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This multidisciplinary programme is dedicated to the analysis of violent conflict and its management or resolution. During the programme you will explore questions like: what causes violent conflict? Is war legal? What can be done to reduce violent conflict? Is conflict always a bad thing? What is the role of international and civil society in managing and resolving destructive wars?
Overview
While the majority of the teaching takes place within the school of politics and international relations, you also have the option to take courses in international law, criminology and history. Depending upon your interests you will also have the option to explore a range of related topics such as sociology, philosophy, anthropology and economics, or focus on specific conflict-prone regions including Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Russia.
The University of Kent has a strong history in conflict analysis, hosting the longest running conflict research centre in the UK (Conflict Analysis Research Centre). We also have internationally renowned MA and PhD programmes in International Conflict Analysis. The War and Conflict Studies degree now offers undergraduate students the opportunity to take advantage of our world-leading expertise in this area.
Think Kent video series
The CIA’s Rendition, Detention and Interrogation (RDI) programme was established as part of the US-led ‘War on Terror’ for the apprehension and detention of terrorism suspects, in secret, so that they could be interrogated under torture. In this lecture, Professor Ruth Blakeley from the University of Kent explains how her team - The Rendition Project - compiled the most comprehensive account to date of the fate and whereabouts of each of those detained and tortured within the RDI programme.
Independent rankings
In the National Student Survey 2015, 92% of Politics students were satisfied with the overall quality of their course. Kent was ranked 5th in the UK for politics in The Guardian University Guide 2017. In The Times Good University Guide 2016 Politics at Kent was ranked 10th in the UK for graduate prospects.
Course structure
The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.
Teaching and assessment
Our main teaching methods are lectures, seminars, working groups, PC laboratory sessions and individual discussions with your personal tutor or module teachers. Assessment is through continuous feedback, written examinations, assessed essays and oral presentations.
Politics Open Forum
We hold a weekly extra-curricular Open Forum organised by our School research groups, where students and staff have the opportunity to discuss and debate key issues of the day that affect higher education and politics in the world today.
Programme aims
This programme aims to:
- offer a thematic pathway in areas and issues relating to the study of conflict, peace and security constructed in a progressive core, based on the strong offerings in the School of Politics and International Relations in the areas of conflict, war and peace
- offer a broad based approach to the study of conflict and security from the disciplines of history, anthropology, international law, sociology, political science and international relations. This will give students access to the key areas of conflict, peace and security offered by other schools of the University, enhancing the inter-disciplinary nature of the programme
- place questions of political and international order and decision-making at the centre of social-scientific analysis
- enable students to understand and use the concepts, approaches and methods of politics and international relations and to develop an understanding of their contested nature and the problematic character of inquiry in the discipline
- develop students' capacities to think critically about political and international events, ideas and institutions
- encourage students to relate the academic study of politics and international relations to questions of public concern
- provide a curriculum supported by scholarship, staff development and a research culture that promotes breadth and depth of intellectual enquiry and debate
- assist students to develop cognitive and transferable skills relevant to their vocational and personal development.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- key concepts, theories and methods used in the study of international relations, politics, strategic studies, history, criminology, international law and their application to the analysis of conflict and peace
- the study of war and peace in a historical context
- the political and social dynamics of interaction between people, events, ideas and institutions in the context of conflict and peace
- factors accounting for political change
- the normative and positive foundations of political ideas
- the reliance of international relations on knowledge from cognate disciplines
- the nature and significance of politics as a global activity
- the origins and evolution of the international political system, including contemporary changes underway
- different interpretations of world political events and issues.
Intellectual skills
You develop the following intellectual skills:
- gathering, organising and deploying evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and some primary sources
- identifying, investigating, analysing, formulating and advocating solutions to problems
- developing reasoned arguments, synthesising relevant information and exercising critical judgement
- reflecting on, and managing, your own learning and seeking to make use of constructive feedback from peers and staff to enhance your performance and personal skills
- managing your own learning self-critically.
Subject-specific skills
You gain the following subject-specific skills:
- understanding the nature and significance of conflict as a human and global activity
- the application of concepts, theories and methods used in the study of conflict, peace and security to the analysis of political ideas, institutions, practices and issues in the global arena
- evaluating different interpretations of world political events and issues
- describing, evaluating and applying different approaches to collecting, analysing and presenting issues in international relations
- developing knowledge of contending and comparative approaches to theories and concepts of international relations.
Transferable skills
You gain the following transferable skills:
- communication: communicating effectively and fluently in speech and writing (including, where appropriate, the use of IT); organising information clearly and coherently; using communication and information technology for the retrieval and presentation of information, including, where appropriate, statistical or numerical information
- information technology: producing written documents; undertaking online research; communicating using email; processing information using databases
- working with others: defining and reviewing the work of others; working co-operatively on group tasks; understanding how groups function; collaborating with others and contributing effectively to the achievement of common goals
- improving own learning: exploring personal strengths and weaknesses; time management; reviewing working environment (especially student-staff relationship); developing specialist learning skills (for example, foreign languages); developing autonomy in learning; working independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organisation
- problem-solving: identifying and defining problems; exploring alternative solutions and discriminating between them.
Careers
Through your study, you acquire many of the key qualities that graduate employers expect, including: the ability to plan and organise projects; to analyse and summarise complex material, and to express your opinions coherently and with sensitivity. Those students who choose to take advantage of our study abroad options find it gives them a definite advantage in the employment market.
Recent graduates have gone into areas such as teaching, publishing, practical politics, local and central government, the diplomatic service, EU administration, financial services, non-governmental organisations, journalism, international business or international organisations. Many have also gone on to postgraduate study.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | BBB |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | The university will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF;OCR) on a case by case basis please contact us via the enquiries tab for further advice on your individual circumstances. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 15 points at HL |
International students
The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.
Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2016/17 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | ||
| Part-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
The University of Kent is currently considering whether to increase its regulated full-time tuition fees for all returning Home and EU undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250 in September 2017. This would be subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses might also rise by 2.8%.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk
Funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Details of our proposed funding opportunities for 2016 entry can be found on our funding page.
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. For 2016 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our scholarships pages. Please review the eligibility criteria on that page.