Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution MA

Program Overview

The MA in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution at the University of Bradford equips students with a comprehensive understanding of conflict dynamics and peacebuilding practices. Through a diverse curriculum and practical elements, students develop essential knowledge and skills for ethical and effective engagement in conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts in various contexts. The program offers opportunities for specialization and study visits, enhancing employability in the growing field of peace and humanitarian work.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The MA in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution is offered by the internationally recognized Department of Peace Studies and International Development at the University of Bradford. The program draws on over 50 years of experience as a leading center of peace research and education. The program aims to develop students' understanding of the causes and dynamics of conflict and violence in various settings. It supports students in making informed judgments about when and how to engage constructively with conflict. Students will weigh the strengths and limitations of different approaches to intervention and consider critical questions surrounding efforts to build peace in different contexts. Through a diverse program of study, including a significant applied, practical element, students will develop knowledge and competencies essential to effective, ethically aware, and reflective practice within conflict engagement and peacebuilding practice - locally, nationally, or internationally.

Outline:

First Year

Core Modules:

• Applied Conflict Research
• Theories and Practices of Conflict Resolution
• Creative Practice in Conflict Engagement and Peacebuilding
• Dissertation

Option Modules:

• African Politics and Security Dynamics
• Critical Perspectives on Sustainable Development
• Security and Development in Fragile and Conflict Affected Areas
• Social-Ecological Systems and Crises
• Studying Peace in a Changing World
• Policy Analysis for Governance and Development
• African Politics and Security Dynamics
• Africa Study Visit
• Environment, Trafficking, and Crime; Transnational Issues and International Governance
• Gender, Conflict, and Development
• Middle East Politics and Security Dynamics
• Natural Resource Governance
• Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
• Sustainable Cities
• Terrorism and Political Violence
• University Semester 1 Elective
• University Semester 2 Elective

Placement Year

Students can choose to include an internship as part of their course, in which case they will study over 15 months rather than a year. To do this, students should initially register for the one-year program and then transfer to the 15-month program when they have secured a placement, any time up until the middle of Semester 2. The internship/placement further enhances the development of professional experience and practical skills during the Masters program, integrating practitioner community engagement with academic studies.

Assessment:

Assessment methods vary and include traditional assignments (essay-type tasks) alongside more competency-based assessment through tasks such as reports, policy briefs, case study analyses, oral and audio-visual presentations, and reflective notes. The program culminates with the research and preparation of a Dissertation project on a subject of the student's choice, related to the program's aims and learning objectives. This is a major opportunity for students to produce a substantial scholarly analysis of a specialist area of interest and demonstrate an advanced understanding of relevant policy and practitioner agendas and debates.

Teaching:

The program uses various innovative approaches to teaching, learning, and assessment to enable students to actively engage with the key concepts and syllabus and develop not only their academic knowledge and understanding but also their skills and experience for the worlds of policy, practice, and employment. This includes the high-profile Africa Study Visit to an African country recovering from conflict (which can be taken as an assessed element of the program) or other further voluntary study visits to Northern Ireland, Hiroshima, or major locations of International Organizations, such as The Hague, Brussels, and London. Students will also have opportunities to participate in an extended 'crisis response game' or the international 'Model United Nations' simulation game.

Careers:

There is an increasing demand for professional education relating to careers in peace and humanitarian work internationally. Graduates will develop the skills required by employers in this area, such as conflict analysis, leadership, and decision-making, making them highly employable. The program is also designed to meet the needs and expectations of early/mid-career professionals looking to take the next step in their career.

• The program is offered full-time or part-time.
• The program start dates are September or January.
• The program location is the City Campus.

Home: £7,938 International: £20,468