Political Science (research)

Specialisation of: Political Science and Public Administration (research)
Degree: Master of Science in Political Science and Public Administration (research)
Mode of Study: Full-time
Duration: 2 years
Start date: September and February
Language of instruction: English
Location: Leiden
Croho/isat code: 60421
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As of September 2011 the research master’s in Political Science will be offered as a specialisation of the new research master’s in Political Science and Public Administration. In this interdisciplinary master’s students will be able to choose between a specialisation in political science or public administration, while also following courses in a combined curriculum.

A unique, two-year master’s programme designed for students willing to challenge themselves and take their studies to the next level: this is the Research Master (MSc) in Political Science and Public Administration. The programme offers you unsurpassed and thorough academic training that will provide useful no matter what your future career intentions are. A strong focus on skill development and the ability to conduct independent research are at the core of this research master, which features a selection of two specialisation tracks: Political Science or Public Administration.

Two Specialisations
Students can choose from two specialisations (tracks: Political Science or Public Administration). Please indicate your track of choice on the application form.

Prof. Andeweg

“The analytical skills we teach in this course are valuable assets in any career.”

“Leiden enjoys an excellent reputation internationally, particularly for research into the functioning of political institutions. Bibliometric research has shown that this department is judged to be one of the best in Europe. Since this is the only research master’s in Political Science in the Netherlands, we are pleased to receive students from all parts of the country. But we are also keen to position ourselves internationally, and the working language of this programme is therefore English. From our sister university Oxford, we have adopted the idea of a Replication Seminar for the research master’s programme. In such a seminar students are faced with a researcher who presents his recent research findings and brings his research material. The students are then asked to examine the research material; the question is whether they will come to the same conclusion. In this seminar the student is given the opportunity to dispute the findings of the researcher. This is very challenging for both parties.

Students frequently ask me whether they ought to take this research master’s if they are not yet sure whether they want to become a researcher. Of course, you don’t have to become a researcher. The analytical skills that we teach in this course are valuable assets in any career, and the same applies to the practical skills that we train, such as writing academic reports in English and giving presentations in English.

This is without doubt a demanding research master’s. Students who found the bachelor’s easy, will now have to work extremely hard. Evaluations indicate that students are stimulated by this challenge. Personally, I very much enjoy the two-way communication between students and lecturers in this programme.”