Peace, Conflict and Development MA

Overview

The MA in Peace, Conflict and Development Studies provides an advanced understanding of the inter-relationships between conflict, development, security, and governance in developing, fragile, transitional and/or conflict affected regions and countries. You’ll gain the understanding and skills you need to pursue or develop a career in what is now a major area for international, national and local policy and practitioner communities. You’ll be equipped to work across many sectors including:

• international development
• conflict prevention and peace building
• post-conflict recovery
• humanitarian aid
• natural resource management

You will have the opportunity to design your own pathway through the programme - you might, for example, decide to focus on a particular thematic area or region of the world. The programme will provide enhanced training and engagement with widely used policy and practitioner analytical tools and models, enabling you to develop your skills and employability. The programme is delivered by the Department of Peace Studies and International Development, which maintains an international reputation as a centre for excellence in research, teaching, training and policy engagement. This means your teaching will not only be research-informed, but also delivered by staff who are well positioned to facilitate policy and practitioner community engagement.

As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, we have been gathering memories and reflections from our large and diverse community of alumni. These will give you a good sense of the many things students take away from our programmes and the diversity of pathways they follow after their studies. Take a look at our memories and reflections.

Career prospects

Students will benefit from practical skills-based training as well as academic education, in relation to engagement with key contemporary policy and programme debates of the key international and national organisations involved in peace, conflict and development. They will benefit from the strong international engagement of the relevant teaching staff in these debates, and the networks that these bring.

The MA in Peace, Conflict and Development Studies combines theoretical and academic debates on these interrelationships with examinations of the relevant policy and programming issues, so it is relevant for decision-makers and stakeholders within developing, fragile or conflict-affected countries and for those concerned with international aid and assistance.

Our postgraduate politics courses were ranked 2^nd in the UK for employability in the 2018 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES).

Career support

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.