[Andreaa]

Hey everyone!
I'm working on narrowing down my uni choices to do a Master's degree in Peace and Conflict studies beginning in 2013. I have a list of programmes I'm interested in, but am sort of conflicted as to how many I should apply to. I"m a student from the USA, and unfamiliar with the university system in the UK, though I'm learning more and more. (or trying ). What I'm wondering is if anyone can give me more information about applying to postgraduate/how many programmes I should apply to? If it helps, I go to a small private college, will graduate top of my class, and have done two years of independent research in Social Psychology.

Programmes I'm considering (some are in the Republic of Ireland, so that won't apply here):

Queen's University Belfast: Comparative Ethnic Conflict
University of Ulster: Applied Peace and Conflict Studies
St. Andrews: International Peace and Conflict Studies
Aberdeen: Sociology of Peace Processes (less likely that I'll actually apply to this one)
----------------
Trinity College Dublin: Race, Ethnicity, and Conflict
University of Limerick: Peace and Development Studies

So, in addition to commenting on these programmes, is there anyone else interested in doing peace studies in postgraduate?? I'd love to hear mor about you!

~Andrea

[threeportdrift]

(Original post by Andreaa)
Hey everyone!
I'm working on narrowing down my uni choices to do a Master's degree in Peace and Conflict studies beginning in 2013. I have a list of programmes I'm interested in, but am sort of conflicted as to how many I should apply to. I"m a student from the USA, and unfamiliar with the university system in the UK, though I'm learning more and more. (or trying ). What I'm wondering is if anyone can give me more information about applying to postgraduate/how many programmes I should apply to? If it helps, I go to a small private college, will graduate top of my class, and have done two years of independent research in Social Psychology.

Programmes I'm considering (some are in the Republic of Ireland, so that won't apply here):

Queen's University Belfast: Comparative Ethnic Conflict
University of Ulster: Applied Peace and Conflict Studies
St. Andrews: International Peace and Conflict Studies
Aberdeen: Sociology of Peace Processes (less likely that I'll actually apply to this one)
----------------
Trinity College Dublin: Race, Ethnicity, and Conflict
University of Limerick: Peace and Development Studies

So, in addition to commenting on these programmes, is there anyone else interested in doing peace studies in postgraduate?? I'd love to hear mor about you!

~Andrea

Have you looked at Bradford? It's never high in general reputation terms, but has always had a very highly thought of Peace Studies course. I'm not sure how much that was associated personally with Paul ?? (his surname has slipped my mind atm, ordinary English name) who I believe has retired. But the Bradford course is the one that usually springs to mind for anything Peace centric.

If you are interested in general university reputation, outside the world of IR as broadly conceived, than St Andrews is the only one mentioned so far with a strong, general university reputation.

[Andreaa]

Thank you so much! For a few reasons, I've generally been considering more non-English universities in Britain (largely financial), but I'll definitely check out Bradford-it looks like they have an actual Peace Studies department!

Also-now this might be a foolish question, but I'm assuming someone will have an answer for me . My ultimate goal is to pursue PhD work. In the UK, you must have a Master's first, correct? I'm asking because I was considering applying to certain PhD programmes, but it appears that for British unis there is always a Master's before a PhD. Is that the case?

Thanks again so much!

[threeportdrift]

(Original post by Andreaa)
Thank you so much! For a few reasons, I've generally been considering more non-English universities in Britain (largely financial), but I'll definitely check out Bradford-it looks like they have an actual Peace Studies department!

Also-now this might be a foolish question, but I'm assuming someone will have an answer for me . My ultimate goal is to pursue PhD work. In the UK, you must have a Master's first, correct? I'm asking because I was considering applying to certain PhD programmes, but it appears that for British unis there is always a Master's before a PhD. Is that the case?

Thanks again so much!

A Masters degree isn't mandatory, but in the Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, it is usual. You would have to discuss with the individual departments, but if you were already working in the sector and could demonstrate effective research skills, documentary analysis etc then going straight to a PhD wouldn't be impossible.