Degrees Offered: Master of Social Sciences (MSocSc)
Length of Study: Four semesters - 2 calendar years
Program Overview
Master’s program in Social Sciences (MSocSc) specializing in Transformation in South Caucasus offers an interdisciplinary curriculum that includes courses from political science, international relations, economics and sociology. The curriculum takes an integrated approach by combining theoretical and applied courses. Taught MSocSc program takes four semesters (2 calendar years) to complete. In the Fall Semester, starting at the beginning of October, and in the Spring Semester, starting in late February, the students take 15-week-long courses and are required to earn a total of 70 ECTS over the two semesters (including 10 ECTS for research seminars).
The two semesters devoted to coursework are followed by an internship period in the Fall, when the students are required to undergo intensive on-job training at the government agencies, local NGOs/think tanks, research institutes or international organizations (20 ECTS). In the fourth semester the students work closely with their research supervisor to prepare MA thesis. Theses must feature the students' own research, and be defended in late February (30 ECTS).
Focus of the program
The MSocSc curriculum is divided into the three groups of courses: The first group of courses gives to the students theoretical knowledge that is applicable for the analysis of social, political and economic transformation processes in the emerging democracies. These courses include Political Identity and Nation State, Policy Analysis of Development, Foreign Policy Analysis, Political Economy of International Relations and Politics of the European Union. The second group of courses focuses on national and international dimensions of post-soviet transformation and includes Economies in Transition, International and Interregional Relations, and Soviet and Post-Soviet History. The third group of courses is designed to help students advance research skills in social sciences and communicate its results. These include: Academic Writing, Methods for Policy Research and Analysis, Qualitative and Quantitative Methods and Presentation Skills/Public Speaking.
Program’s benefits
Successful completion of the program will enable students to integrate the knowledge of major theoretical approaches to economic, social and political transformation with applied research and communications skills. Thus, the program will prepare future practitioners who plan to become researchers, policy-makers, civil servants, professionals working for national and local representative bodies and non-profit organizations.
Program materials
