International Relations is a broad programme that sets out to help you understand contemporary global politics from a variety of theoretical, conceptual and practical perspectives.

Our aim is to offer you a range of modules that allow you to explore specific themes and issues in global politics. These may include options covering regional/area based analysis of security, politics, social and economics. You will take five taught modules each assessed by a 5,000 word essay. The programme culminates in the writing of a 20,000-word dissertation in a subject area of your own choosing that has been agreed together with your academic supervisor.

Through this programme we hope you will develop a wide range of research and analytical skills that prepare you for work in a range of organisations. It can also provide a firm foundation for those looking to pursue academic careers.

Media technologies, platforms and organisations, as well as their multiple cultural roles and implications, are changing. Some emerge, others seem threatened with extinction. How can we understand these changes? How can we acquire skills to work within changing media organisations? Our Media and Cultural Studies MA gives you the opportunity to be at the centre of digital innovation – from theory to practice – in areas of media and cultural studies.

You will have the chance to interact with key texts, debates and thinkers, ranging from cultural theory through to scholarship in new media, digital technology, globalised culture, media power, and identity. You will also have opportunities to gain practical skills in areas such as digital journalism, visual storytelling, and audio-visual culture.

Our aim is to advance your skills in the kinds of critical thinking, independent research, and creative production relevant for development and innovation in the cultural and media sectors and in furthering critical scholarship. Our graduates have gone on to careers in research, digital journalism, publishing, marketing, as well as founding their own media organisations.

This degree normally comprises of three core (compulsory) modules and three optional modules.

Do you want to pursue a career in banking and the financial services? Our course equips you with tools vital for corporate banking or a role with a regulator.

This course is at the cutting edge of financial disciplines. It continually changes to keep pace with the corporate finance landscape. You will be taught by both prominent academics and highly experienced professionals in economic theory and advanced quantitative methods. You will analyse financial markets and the institutional framework of the money and banking sectors.

In your final term you have the chance to take part in an innovative practical research project. Supervised by a dedicated expert in your chosen topic, you will develop valuable skills and professional training to enhance your future career prospects.

Our graduates go on to work as economists in central banks and government organisations, bankers, financial analysts and risk managers in financial institutions. This course is also excellent preparation for pursuing doctoral research.

This programme provides you with the opportunity to choose a combination of modules (from the domestic to the global). We aim to provide a range of modules to suit your background and interests.

We usually offer a variety of methods through which to study political life. You will take five taught modules each assessed by a 5,000 word essay. The programme culminates in the writing of a 20,000-word dissertation in a subject area of your own choosing, agreed by an academic supervisor.

We hope you will develop a broad range of research and analytical skills that could be used in a range of careers. The programme can also provide a foundation for those looking to pursue academic careers.

Advertising is everywhere. Always transient, sometimes trivial, yet it can be incredibly powerful in changing our perceptions, our beliefs and our behaviour. Through this programme, you will develop an advanced understanding of how advertising affects the human mind, giving you unique and valuable insight into the industry.

This unique course provides an interface between theory and practice, understanding and skills, by giving you a thorough grounding in the psychology underpinning persuasion, in the context of how it is applied – and how it might be applied more radically – in the communications industry.

The course combines small-group ‘knowledge-exchange’ with innovative student-led teaching, built around our outstanding expertise in cognitive, developmental, social and neuropsychological aspects of advertising. You will benefit from perspectives and contributions from academic researchers, seasoned advertising practitioners, and original commercially-oriented research.

Studying a combination of skills and theory-based modules, you will develop a high-level of technical understanding of the discipline. You will have the opportunity to practise and develop analytical and interpretation skills alongside modules that will enhance your ability to conduct and present psychology research.

Your knowledge and understanding of the psychology of advertising and advertising theory will also develop as you engage with specialist modules focused on these topics. Studying the relationship between advertising and the human mind, and applying your learning to advertising strategy, positioning, brand, and marketing communications will prepare you for the competitive world of advertising and marketing. The advanced skills and knowledge you develop through these modules will be invaluable as you progress into a career or further research.

During the year, you will also complete a dissertation project, supported by an academic supervisor. This will be an opportunity for you to demonstrate everything that you have learnt and put theory into practice. You will develop your data-handling skills as well as your ability to accurately and appropriately present your research.

In addition, your dissertation can be completed in parallel or sequentially with an industry placement. This would give you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, while applying your skills and knowledge to address a real-world, industry-focused challenge. This practical, relevant experience of working for an external organisation (and the networking opportunities this brings) is hugely beneficial when applying for jobs at the end of the course.

This course is designed for graduates who come from a wide range of disciplines and plan to pursue a career in advertising or communications, or who wish to refresh their skills or shift focus to a more planning-based trajectory. It is also suitable for those who wish to undertake further research into the psychology of advertising and related fields at PhD level.

The MA in Sociology addresses recent key concerns and enduring intellectual traditions within sociology and related social sciences. The degree addresses issues such as inequality, racism, violence, capitalism and social change among many important themes with particular contemporary relevance. Critical debate and modes of embedding critical thought in reflective practice mark core skills you will develop in this course. The core modules aim to ground you in theory, methods and analytical tools, and optional modules (normally three) give you the opportunity to apply them to particular issues. For the dissertation you will conduct independent study with a supervisor, choosing from a range of topics similar in scope to the options offered.