In the opening weeks of the module, students will attend taught sessions in which some principles of independent research projects will be introduced and/or reinforced, including:

Performing a literature search

Devising a research question

Devising a research methodology

Planning a research project

Planning a dissertation structure

Exemplar subjects for a dissertation project include:

•The Origins of the Ukraine War
•The Future of the South China Sea
•Aviation in International Law
•Reassessing Political Realism
•The European Union since 2014
•Human Rights after Trump

Formative Assessment:

You will be assessed on a formative basis regularly in the early weeks of the module on the ongoing development of your dissertation’s research question and methodology.

Assessment 1: Employability Framework

You will produce a short CV-style document which includes your findings and achievements across the MA.

Assessment 2: Dissertation

You will produce a piece of extended prose investigating a particular research question which has been developed yourself in collaboration with your academic supervisor.

Assessment 3: Reflective Examination

You will sit a short classroom examination on the development and final content of your dissertation assessment.

The dissertation module will bring together all the skills and theoretical knowledge you have acquired over the course of the MA and filter them into a single extended piece of prose. The first half of the module will involve weekly lectures, seminars and group work in which you will be guided through the principles of independently designing and executing a piece of original research in international relations. In the second half of the module, you will be asked to perform that original research on an independent basis, albeit with regular tutorial sessions with your academic dissertation supervisor.

1. Apply the theories and methodologies of international relations to a collaboratively defined research question pertinent to contemporary, transdisciplinary real-world international challenges.

Critical Reasoning & Collaboration

2. Undertake a piece of independent original research in the field of international relations.

Research skills

3. Map your learning to professional expectations on the real-world labour market.

Professional Development & Entrepreneurship

4. Critically reflect on the development of your knowledge through conducting research and discuss the limitations of your research.

Reflection

Christopher Lamont and Mieczyslaw P. Boduszynski, (2025) Research Methods in Politics and International Relations 2nd Ed.

Huddleston et al (eds), Handbook of Research Methods in International Relations, 2022

Luigi Curini & Robert Franzese (eds), (2020) The SAGE Handbook of Research Methods in Political Science and International Relations

The dissertation module provides an exciting opportunity for you to undertake an in-depth study on a topic that you choose for yourself. You will be helped to develop your topic and academic methodology through a series of group sessions and tutorials with your dissertation supervisor.