MA Political Psychology

• Social Theory & Political Communication: This unit highlights the wider theoretical underpinnings of analysis of political communication and provides an introduction to the broader contextual and conceptual basis in which political communication is conducted. It considers the complex theoretical environment within which politics (political actors and political structures) communications (media actors, structures and technologies) and the public (including politics from below, e.g. activists and social movements) interact.
• The Psychodynamics of Emotion & Political Culture: This unit offers a new interdisciplinary perspective on the psycho-dynamics of contemporary political culture. The unit applies a psychosocial, interdisciplinary approach that draws on theories and methods in psychoanalysis, cultural and media studies and political sociology to explore the cultural and emotional processes that shape our relationship to politics in the late modern, media age.
• Methods of Inquiry in the Social Sciences & Humanities: This unit prepares you for the Final Project through an overview of the methods and processes of social science and humanities research and workshops in which you will consider the application of methods to your topics of interest.
• Psychosocial Perspectives on Contemporary Politics: This unit aims to review psychosocial approaches to contemporary political phenomena, (such as populism, “culture wars”, feminism, anti-racist struggle and environmental politics) while also placing them in cultural and historical contexts. Theoretical approaches to human subjectivity applied to case studies enable sophisticated contributions to debates about extremism, conflict and antagonism as well as democratic and egalitarian endeavours.
• The Psychology of Democracy: This unit provides an in-depth examination of the origins and factors that shape feelings and attitudes towards the institutions and processes within a democratic state. Covering the influence that political campaigns and media play, the unit analyses how our psychologies help to shape different forms and levels of participation in democratic life, from simple thinking about the news through to street activism.
• Final Project: You will choose your topic in consultation with academic staff, and will be guided in the application to a study of that topic of research findings and theoretical concepts from all the taught units. The project can be either a 15,000-word dissertation or a 10,000-word journal paper plus presentation.

Choose one of the following option units:

• Political Communication & Campaigning: This unit provides an overview and critical appraisal of the academic study of political marketing, campaigning and reporting in the context of a diversified and international media environment. Students will explore the historical development of political communication, by political parties, by mainstream media and via social media. We will discuss how politics is positioned, mediated, ‘sold’ and understood by the electorate.
• Public Diplomacy & International Relations: This unit offers a multi-disciplinary perspective on public diplomacy as an emerging field of study and practice at the intersection of international relations, communications, history, public relations and media studies. It applies theoretical, methodological and analytical skills to case-studies (e.g. wars, treaties, trade disputes, financial crises, pandemics) to explain their causes, and evaluate responses, policies, and support policy-making, drawing on core theories in international relations.
• Discourse, Rhetoric & Power: This unit foregrounds the discursive dimension of political theory, exploring the role discourse plays in political debate, and it fleshes out a set of concepts and vocabularies with which to talk and think about this. The unit also points to a particular focus and way of conducting political research, in which discourse and meaning function as a lens through which to interrogate the relation between norms and values, empirical claims and details, and power dynamics.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

"I found the experience to be the single most empowering and mind opening of my life to date. The depth of awareness and understanding it afforded me, both to my chosen career path, as well as in my general understanding of the psychological dynamics behind our most significant political struggles of today, has proven invaluable" 

Please see our website for the application deadlines. You should apply as early as possible to be considered for your course of choice. If you require a student visa, apply for the visa as soon as you have an unconditional offer and receive your CAS. There may be delays in visa processing in your country and you need to be in Bournemouth ready to study for the start of term.

December and January is one of our busiest application periods and therefore it may take us a little longer to process incoming applications. For courses with a January start date, we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

The normal requirements for embarking upon a postgraduate taught degree are:

• A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject. 

If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow - some based on experience. Contact the Future Students Enquiry Team for more information.

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:

• India: Bachelor’s degree (four years) from a recognised HE institution with a minimum overall result of 55%  
• Nigeria: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with a minimum classification of 2:4  
• China: Chinese Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution with 65% or above  
• Turkey: Bachelor’s degree (Lisans Diplomasi - four years) with a minimum overall GPA of 2.3/4.0  
• Ghana: Bachelor's degrees from University of Ghana or Legon with a grade of 2.00 or above, or from Cape Coast with a grade 2.5 or above  
• USA: US Bachelor’s degree (four years), with a 2.5 GPA or above  

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree may need to be in a relevant subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with minimum 6.0 in writing and a 5.5 in all other components or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level.

This course offers a highly relevant, challenging and rich encounter with leading-edge theory and research at the complex intersections of psychology and politics. It provides an interdisciplinary basis for doctoral research in many areas, and will be an attractive basis for the development of careers in academia and research.

It also provides a suitable basis for entry to, or professional development within, careers in political and policy research, strategic work for campaigning groups, and political journalism, as well as offering insights and support for those engaged in democratic participation as professional or local politicians.

If you want to continue your studies after achieving your Master’s, you can look into our range of doctoral programmes.

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity.
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study.
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service.
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces.
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow.
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills.
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• ​Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies. 
• Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information.
• ​Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
• ​Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Placement year funding information can be found on our website.
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study. 
• SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

If you need to repeat one or more units during the course of your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full time fee.

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. For September 2024 and January 2025 entry, a £5,000 deposit is required. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

• You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
• You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

We offer a range of scholarships to eligible students who are beginning their studies at BU. Please visit our funding pages for details on living costs, budgeting and paying your tuition fees.

Savvas is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at Bournemouth University, however, he is currently on a two-year Marie Curie Fellowship in Belgium. He has a background in political theory, in particular critical theory and discourse theory, and psychosocial studies. His work combines psychoanalysis and discourse theory to look at questions of nationalism, the politicisation of loss and mourning, and the politics of austerity during economic crisis. His current research focuses on recent shifts in conservative rhetoric, the construction of ‘populism’ in political and media discourse, and the discourse and politics of ‘evaluation’ and metrics in economic policy. He is a member of the editorial board of Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society. He is also a member of the international Center for the Study of Democracy, Signification and Resistance (DESIRE), based in Brussels. 

Jenny is a Senior Lecturer in Politics, Media and Communication. She has a background in critical theory and environmental communication. Her research interests are in environmental politics, eco-psychology, and gender/ sexuality. 

Candida is Professor of Culture and Communication at Bournemouth University. She is an interdisciplinary scholar and group practitioner in Psychosocial Studies and its application to politics, culture and society and has published widely in that field. She works with psychoanalytic practitioners, scholars and cultural organisations to create new understandings of emotion and politics in the public sphere. She sits on the Boards of the Association for Psychosocial Studies and the Association for Psychoanalysis, Culture and Society, is a Founding Scholar of the British Psychoanalytic Council and a Research Associate of the Freud Museum. She is joint-Editor of the Routledge books series: Psychoanalysis and Popular Culture, and Contributing Editor on the journals Psychoanalysis, Culture and Society, Journal of Psychosocial Studies.  She is currently researching the psycho-politics of political leadership, and leading a new project on cultural identity and the maritime imagination in a post-brexit, landscape.

Darren is Professor of Political Communication and leads the Centre for Comparative Politics and Media Research. He is also Chair of the Political Communication Research Committee of the International Political Studies Association, a member of the UK Political Studies Association and the European Communication Research and Education Association. Professor Lilleker's research concerns both the professionalization, marketization and strategic development of political communication and the impacts upon citizen engagement. His research has covered local election campaigning and the impact upon voter choices; and party, candidate and MP's usage of the Internet, from websites to social media, and correlations between usage and gaining support. He is also interested in the psychology of democracy.

Alina is Principal Academic in Media, Communication and Politics at Bournemouth University, UK. Her research is situated at the intersection of public diplomacy, migration, media and communication studies, with a focus on discourse. She is particularly interested in the role non-state actors have come to play in public diplomacy, reproducing, but also contesting and disrupting the state’s strategic communication. She is currently focusing on diasporas and emotions, exploring the opportunities as well as the consequences of their transnational existence for public diplomacy.

Anastasia joined the School of Media at Bournemouth University in September 2014. Prior to this, she was teaching at the University of Leicester and in several educational institutions in Greece. She is an interdisciplinary scholar, educator, and active communication consultant, researching the intersection of media and politics – including visual and political communication, digital political campaigning, and media framing of protest; visual communication, and photojournalism. Her research is published in edited volumes and journals, and presented at numerous academic conferences – gaining Academy of Marketing Best Paper (2019) – and features in national and international print and broadcast media. She is the Deputy Director of the Centre for Comparative Politics and Media Research. Prior to joining academia full time, she worked as a research analyst for renowned Greek market research companies, and as a communication consultant to various political campaigns, NGOs, and the Hellenic Parliament. Her research and professional experiences enhance her teaching and lecturing, providing students with deeper understanding of communication practices through bridging theory with real case studies.

David is a Senior Lecturer in Media and Politics at Bournemouth University. David's research interests include questions of media, power and the mediation of politics, particularly in broadcasting and film. He has been teaching on media courses at different levels since 1991. He is author of Television: A Media Student's Guide and has edited and co-authored a number of books on the theme of corporate social responsibility (CSR) with a particular focus on energy and sustainability. As a full-time member of staff, he has developed and taught on a number of BA and MA units within the Faculty of Media & Communication and is an active researcher with an interest in issues around media and power, conflict coverage, film and television history and public relations. Recent publications include 'Emerging Green Values in the UK Energy Sector: Ecotricity as Deep-Green Exemplar', and A Revaluation of All Values: Nietzschean Populism and Covid-19. In: McQueen, D., Farache, F., Grigore, G. and Stancu, A., eds. Values and Corporate Responsibility CSR and Sustainable Development (2020). Palgrave Macmillan; Frack Off: Climate Change, CSR, Citizen Activism and the Shaping of National Energy Policy. In: Corporate Responsibility and Digital Communities - An International Perspective towards Sustainability (2019). Edited by Georgiana Grigore, Alin Stancu, David McQueen.