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Section: Research Masters Programmes
Please note - this programme is being merged with the Masters by Research in Politics. The School of Social and Political Science is one of the leading European centres for research in multi-level governance and territorial politics. Students interested in pursuing a research masters in this field should apply to the MSc by Research in Politics. For further information or advice, please contact Dr Nicola McEwen (N.McEwen@ed.ac.uk).
Aims and Outcomes
The MSc by Research in Multi-level and Regional Politics is a ground-breaking programme capitalising on the strength of research and teaching experience in regional and territorial politics, multi-level governance, federalism and devolution. This interdisciplinary postgraduate degree equips students with an advanced knowledge and understanding of the dynamics and processes of multi-level policy analysis and governance, substate regionalism and identity, and the effects of state structural change.
The MSc by Research is also designed specifically to prepare students for further academic training at the PhD level. (The MSc in Multi-level and Regional Politics is also available as a taught degree. Find more information here.)
A normal programme would involve successful completion of the five compulsory core courses (100 credits) in the Graduate School of Social and Political Studies.
Students with prior training in research methods may be granted exemptions from core methodology courses(*). If such an exemption is granted, the student (with the agreement of the postgraduate advisor) can substitute one 20 credit elective course for each exempted course. These electives could include advanced methodological courses offered by the School or one of the electives listed below.
In addition, students are also required to complete one additional 20 credits of electives, clustered broadly according to three themes: Europe, European integration and globalisation; sub-state society and nationalism; or multi-level politics and public policy. These may be chosen from the following courses.
(All 20 credits)
In addition, students will work through the year with their supervisors in a programme of systematic review of the secondary literature in their proposed area of research. Supervisors will also advise students of the most appropriate further training in their area of research interest.
Please follow the online application procedure by clicking the 'apply online' button at the top of this page. You will find information and guidance on the application procedure at http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/gradschool/how_to_apply
In addition to the standard application form, students who wish to apply to a MSc by Research in the department of Politics and IR must provide a research statement. The statement must describe the area of research which the applicant intends to specialise in - not merely ‘multi-level and regional politics’ but, more specifically, which aspect of politics, which issues you propose to address, what the relevant literature is, why your background has equipped you to carry out this particular research, etc. This will enable us to judge the suitability of the proposed research for Phd research.
Please feel free to contact the Programme Director Dr Nicola McEwen(N.McEwen@ed.ac.uk) or the Graduate School with any queries about the application process or the programme.
Financial support is available from a variety of sources: the Economic and Social Research Council and the Arts and Humanities Research Councils for Home and EU students, the School of Social and Political Studies, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
See http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/gradschool/funding/index for further information.
This page was published on 7 May 2012