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PhD Political Science and International Studies
For 2025-2026 UK Full time: £4,921* Part time: £2,461 International students Full time: £22,110 More Fees and funding details.
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The Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS) offers a vibrant and inclusive research culture.
POLSIS has established itself as a centre of excellence in political science, political economy, comparative politics, political theory, international, international relations theory and security and conflict. Our research is concentrated around various research groups and research clusters which carry out a series of collaborative research activities.
Undertaking a PhD in Political Science and International Studies, you will have the opportunity to conduct original research under the guidance of academic supervisors within an active research environment, leading to an 80,000 word thesis. You will take a number of research training modules in your first year and may attend further courses offered by the Department or the University that enhance your personal discipline-specific and transferable skills.
POLSIS is part of the School of Government, one of the leading UK and international centres for governance, politics, international development, and public management. As one of the largest Schools of Government, in the United Kingdom, it is home to more than 80 full-time academic staff, more than 1,200 undergraduate and taught postgraduate students, and more than 70 doctoral researchers.
The School of Government offers much more than a degree. As a doctoral student here, you have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of research events with staff and other doctoral students, including a PGR Colloquium and departmental speaker series. In addition, an individual training plan is drawn up to meet the needs of each student, covering coursework and skills development. As such, completing this research degree will cultivate specialist knowledge in your field and professional skills for a range of career settings.
We are able to supervise a wide range of topics, in line with the research interests of our staff. We are particularly interested in receiving applications on themes that fit with our research groups:
- Asian Politics
- British Politics
- European Studies
- Gender and Feminist Theory
- International Relations and Security Theory
- Parties, Voters and Elections
- Political Economy
- Political Theory
Applications to study for a research degree on either a full- or part-time basis are welcomed.
Further information
- POLSIS Doctoral research page
- Guidance on preparing a research proposal
- Doctoral Research Scholarships and funding
Doctoral Research Student Administration Tel: +44 (0)121 414 3497, Email: [email protected]
Research degree fees 2025 - 2026
- Full time £4,921 (UK)
- Full time £22,110 (International students Band D)
- Part time £2,461 (UK)
*Research fees also apply to combined research and taught programmes unless otherwise indicated.
Learn more about fees
Scholarships and studentships
Scholarships may be available, please contact the Department directly.
College and School opportunities are advertised on jobs.ac.uk and some supervisors use ' Find a PhD ' which provides information about opportunities to conduct doctoral research. We also nominate our strongest applicants for studentships supported by the ESRC-funded Midlands Doctoral Training Partnership , of which we are one of the principal institutional partners. International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government. Explore our Postgraduate scholarship and funding database
How To Apply
- How to apply
To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.
Our Standard Requirements
For doctoral programmes you require a good Honours degree (UK high upper second; USA GPA 3.40), and a good research proposal.
Learn more about entry requirements and see our Guidance for applying for a PhD .
International Requirements
For entry to a PhD programme, any of the following Masters equivalent programmes with a minimum grade of 8/10 will be considered: - Kandidat i Shkencave (Candidate of Sciences) - Certifikate Specializimi (Specialisation Certificate) - Diplomë e Nivelit të Dytë (Second Level (University) Diploma) - Master i Arteve të Bukura (Master of Fine Arts) - Master i Nivelit të Dytë (Second Level Master's degree ) - Master i Nivelit të Parë (First level Master's degree) - Master Shkencave (Master of Science)
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Argentina
Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent
Applicants who hold a Masters degree will be considered for admission to PhD study.
Holders of a good four-year Diplomstudium/Magister or a Masters degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Azerbaijan
Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.
For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Botswana
Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.
Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.
Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Brazil
A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:
- A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
- A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Brunei
Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Holders of a good post-2001 Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Cameroon
Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Canada
Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Chile
Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from China
Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.
Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , Shanghai Ranking 2024 (full table) and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2024
需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ， 软科中国大学排名2024（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2024 。
Business School (excluding MBA) and School of Computer Science programmes 商学院 （ MBA除外） 及计算机学院硕士 课程入学要求
* Applicants from Group 4 institutions are only considered for the following 7 programmes
来自第四类院校的申请人仅限于申请以下7个课程：
- MSc Financial Management
- MSc Investments
- MSc Financial Technology
- MSc Economics
- MSc Financial Economics
- MSc Money, Banking and Finance
- MSc Computer Science
All other programmes (including MBA) 所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求
Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements.
如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室 [email protected]
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Colombia
Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Costa Rica
Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Cuba
Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below. Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, or a GPA of 3 out of 4, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Holders of a good Bakalár from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), or a good post-2002 Magistr (Masters), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Denmark
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters/ Magisterkonfereus/Magister Artium degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Ecuador
Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Egypt
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Estonia
Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B, or a good one- or two-year Magistrikraad from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Ethiopia
Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Finland
Holders of a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 4/5, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from France
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters/Maîtrise with a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, or a Magistère / Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies / Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Specialisées / Mastère Specialis, from a recognised French university or Grande École to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Georgia
The following qualifications may be considered for entry to a Masters programme: Bachelor degree - Transliteration: Bakalavris Khariskhi Diploma in Dentistry / Medicine / Veterinary Medicine) Certified Specialist - Transliteration: Diplomirebuli Spezialisti (when studied for 4 years) (awarded between 2005 and 2010) Specialist Diploma - Transliteration: Umaghlesi Ganatlebis Diplomi (last awarded in 2005) For qualifications awarded 2005 onwards, a B or 81-90/100 can be considered equivalent to a 2.1, and a C or 71-80/100 can be considered equivalent to a 2.1.
For qualifications awarded before 2005 on a grading scheme out of 5, the following equivalencies may be considered: 2.1 = 4.5 - 4.9, and 2.2 = 4.0 – 4.49
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Germany
Holders of a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5, or a good two-year Lizentiat / Aufbaustudium / Zweites Staatsexamen or a Masters degree from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Ghana
Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Greece
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, from a recognised Greek university (AEI), and will usually be required to have completed a good Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis (Masters degree) from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Guatemala
4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2. Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.
Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Hungary
Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés or Egyetemi Oklevel from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 3.5, or a good Mesterfokozat (Masters degree) or Egyetemi Doktor (university doctorate), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from India
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Indonesia
Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Iran
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Israel
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution, with 100 out of 110 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Ivory Coast
Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from Jamaica
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from japan.
Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.
Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.
Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees. Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.
Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50
Holders of a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10, or a post-2000 Magistrs, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 16/20 or 80% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.
Holders of a good pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, or a good post-2001 Magistras, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes
Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, or a Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées (comparable to a UK PGDip) or Masters degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).
Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.
Holders of a good Bachelors degree from the University of Malta with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons), and/or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).
Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.
Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Holders of a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10, and/or a good Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters, Mastergrad, Magister. Artium, Sivilingeniør, Candidatus realium or Candidatus philologiae degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0/4 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.
Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters. Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.
Holders of the Bachiller, Licenciado, or Título Profesional with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.
Holders of a good pre-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4 out of 5, dobry ‘good’, and/or a good Swiadectwo Ukonczenia Studiów Podyplomowych (Certificate of Postgraduate Study) or post-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus 'better than good', will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, and/or a good Mestrado / Mestre (Masters) from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree/Diploma de Master/Diploma de Studii Academice Postuniversitare (Postgraduate Diploma - Academic Studies) or Diploma de Studii Postuniversitare de Specializare (Postgraduate Diploma - Specialised Studies) to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Holders of a good Диплом Специалиста (Specialist Diploma) or Диплом Магистра (Magistr) degree from recognised universities in Russia (minimum GPA of 4.0) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/PhD study.
Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.
Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2
Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.
Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.
Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’, and/or a good Inžinier or a post-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10, and/or a good Diploma specializacija (Postgraduate Diploma) or Magister (Masters) will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).
Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Entry requirements for applicants with qualifications from South Korea
Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.
Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 7 out of 10 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Holders of a good "PostGraduate Certificate" or "PostGraduate Diploma" or a Masters degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) may be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0, 3.5/5 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.
Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.
Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for entry to our postgraduate research programmes.
Holders of a good Masters degree or Mphil from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.
Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:
- Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
- De La Salle University - Manila
- University of Santo Tomas
- University of the Philippines - Diliman
Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.
Grading Schemes
1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25
Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5
Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%
Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study. Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.
Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.
Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.
Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0
Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree / Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.
The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:
- 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement
- 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.
Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.
Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1. Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification
Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level. Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.
Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.
Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.
International Students
You can satisfy our English language requirements in two ways:
- by holding an English language qualification to the right level - IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band
- by taking and successfully completing one of our English courses for international students
Research within the School of Government is aligned to one of three departments and Institutes:
The Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS)
Dr Columba Achilleos-Sarll Feminist and post/decolonial theory; the Women, Peace and Security agenda; civil society and advocacy; visual global politics.
Dr David Bailey Protest, critical political economy and contemporary capitalism
Dr Stephen Bates British politics; Parliamentary Studies (in comparative perspective or focused on the UK Parliament).
Dr Tendayi Bloom Noncitizenship; Statelessness; Migration governance.
Dr Verena K. Brändle Digital democracy; social media and politics; European politics; border and migration studies; political communication
Dr Sarah Bufkin Racism and racialization; Black Atlantic political thought; Critical Theory; Cultural Studies.
Professor Peter Burnham Restructuring of the state in the global political economy; State theory and radical theories of IPE; Marx and contemporary Marxism; Economic policy and capitalist crisis.
Dr Mwita Chacha Regional integration; International cooperation; Politics of coups d’état; Public opinion.
Dr Licia Cianetti Democracy and institutional change; democratic regression; inclusion and exclusion from policymaking processes; cities and local democracy.
Dr Laurence Cooley Politics of deeply divided societies (especially Northern Ireland and Bosnia and Herzegovina); post-conflict power-sharing; politics of the census and identity categorisation.
Professor David Cutts Political and electoral behaviour; Party campaigning turnout; Civic engagement; Populist parties; Social media and politics.
Dr May Darwich International Relations Theory and the Middle East; Foreign policies of Middle Eastern states; Identity politics in the Middle East; Security policies in the Middle East.
Professor David Dunn US foreign and security policy; Strategic and security studies, and diplomacy and statecraft.
Dr Rita Floyd Ethics of emergency politics, theories of security (especially securitization theory), the English school and environmental security.
Dr Guiditta Fontana Peace processes and war-to-peace transitions. The design of peace accords, Powersharing and Reform of cultural and educational institutions in conflict-affected societies. Multi-method research designs. Politics of Lebanon, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia.
Dr Emma Foster Environmental politics; gender/sexuality and international relations; gender/sexuality and international relations.
Dr Charlotte Galpin European and national identities; European public sphere and media; Euroscepticism, EU citizenship and social movements; The role of Germany or Britain in Europe; Brexit; Gender and feminist approaches to these topics.
Dr Julie Gilson Japanese foreign policy; East Asian regionalism and institutions; Asia-Europe and Japan-Europe relations; Civil society in Asia; Climate change and environmentalism in Asia.
Dr Ruben Gonzalez-Vicente South-South relations; Global China; the political economy of development, especially in Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean; critical political economy; political geography.
Dr Tim Haughton Contemporary politics of Central and Eastern Europe; Political campaigning; Party politics; Electoral politics.
Dr Laura Jenkins Feminist political theory; Contemporary political theory and British politics.
Dr Deema Kaneff Resources and Social Change; Postsocialist transformations and global capitalism; Property relations; Markets and moralities; Transnational migration, Social exclusion and inequalities. (Europe, Eastern Europe, Bulgaria and Ukraine)
Dr Peter Kerr British politics; State theory and theories of social and political change; UK party politics and party modernisation; Political leadership and governing strategies in the UK; Citizenship and political participation and political sociology.
Dr George Kyris International conflict, conflict management and resolution; International organisations, especially the European Union; State recognition; Statehood and sovereignty; Secession; unrecognised/ de facto states.
Professor René Lindstädt American Politics; Political Institutions; Accountability; Representation; Legislative politics and institutions; Elections; Political methodology
Dr Huw Macartney International or Comparative Political Economy; Banking and financial market governance; Globalisation, and historical materialism.
Dr Cerwyn Moore Political violence; international relations theory; Post-Soviet and post-communist security; Interpretive approaches to global politics and Chechnya.
Dr Richard North Any area of contemporary political philosophy, but particularly on justice and liberal and democratic political philosophy.
Dr Julian Panke European Union Politics; European Neighbourhood Policy; German foreign policy and Eastern European foreign policies (Poland, Slovakia).
Professor Patrick Porter The interaction of power and ideas in the making of foreign and defence policy in the U.S. and U.K, and in shaping their conflicts, classical realism, strategic thought and great power diplomacy.
Dr Adam Quinn US ‘grand strategy’; American national identity; American foreign and security policy; Ideological contest in American politics (contemporary and historical).
Dr Robert Ralston International Security; Civil-Military Relations; Grand Strategy.
Dr Richard Shorten Political theory, ideology, and rhetoric; fascism, Marxism and totalitarianism; reactionaries and conservatives; the political thought of Hannah Arendt, Albert Camus and George Orwell; intellectual politics of the Cold War.
Dr Asaf Siniver International mediation and conflict resolution; The politics, diplomacy and history of the Arab-Israeli conflict; The Israeli-Palestinian peace process; Contemporary US foreign policy and Foreign Policy Analysis.
Dr Nicola Smith Gender and sexuality; Feminist political economy; Queer theory; Biopolitics; Body politics; Sex Work; Obesity; Austerity.
Dr Graham Timmins Areas related to the external relations and foreign policy role of the European Union with specific reference to EU-Russia and German-Russian relations.
Dr Tsering Topgyal Chinese foreign and security policy; Tibet and China’s Nationality Policy; Asia-Pacific security and politics; US-China relations; Sino-Indian relations and Security studies.
Dr Sevasti-Eleni Vezirgiannidou International Environmental Politics; Climate change politics; Environment and trade negotiations; Environmental Regime effectiveness and compliance and The trade-environment debate.
Dr Marco Vieira Rising powers and global order; South-South political cooperation/identity/institutions, South American/Latin American politics; Brazilian foreign policy and International relations theory.
Dr Yi Wang Memory politics; Nationalism and national identity; Contemporary China; International relations of East Asia; Political communication
Dr Robert Watt Military History, power and networks, Small Wars/Insurgencies; Native American History & Politics.
Professor Mark Webber NATO; transatlantic relations; European security; American, Russian and British foreign policy; Theories and practices of security
Dr Mark Wenman Continental philosophy; Contemporary political theory; The philosophy of the social sciences; The history of political thought.
Professor Nicholas Wheeler Trust-building between adversaries, especially nuclear armed states; Nuclear weapons and proliferation.
Professor Kataryna Wolczuk Politics of Russia and post-Soviet countries; EU’s Eastern policy, Russia’s policy towards the post-Soviet states; Regional integration in the post-Soviet space; Nationalism and national identities (across Europe and Eurasia).
Professor Stefan Wolff - Ethnic conflict, civil war, post-conflict state-building; Geopolitics and great-power rivalry; Central Asia, South Caucasus, Eastern Europe, Western Balkans, Middle East & North Africa.
Dr Christalla Yakinthou Conflict transformation, particularly post-settlement; Transitional justice both in theory and practice, and transitions in the MENA region; The relationship between constitutional design and transitional justice; Power sharing, Cypriot, Lebanese, and Tunisian politics and conflicts and the right to truth in international law and practice, and issues around enforced disappearance and missing people during conflict.
Dr Sotirios Zartaloudis European Union politics and policies; Migration in Europe; European politics; Discourse
The International Development Department (IDD)
Dr Sameen A. Mohsin Ali Bureaucratic politics; politics of development, donor engagement, and public sector reform; public health, especially with regard to vaccination; politics of South Asia (especially Pakistan)
Dr Philip Amis Urbanisation; Urban policy; Poverty and housing.
Not currently accepting new PhD supervision applications
Dr Danielle Beswick UK development policy, including parliamentary scrutiny and public engagement in this; UK Africa relations; The UK Conservative Party and development; Politics, identity and security in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Rwanda; Knowledge exchange between universities and legislatures.
Dr Brock Bersaglio The political ecology of biodiversity conservation, wild meat (including food sovereignty), and zoonotic disease in eastern/southern Africa; anti-, post- and settler colonial development studies
Dr Adrian Campbell Public and local government reform, especially in transitional states.
Professor Nic Cheeseman Elections and democratization; The formation of a social contract in new democracies; Power-sharing and the politics of inclusion; Populism and strategies of political mobilization; African political thought.
Dr David Cobley Disability-inclusive approaches to development, especially in the areas of poverty reduction, livelihood development, inclusive education and disaster risk reduction.
Dr Niheer Dasandi Politics of international development and foreign aid; development and human rights; politics of climate change and health; foreign policy and development
Dr Jonathan Fisher Authoritarianism and authoritarian rule; (in)security and conflict; international politics of aid and peacekeeping; particular interest in sub-Saharan Africa.
Professor David Hudson Politics of leadership and coalitions; public opinion, survey analysis, and experiments; migration decision making; network analysis.
Professor Paul Jackson Conflict and post-conflict reconstruction; security sector reform and international intervention; combatants, politics and social reintegration; peacebuilding; economic development.
Dr Chris Lyon Politics of development; political theory; democracy, participation, decentralisation; social justice; development ethics
Professor Heather Marquette The politics of development and foreign policy; Corruption, kleptocracy and organised crime; Anti-corruption/counter-organised crime strategies and interventions
Dr Claire McLoughlin State legitimacy; The politics of public service delivery; The role of ideas in development.
Dr Emeka Njoku Critical security studies; Terrorism and counter-terrorism; Nonprofit organisations; conflict-related gender/sexual violence; State-civil society relations; peacebuilding.
Professor Fiona Nunan Renewable natural resource governance, management and livelihoods in low- and middle-income countries, especially fisheries and coastal ecosystems and community-based or collaborative governance.
Dr Martin Ottmann Political economy of civil war and development, including peace processes and negotiated settlements; Power-sharing, resource redistribution, elections, and political trust after war. PhD applications relying on advanced statistical research methods, mixed-methods designs, and modern methods of causal inference are particularly welcome.
Dr Emily Scott Humanitarianism, health, and migration; international organisation (IOs) and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs); state-society relations, particularly in the Middle East; conflict and security; localization and the international politics of aid.
Dr Merisa Thompson Feminist political economy; food and agrarian studies; the politics of gender and development; histories of colonialism, particularly the Caribbean.
Dr Kailing Xie Contemporary Chinese society, Gender and reproductive politics, the politics of nation-building; Civil Society; governance beyond the state; collective memory and emotions; Chinese diaspora;feminist epistemologies and methodologies.
Department of Public Administration and Policy (DPAP)
Dr Koen Bartels Social innovation; Democratic innovation; Public encounters; Urban governance; Action research; Interpretive policy analysis; Communication; Practice theory; Relational public policy and administration.
Dr Karin Bottom The role of small parties; Comparative politics; Policy analysis; Elections and quantitative methodologies.
Dr May Chu Risk regulation; Collaborative governance; Food safety and sustainability
Dr Abena Dadze-Arthur Transfer and brokering of knowledge across cultural and institutional boundaries. Decolonizing, transforming, and indigenising approaches to public management and governance. The scientific study of subjectivity (Q Methodology)
Dr Stephen Jeffares Projects that draw on social media data to understand change or controversies in public policy.
Dr Timea Nochta Networks in governance and policy; Complexity; Smart cities, digitalisation and e-government; Climate change and net zero; Network analysis; Mixed methods
Dr Louise Reardon Multi-level governance; Policy networks; Agenda setting; Policy change; Policy implementation; Transport policy; Wellbeing and quality of life; Smart cities.
Dr Philip Whiteman Policy implementation studies; Central and local government relations; Regulation of local government; Local authority corporate management scrutiny; Public sector performance, procurement and efficiency; Public consultation and participation; Organisation dynamics.
If I gain a postgraduate research degree in this area, what are my career prospects?
Birmingham’s Political Science and International Studies graduates develop transferable skills that are useful in many occupations. These include familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large and diverse quantities of information; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; judging and evaluating complex information; and making reasoned arguments, both orally, in tutorials and presentations, and in written work. There are many careers where a political science and international studies degree is useful and past graduates have entered areas including commercial management, finance, administration, politics, and even the armed forces. Some of our PhD graduates also continue onto successful careers in academic research and teaching.
What type of career assistance is available to doctoral researchers in this department?
The College of Social Sciences, to which the Department of Political Science and International Studies belongs, has specially designated careers advisors and careers consultants who can provide guidance for doctoral researchers on career paths, CVs, training opportunities, application and interviews. The University’s central Careers’ Service also runs workshops and offers personally tailored advice and guidance including 1-1 careers advice, 1-1 CV advice. The Career’s Service also runs CV writing workshops especially for postgraduates in the College of Social Sciences, giving advice on how to compile CVs for both employment and for academic roles.
The University also has dedicated careers advisors for International students who run workshops and networking opportunities with potential employers. These are especially popular with International postgraduate researchers.
- Online chat events
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