MPhil/PhD study

Overview

As one of the top-ten departments in the UK, politics at Exeter provides an ideal place to undertake a MPhil/PhD in Politics and International Relations, European Politics or Security, Conflict and Justice.

The MA by Research in Politics has been developed to allow you to undertake a research project in an area that interests you, within a shorter timeframe than the two year MPhil or three year PhD.

With over thirty members of faculty engaged in world-leading research and more than ninety research students currently enrolled, we offer a challenging but friendly and supportive environment in which to pursue your own research interests.

One of the advantages of an excellent all round department is that we can offer supervision across a wide range of subject areas at both our Streatham Campus in Exeter and in Cornwall, depending on the research interests of staff.

Our research interests fall into five clusters of interest: 

• Comparative Political Behaviour & Institutions
• Middle Eastern and North African Politics
• Public Policy
• International Studies
• Political Theory

All academic staff in the department are active within at least one of these groups.  Postgraduate students, whether working on their own or within larger projects led by staff members, are also integral members of clusters. Political Theory and Middle East clusters have journals associated with them and operate their own research seminars.

In addition to the clusters, there are also a number of University and School research centres which are more focussed and integrated, in many cases with external funding.

There is a joint departmental research seminar which hosts visiting speakers and provides a forum for discussion of staff research papers.

The College of Social Sciences and International Studies also has its own Graduate Research School which provides practical help and advice to prospective and current students.