FAQs - MA

How often will I be on Campus?

We are unable to say exactly how often you will be need to be on campus for your postgraduate course. This depends on which modules you take, which seminar groups you are in and when they are scheduled. How your modules are spread across the year will determine how often you need to come in. 

Our formal policy is that teaching can take place any time between 9am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

 

When should I apply?

The last dates to apply can be found here. We generally recommend you apply as soon as you can. 

If you need a visa to study in the UK please make sure this is completed as soon as possible.

Can I still apply if my undergraduate degree is in a different discipline?

We welcome applications from a range of disciplines. If your undergraduate degree was not in Politics or International Relations we would recommend that your personal statement include points such as:

• How and why your undergraduate degree has prepared you to study a postgraduate degree in politics/ international relations
• Why you are interested in it as a discipline
• How this MA will help you with future career prospects

Who will be supervising my dissertation?

While we are unable to confirm the members of staff that will be undertaking dissertation supervision, you are welcome to start browsing our staff list to decide who you may want to be your supervisor. Once you arrive, our staff are happy for you to begin informal discussions on your dissertation topic.

You are able to state a preference for academic supervision, however, we cannot guarantee you will be assigned this academic. The department prioritises assigning supervision as far as possible on the basis of subject expertise. All of our supervisors are highly experienced with a range of expertise.

Is there any compulsory reading?

You are not required to do any reading before you start your Master's with us here in the Department. However, if you wanted to familiarise yourself with the subject or were interested in learning more about the course you are going to study, here is a list of recommended readings.

Can I audit or take extra modules?

We do not have the option available to audit additional modules, this is due to student numbers and room allocations. We do however often hold extra-curricular lectures and seminars, delivered by external speakers and academics in the department that are held in the department covering a multitude of topics across the discipline. All students are invited to attend.

Can I do online or distance learning?

All of our teaching is on campus and in-person. While we do not offer online teaching or learning, some of your tutors may offer online 1-1 sessions during their office hours. There are also some resources and lectures available online however these will not be updated or necessarily relate to your current teaching.

Are there any scholarships available?

The University of Sheffield offers a Sheffield 100+ Postgraduate scholarship that high achieving UK students are eligible for alongside other eligibility such as widening participation categories.

The university offers a range of international scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. Information on available internal and external scholarships is available here.

Part-Time FAQs 

How much are part-time fees?

Fees for most two-year part-time courses are 50% of the equivalent full-time course, for twice the number of years. The fee increases in subsequent years of study, usually in line with inflation.

Fee information for the year of entry you're currently considering can be found on our course pages.

How do part-time module choices work?

You will have core and optional modules to take in both years.  You will be able to choose when you do your optional modules to suit you.

Due to staff availability, modules may run in a different semester each year. You will be given the list of modules and which semester they are running in for the current year when you arrive. You will be able to choose them based on your interest and which time during the year you wish to take them.