MA International Political Economy (Research) / Course details
Year of entry: 2025
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Course description
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 in scale. To find solutions, we need global thinkers. Led by internationally-recognised academics, the International Political Economy master’s programme will give you the tools to interrogate the politics behind global flows of money, people and capital.
You’ll learn about pressing global issues like world poverty, gender and environmental degradation.
Through mandatory course units, you’ll be introduced to a range of orthodox and critical research approaches, while developing your qualitative and quantitative skills.
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 further academic research. You’ll also have developed highly transferrable skills in research design, critical inquiry and creative thinking, setting you up well for a career in policy, charity work and countless other sectors.
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.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Design and Skills | POLI60312 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Critical Globalisation Studies | POLI70282 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Critical Approaches to International Political Economy | POLI70311 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Philosophy of Politics Research | POLI70771 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Dissertation | POLI72000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Qualitative Research Methods | SOCS60230 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Introduction to Quantitative Methods | SOST70511 | 15 | 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 |
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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 .