MA International Political Economy (Standard) / Course details

Year of entry: 2025

Course description

Louis Ridgway Iv

The course gave me a solid background in theories about how the global political economy actually works, along with a diverse array of topical and regional classes.

The lecturers were knowledgeable and always looking to encourage discussion and engagement from students.

Louis Ridgway Iv / MA International Political Economy

The biggest challenges facing society are international; to find solutions, we need global thinkers. Led by internationally-recognised academics, the International Political Economy master’s course will give you the tools to interrogate the politics behind global flows of money, people and capital.

Through mandatory course units, you’ll be introduced to a range of orthodox and critical approaches to the study of globalisation while developing your skills in conducting and designing research.

You’ll also be able to tailor the course to fit your interests, with course units relating to:

  • development and inequality
  • environmental politics
  • global governance
  • economic crisis
  • the politics of resistance and revolt.

Upon completing the course, you’ll be well placed to pursue a career in any field driving social change.

Teaching and learning

Part-time students complete the full-time course over two years. There are no evening or weekend course units available on the part-time route.  

You must first check the schedule of the compulsory course units and then select your optional units to suit your requirements.  

Updated timetable information will be available from mid-August and you will have the opportunity to discuss your unit choices during induction week with your course director.

Course unit details

Semester 1:

POLI60301 Comparative Political Analysis

POLI70311 Critical Approaches to IPE

POLI70851 EU as an International Actor

Semester 2:

POLI60312 Dissertation Research Design

POLI60292 European Political Economy

POLI60032 Comparing Capitalisms in the GPE

POLI70282 Critical Globalization Studies

POLI70922 Critical Environmental Politics

POLI70422 Global Governance

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Comparative Political Analysis POLI60301 15 Mandatory
Research Design and Skills POLI60312 15 Mandatory
Critical Globalisation Studies POLI70282 15 Mandatory
Critical Approaches to International Political Economy POLI70311 15 Mandatory
Dissertation POLI72000 60 Mandatory
Migration, Mobility and Displacement in the Contemporary World MGDI60731 15 Optional
Comparing Capitalisms in the Global Political Economy POLI60031 15 Optional
The Politics of Money & Finance POLI60081 15 Optional
Governing in an Unjust World: Justice and International Relations POLI60182 15 Optional
European Capitalisms: Crises, Transformations and Contestations POLI60292 15 Optional
The European Union: Politics and Policy Making POLI70381 15 Optional
Global Governance POLI70422 15 Optional
European Union Foreign Policy POLI70851 15 Optional
Critical Environmental Politics POLI70921 15 Optional
Gender, War and Peace POLI70962 15 Optional
The Politics of Global Climate Change POLI71142 15 Optional
Gender in Comparative Politics POLI71151 15 Optional
Chinese Ethnic Politics POLI71171 15 Optional
Borders, Identities, Citizenship POLI72022 15 Optional
Creating a Sustainable World: Interdisciplinary Applications of the Sustainable Development Goals UCIL60312 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 20 course units

Scholarships and bursaries

The School offers a number of awards for students applying for master's study.

To find our more, please visit our master's funding opportunity search page.

Facilities

As a School of Social Sciences student, you will be supported by first-class resources.   

As well as access to networked study areas and one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the country, The University of Manchester Library .

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk