The US is the sole superpower of our multi-polar world and a vital force in international politics. Yet its global dominance is being challenged and domestically it is riven by competition and contentious personalities and debates. This course invites you to delve into the changing place of the US in the world, explore the personalities and power behind the Oval Office, and examine the impact of the iconic civil rights movement on American politics and culture. Conduct research alongside our leading political scientists as you refine your debating skills and analyse contemporary issues. With these skills, you'll be ready to pursue a range of careers in government, foreign affairs and international organisations.<br>The MA/MRes in Politics and International Relations has a pathway structure, allowing you to gain knowledge and understanding of the key elements of the discipline and giving you the opportunity to focus on the topics, questions, and issues that interest you the most. We have pathways in US Politics, Middle East Politics, Politics, International Relations, and Global Security. Whichever pathway you choose, you will be taught by academic staff who are experts and have long-standing reputations within these areas.<br><br>The US Politics pathway enables you to analyse and understand developments and challenges in one of the most fascinating political systems in the world. The US is still widely considered the planet's sole superpower, but it is increasingly wrestling with its changed status in a multi-polar world. Meanwhile, its domestic politics are characterised by ever-growing polarisation and division. Players in Washington DC and in statehouses vie for power in more and more forceful ways. The media reflects a coarser and more strident form of politics and the American public is increasingly split and frustrated.<br><br>Our modules focus on all of these issues and more, so that we can make sense of how the US is navigating its way in the changing international context, how social tensions have developed and what can be done to calm them, how phenomena like Donald Trump has evolved, and how extraordinary policies are created.<br><br>You will take core modules which explore the key philosophies and approaches to the study of Politics and International Relations, and the ways in which research in the field is designed and conducted. <br><br>You will then select five (on the MRes) or six (on the MA) optional modules, and can tailor your studies based on your interests. You will have the opportunity to take modules on US politics specifically, as well as other broader modules that consider the role of the US in international relations, diplomacy, security, human rights, development, and global environmental policy. There are also opportunities to study modules on subjects beyond the US, including Europe or the Middle East.<br><br>Finally, the dissertation offers you the chance to further pursue your particular interest in US Politics, giving you opportunity to examine a topic of your own choosing in considerable depth.