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Study plan for MASV-GLGOV Politics and Governance of Global Challenges, Master's, 2 years, spring 2024

Name of qualification

Master of Philosophy in Politics and Governance of Global Challenges

ECTS Credits

120 ECTS

Full-time/Part-time

Full-time, two years

Language of Instruction

English

Semester

Fall

Objectives and content

Climate change, sustainability, inequality, digitalization, migration, autocratization, security, health, food security are among the pressing global governance challenges whose causes and effects move across national borders. Global challenges are "wicked problems" because they affect us all, and solutions require coordination between local, national and global institutions. Responding to these increasingly complex challenges, policymakers at all levels - public and private - must negotiate and navigate competing goals, values, and priorities.

  • How are policy problems and solutions in response to global challenges framed and how has such framing developed over time?
  • What are the global regimes for governing migration, climate change, food security and other pressing challenges and how can we explain their structure and actions?
  • How and why do national policies and local practices vary and how do these interact with the global governance of different challenges?
  • What implications do the politics and governance of global challenges foster for global equality and sustainable development?

In the MA Politics and Governance of Global Challenges, such policy issues and questions provide thematic hubs to discuss the complex multi-level governance of truly global, and often wicked, problems in the contemporary world. Throughout the program, students will explore the historical development of the transnational system for addressing global challenges and critically examine the interrelations among different actors in international, national and local arenas through various political science lenses. The students will develop advanced knowledge, skills and competences to understand, analyze and critically discuss global challenges from a politics and governance perspective, including working towards potential fair and sustainable solutions for addressing the complex issues facing our world today.

This is a political science master's programme that integrates theories of politics and governance, and advanced social science methods education in project-based learning on real world global challenges. The programme includes options for international mobility, internships, or self-organised interdisciplinary studies at other UiB departments in the third semester.

Required Learning Outcomes

Knowledge:

The student will have

  • advanced knowledge of key political science approaches to analyze global challenges in different settings, and to critically examine related policy and organizational complexities
  • thorough insights into interconnected global, national and local governance approaches to addressing global challenges
  • in-depth understanding of, and critical reflection on, research and project design choices
  • advanced knowledge of qualitative and quantitative as well as mixed methods approaches

Skills:

The student will know how to

  • examine real-world problems related to global challenges with theoretically informed, methodologically sound, and critically reflective approaches
  • make independent and professional assessments of relevant policies and institutional arrangements
  • apply a global mindset that embraces the interconnectedness of learning, critical analysis, and discussion of potential solutions to global challenges
  • plan, conduct and communicate research projects on global challenges working both individually and in teams
  • produce actionable analyses for different audiences, in classic scholarly formats, blogs, podcasts, policy briefs and more.

General competences:

The student will be prepared to

  • create bridges for interdisciplinary exchanges as well as for practice-oriented conversations about how to address global challenges in a fair and sustainable manner.
  • take on professional careers in local or national government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, policy consultancy, think tanks and private companies, or further research at the doctoral level and in research institutions
  • work in groups - both physically and in digital formats - to address complex challenges
  • enhance one's own professional competency based on reflection over self-assessed and mentor-assessed performance
  • advice on organizational and policy designs in the private and public sectors.

Admission Requirements

Prospective students for this Master' Programme must have obtained an undergraduate degree or Bachelor's degree in political science or related (sub-)disciplines of at least three years' duration at a recognized institution. Evaluating what constitutes a related discipline is done at the discretion of UiB.

The applicants must document (specific entry requirements):

  • 10 ECTS in qualitative and quantitative social sciences methods.
  • A completed Bachelor's degree or similar, with special competence equaling one and a half years of study (min. 80 ECTS) in political science or related (sub-)discipline.
  • Applicants must submit a short (max. 500 words) application statement where they explain how their academic background connects to the master programme. The application statement is for documentation purposes and is not evaluated.

The applicants also need to document (general entry requirements):

  • Proficiency in English at B2 level.
  • An average grade of minimum C (equivalent of the Norwegian grade C) for the BA degree as a whole.

Compulsory units

GOV351, GOV352, GOV353, GOV321, GOV355, GOV380

Specialisation

GOV351 Understanding Global Challenges (10 ECTS)

GOV352 Researching Global Challenges (10 ECTS)

GOV353 Qualitative Methods (10 ECTS)

GOV321 Quantitative Methods (10 ECTS)

Elective courses across the department's two master programs in a chosen area of specialization (10 ECTS)

GOV355 Conceptualizing Global Challenges (10 ECTS)

GOV371 Internship (30 ECTS) or GOV372 Self-organized Course and courses across UiB study programs (for a total of 30 ECTS, of which the self-organized course can cover 10 ECTS) or Mobility/Study Abroad (30 ECTS)

GOV380 Masters thesis (30 ECTS)

Sequential Requirements, courses

The order of courses is fixed and builds on a cumulative, project-based learning approach. Elective course options in semesters 2 and 3, however, offer the student considerable freedom to specialize and influence the composition of course contents.

First semester:

  • GOV351 Understanding Global Challenges (10 ECTS)
  • GOV352 Researching Global Challenges (10 ECTS)
  • GOV353 Qualitative Methods (10 ECTS)

Second semester:

  • GOV321 Quantitative Methods (10 ECTS)
  • Elective courses in a chosen area of specialization (10 ECTS) *
  • GOV355 Conceptualizing Global Challenges (10 ECTS)

Third semester:

  • One of the following:

    • GOV371 Internship (30 ECTS)
    • GOV372 Self-organized Course and courses across UiB study programs (for a total of 30 ECTS, of which the self-organized course can cover 10 ECTS)
    • Mobility/Study Abroad (30 ECTS)

Fourth semester:

  • GOV380 Masters thesis (30 ECTS)

* Elective courses in second semester must be chosen across the department's two master programs. The portfolio of master level elective courses at the Department of Government is subject to change and will vary over time.

Study period abroad

Third semester for a total of 30 ECTS, optional

Teaching and learning methods

Project-based learning is at the core of the program. It aligns the learning outcomes in terms of conceptual-analytical knowledge and skills with the student's ability to understand, analyze and discuss real-world problems. The students will learn to conceptualize the politics and governance of global challenges in an informed manner, design projects in that area and justify methodological choices, and communicate findings and policy recommendations to diverse audiences (scholarly and policy world).

The first semester introduces students to the issue of global challenges and to the project-based learning approach, through a mandatory theory course and a mandatory research design course specific to the program. Students will also start their mandatory advanced qualitative methods training.

The second semester continues with advanced quantitative methods training, a choice of elective state of the art courses offered at the department, and the second program-specific theory course. Towards the end of the second semester, the student will be assigned a mentor/supervisor who will tentatively serve as a contact point with the department through the third semester and as a master thesis supervisor in the fourth semester.

The third semester allows considerable choice and flexibility for the student, where an internship, self-organized course and choices from the UiB portfolio of master courses, or study abroad are all possible options. The fourth semester is reserved for working on the master thesis.

Activities that the students will encounter during the four semesters include

  • Lectures
  • Guest lectures, including by practitioners
  • Seminars
  • Workshops and tutorials
  • Blogposting by students on Politics and Governance of Global Challenges as a continued platform that connects cohorts and their learning results
  • Self-organized student conferences (including annual "Global Challenges Day")
  • Self-organized forms of learning
  • Project based learning

Assessment methods

Group and individual assignments, including:

  • Portfolio work in addition to classic essays
  • Reflection notes
  • Podcasts
  • Poster sessions
  • Policy briefs
  • Blog or vlog entries
  • Seminar presentations with handouts
  • A 30 ECTS master thesis

Grading scale

The courses that are part of the recommended study plan are graded with the scale A-F, with the exception of the internship and self-organized course (graded as pass/fail):

Diploma and Diploma supplement

Diploma/diploma supplements are issued upon completion of the program

Access to further studies

Employability

The program provides competence relevant for a wide range of careers, from working as public sector officials, to international NGO work, to research and academic careers. In particular, the program provides a relevant education for those seeking a career working with the grand challenges of our time, such as climate change, migration, inequality, health, food safety and more.

Evaluation

The programme is evaluated in accordance with the guidelines for quality assurance at UiB. Course and program evaluations can be found at kvalitetsbasen.uib.no. Evaluations will include assessments by course and program responsible staff, by peer review, and through student assessments.

A preliminary evaluation and according adjustments will be done after the program has completed it first two-year cycle after the 2022 reform of the program.

Programme committee

The programme committee is responsible for the contents and structure of the study, and for the quality of the study programme.

Administrative responsibility

The Department of Governemnt at the Faculty of Social Sciences has the administrative responsibility for the course and the study program.

Contact information

studieveileder.gov@uib.no