Political Science

specialisatie Comparative Politics

This specialisation focuses on political challenges for contemporary (non-) democracies, such as new demands on representative institutions and pressures created by migration and demographic change.

Democracies currently face unprecedented challenges. Is Europe witnessing a surge in populist sentiment? Do parliaments and political parties have a future? And, what role will radical right-wing parties play in these developments? The programme focuses on these and many other challenges. The core of the programme consists of the courses: Theoretical Approaches to Comparative Politics, Challenges to Representative Democracy, The Politics of Reform, and Power and Persuasion in Politics. You can further specialize by choosing from the many elective courses or by doing an internship and during the individual research project of your Master's Thesis. The analytical skills and knowledge you learn, prepare you for positions in policy and programme development in national, EU, and international public and private sector organisations, as well as a wide range of research opportunities.

The Master's in Comparative Politics is a specialisation of the Master's programme in Political Science. For the fifth time in a row, this programme was rated number one in the Netherlands by the Keuzegids Masters 2017 (Guide to Master's programmes).

specialisatie International Relations

This specialisation focuses on global cooperation and conflict and the analysis of the players that shape global politics: governments, international organisations, media, businesses, and NGO's.

Our International Relations specialisation will provide you with an insight into these players and into fundamental questions of contemporary international relations: is the international community equipped to address violent conflict and (cyber) terrorism? Why do states intervene in some cases of human rights violations, but not in other? Will the competition for natural resources intensify domestic and international conflict? What are the political consequences of regional integration (in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia) and of the emergence of powers such as Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICs)? What are the political ramifications of global trade and finance?

The Master's in International Relations is a specialisation of the Master's programme in Political Science. For the fifth time in a row, this programme was rated number one in the Netherlands by the Keuzegids Masters 2017 (Guide to Master's programmes).

specialisatie Political Theory

This specialisation gives you the opportunity to study various aspects of the relationship between power and morality. Can political principles, institutions, and practices ever be legitimate?

Central to the programme in Political Theory is the battle between power and morality in a world where peoples, cultures, and money know no bounds: what may we force each other to do? What should we do? Can recognition offer an alternative to redistributive justice and what exactly is recognition?
This Master's specialisation offers students an unprecedented opportunity to learn to assess political values, aspirations and dreams in terms of their desirability and reasonability. You will also discover how political theoretical work can be introduced fruitfully in other relevant contexts. This will enable you to help civil initiatives and governmental institutions, not to mention the public at large by imagining and designing policies and ambitions that are both viable and defensible.

The Master's in Political Theory is a specialisation of the Master's programme in Political Science. For the fifthtime in a row, this programme was rated number one in the Netherlands by the Keuzegids Masters 2017(Guide to Master's programmes).

specialisatie Conflict, Power and Politcs

This specialisation offers students insights into the origins, causes and processes of conflict and conflict resolution. It combines comparative politics, international relations and conflict studies.

Students will critically explore themes such as the determinants of political violence and warfare; the impact of political systems on the ways in which political demands are articulated; the links between ethnic violence, nationalism and war; how international regulations affect efforts to acquire peace; and which ethical dilemmas arise in such situations.

The programme consists of 6 specialisation courses, an elective or internship and a Master's thesis in which you can specialise further.

Students acquire skills for positions as policy maker in NGOs, journalist, decision maker in international organisations, political parties, consultant for national ministries or supranational institutions. They may also work for profit and non-profit organisations and as researchers at think tanks or universities.

specialisatie International Political Economy

Many global issues require you to combine economics and political science. In this Master's specialisation you will integrate both perspectives and get a grip on international policy.

You will learn to go beyond the surface of daily news and to disentangle deeper global structures of economic growth and the distribution of wealth and power that underlie today's governance problems. We challenge you to not only understand and explain 'the world', but to view and assess it from the perspectives of different stakeholders, while understanding the social and economic structures and institutions enabling or hindering them in pursuing their objectives.

The programme consists of seven courses in the field of international political economy and a Master's thesis in which you will specialise further either in Economics or Political Science.

After graduation, you'll have the skills and knowledge for job positions at international firms, political parties, national ministries, market authorities, banks, the European Parliament and the European Commission.

You can apply for this specialisation in Economics or in Political Science. Depending on this, you will graduate with a MSc in either Political Science or in Economics. The diploma supplement accompanying your degree certificate will state that you have followed the International Political Economy specialisation.

specialisatie Comparative Politics, Administration and Society

specialisatie Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Politics

GEP focuses on the topical debates about the role gender, race, and ethnicity play in national, European and global political decision-making?

This specialisation introduces you not only to issues and ongoing debates in the field of gender and diversity studies in organisations and politics, but also offers the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the state of the art in the field and to acquire knowledge of different policy practices related to it and their gendered implications. It offers you the knowledge and skills needed to understand the moral reasons - social justice, fairness and anti-discrimination - and the business reasons - legitimacy and performance - for addressing gender equality, diversity and inclusion through, among others, gender mainstreaming strategies. You learn to apply academic theories to real life questions and dilemmas within organisations and society, to reflect upon the normative dimensions of debates, to design workable solutions to change organisations and to advice policy makers and management teams.