Study location	United Kingdom, Colchester Campus
Type	Master courses, full-time
Nominal duration	1 year
Study language	English
Awards	MA

Tuition fee	To be confirmed

Entry qualification	Undergraduate diploma (or higher) A degree with an overall grade of 2.2. The entry qualification documents are accepted in any language

Language requirements	English Accepted proof of proficiency: Cambridge English, IELTS, TOEFL or other equivalent IELTS: 6.5 overall (with a minimum component score of 5.5) CAE: C

Other requirements	At least 1 reference(s) must be provided. Reference should be written on official letterhead, signed and dated. Please upload it in the Documents section. CV

More information	Expenses, accommodation, working etc. essex.ac.uk/..tercourse=PG00761&subgroup=1

Overview

MA Public Opinion and Political Behaviour explores the interaction between the mass public and political elites in advanced industrial democracies. You are introduced to the latest theoretical debates about the nature, significance and measurement of public opinion, exploring when and how these opinions translate into political participation, from voting behaviour and signing petitions to suicide bombing.

You also look at the main theoretical approaches in the study of politics, combined with a selection of optional modules including:

- Quantitative data analysis in political explanations
- Survey measurement and question design
- Political parties in Britain and Europe
- Measuring public opinion
- Democracies in Europe

Our Department of Government is one of the most prestigious in Europe, with an outstanding record of teaching, research and publication. We are rated top in the UK for research (REF 2014), and have consistently been the highest-rated politics department in the country since national assessments began.

Programme structure

Year 1

Political Explanation (optional)
Advanced Research Methods (optional)
Public Opinion and Political Behaviour
Theory and Explanation in Political Science
MA Dissertation
International Security Studies (optional)
Political Parties in Britain and Europe (optional)
Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
Environmental Politics (optional)
Theories of International Relations (optional)
Conflict Resolution (optional)
Political Economy (optional)
Political Theory (optional)
Research Seminar in Political Theory and Methods (optional)
Research Design (optional)
Comparative European Politics (optional)
Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
Survey Measurement and Question Design (optional)

Career opportunities

Our course can lead to a career in the polling industry, market research, British and European Politics or the private sector. You will develop key employability skills including analytical reasoning, survey design, polling, research design, and report writing.

Recent graduates have gone on to work for the following high-profile organisations:

The Civil Service
Local government
The World Bank
The United Nations
NATO
YouGov and YouGov America

We also offer supervision for PhD and MPhil in the following fields: government; ideology and discourse analysis; international relations; political behaviour; and politics.