Overview

Democracy is in crisis. Authoritarianism is on the rise, societies are divided and democratic resilience is being tested. In the UK and across the globe, democratic governments struggle to manage the effects of severe economic inequality, affective polarisation, digital misinformation and climate change.

On this course, you’ll study the political challenges arising from recent social and global changes. Key themes you’ll explore include:

populism and authoritarianism
affective polarisation and the role of emotions in politics
capitalism and social inequality
climate change
media, technology and post-truth
social movements, protest mobilisation and radical democracy
democratic innovations and citizens participation
strategies to improve how democracies respond and adapt to challenges.

You’ll be part of a vibrant community of students and researchers. The Sussex Politics Department is home to two well respected research centres – the Sussex European Institute and the Centre for the Study of Corruption. If you are particularly interested in economics, you’ll also benefit from our links with the Centre for Global Political Economy based in our School of Global Studies. You can also join guest lectures, research workshops and alumni and employer events.

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Programme Structure

Courses include:

Social Movements and Radical Democracy
Making Democratic Politics Resilient
State Capture and Grand Corruption
Democracy and Public Policy

Check out the full curriculum

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Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months
Part-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-29 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-01 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-09-01 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

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Credits

180 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Brighton, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Political Science View 326 other Masters in Political Science in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

You must submit a personal statement as part of your application.

Make sure you meet all requirements

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Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

23500 GBP / year

≈ 23500 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

11250 GBP / year

≈ 11250 GBP / year

Living costs

Brighton

United Kingdom

815 - 1383 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Check for any work restrictions

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Contemporary Democratic Politics.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

On this course, you’ll study the political challenges arising from recent social and global changes. Key themes you’ll explore include:

Get more details

Programme Structure

Check out the full curriculum

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

Explore more key information

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Make sure you meet all requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Living costs

Brighton

Funding

Check for any work restrictions

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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