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MA/PgDip/CertHE
European Policy Studies (Public Administration, Lobbying, Law, Research and Political Economy)*

Location
Southwark

The programme is centred in London but has been developed in cooperation with colleagues in Berlin and Paris. Depending on your competence, career choices and linguistic background, the programme offers you the chance to take different routes in achieving your Masters title: for some there is the fundamental choice of 2 semesters in English in London followed by the dissertation. Equally, using European credit transfers, students may take the French-English route which is London and Paris-based. For those with German, 1 semesters work can be completed using distance learning.

Duration
1 year (full-time)
2 years (part-time) plus dissertation

London – Southwark campus, Paris, Brussels, Berlin. The French semesters are normally associated with full-time study. The German semester work and distance learning (state recognised) normally involves participation in a limited number of weekend seminars in Berlin.

Start date
September

Number of places
30

Simple timetable info
Monday am and pm teaching plus evening and typically Tuesday and Wednesday 4–8pm

How to apply
Direct to LSBU

Course contacts
Dr Richard Rooke
Programme Director
rookera@lsbu.ac.uk – 020 7815 5817
Haydrol Hanson
hansonh@lsbu.ac.uk – 020 7815 5738

Course units

– Decision Making in the EU

– Political Economy of the EU

– Comparative Analysis: Europe

– EU Law

– EU Asylum Policy

– Computer Methods for Research (SPSS)

– Statistics, Databases and Quantitative Analysis

– Researching the Agenda

– Work Placement Research (option)

– European Union Law

*subject to revalidation


Course description

Focusing on the development of European Politics and Policy, this programme examines EU responses to a changing world and its impact on comparative policy issues including media, welfare, policing and crime, Eastern Europe, international affairs, European public policy decision making, and, in line with the latest ESRC advice, a fundamental grounding in research methods including quantitative analysis and graduate level research skills such as the use of IT programmes: SPSS, database and statistical analysis and PowerPoint presentation competence.


The semester work, based in London, establishes an understanding of the European institutions, politics, and economies, and public and social policy. Following the London-based programme, you may transfer to the Faculté Leonard de Vinci, Paris La Defense, for a second semester, conducted mostly in English (though French conversational level would be an advantage). Here the emphasis is more on the functional, business side of European policy with an investigation of industrial strategy the financial and monetary environment, law and the lobbying process. During this period a training scheme (work placement) is available and integrated into the programme. To assist our grasp of European public policy there are seminars in Brussels associated with working European consultants and colleagues from the University of Brussels. Following the German route encompasses vocational skills in European budgeting and European policy management on such matters as structural funds. This attracts working civil servants and locl government officers.

Progression from the PgDip on to the

MA requires the completion of the research methods units and a 15,000 word dissertation. Teaching and learning methods include lectures, interactive seminars, and group work. E-learning support for relevant units is well developed.

Career opportunities

This course opens many career paths in both the public and private sectors including opportunities in: European policy making institutions, European political parties, European consultancies, research, auditors, European media and European business and management control.

Typical background of applicant

Your qualifications/professional experience should be in Arts or Human Sciences, Business disciplines but equally Law, Linguistics and Engineering have been common paths in the past decade. Applicants will also need to demonstrate the necessary language skills where appropriate.

Professional contacts/industry links

Additionally, the programme also features a work-based research unit in London, Paris, and Brussels and further abroad; students have worked in the USA and Japan for example. This is founded on a supervised placement scheme.

Recent guest lecturers

– Paul Henley, BBC Broadcaster

– Emmanuelle Ortoli, Confrontations, Cultural Values in the EU