MPhil/PhD programmes

Research areas

We are keen to attract students interested in pursuing postgraduate research, and we offer supervision for the degrees of PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) and MPhil (Master of Philosophy) across many areas of politics and international relations. Our internationally renowned research interests fall into two main clusters:

  • Globalisation and security
  • Citizenship and governance

These clusters bring together a variety of different concerns, some of which cut across International Relations, Comparative Politics and Political Theory as they are normally understood, whilst others are located within these traditional fields.

The list below provides a taster of those research interests, and an indication of the broad research topics that we would be particularly interested in supervising.

Researcher                       Research topic
Chris Armstrong       normative political theory; equality, citizenship and justice; global justice; gender theory
Russell Bentley

history of political thought; deliberation; citizenship
Tony Evans

human rights; globalisation; international relations
John Glenn

economic globalisation; successor states of the former Soviet Union; security studies; neo-realism and strategic studies
Darryl Howlett   

issues in contemporary arms control; global security; politics of the environment
Alexandra Kelso

British constitutional politics; Westminster & devolved parliaments; British government; British political parties; functioning of representative democracy; executive-legislative relations; British public policy and policy process
Andrew Mason

contemporary political philosophy, including theories of justice, especially the ideal of equal opportunity; the idea of citizenship; international ethics
Anthony McGrew

political economy of globalisation; international relations theory and globalisation; global governance; cosmopolitan international relations theory
David Owen European and Anglo-American social and political philosophy, particularly Nietzsche, Weber, Foucault and Frankfurt School; political theory beyond the state: asylum seekers and refugees; immigration; political membership; multiculturalism; transnational citizenship; democratic theory
Clare Saunders 

climate change and energy politics; social movements and protests; social networks
Graham Smith

democratic theory and practice; environmental politics; social economy and the third sector
Gerry Stoker

governance; democratic politics; local and regional governance; urban politics; public participation; public service reform

This list of research interests and areas of supervision is not exhaustive, and there may be other topics that staff may like to supervise. We encourage you to contact academic staff in your area of interest to discuss your ideas in more depth.

Our current PhD students are engaged in a wide range of research topics, as shown by the list of MPhil/PhD projects 

Aims of the MPhil/PhD programme

The degrees of PhD and MPhil are awarded to students who complete a programme of research, present the findings in a thesis, and defend it successfully in an oral examination. The object of such research is to examine a single area or problem in depth, under the supervision of an experienced member of staff, as a training programme in advanced research. It is expected that you will also acquire a rounded, overall knowledge of aspects of political science related to your proposed topic and undergo training in a variety of research methods. Teaching opportunities on our undergraduate programmes may also be available.

To enter a research programme you must be well qualified, able and willing to work on your own over long periods, and capable of relating your research findings in such ways as to extend the body of theoretical knowledge open to other students and scholars.

Funding opportunities

We are recognised by the ESRC for the award of '1+3' and '+3' studentships. Further information can be found in the Funding section.