Political Strategy and Communication MA

An MA in Political Strategy and Communication engages students in the practical issues of political delivery. The areas of political communication, political leadership, strategy, crisis management, political branding, and public relations are all the leading vocational aspects of a developed academic understanding of politics and international relations, and it is an area of growing importance that distinguishes BSIS graduates as policy-relevant, engaged thinkers in the political arena.

Politics is not merely about power. Sophisticated politics involves communication, strategy and manipulation of the political agenda. Whether it be a political leader motivating people to follow, a government seeking allies for a policy in the international arena, a campaigner mobilizing supporters, or a high-priced corporate lobbyist explaining a client’s policy to legislators, all political ideas ultimately depend on them being communicated to an intended audience, with precision, efficiency and above all credibility.

What are the appropriate forms of communication for a politician? What forms of ‘spin’ can work, and which do journalists see through? What are effective ways of framing a client’s perspective for government officials, and what are the entry points in the decision-making cycle that makes their communication strategy most effective?

Brussels has emerged as the largest centre for international media, measured in the number of foreign correspondents, which has now exceeded the number in Washington DC. Brussels is also home to thousands of political lobbyists, engaged either as public relations specialists, political strategists, or corporate communications advisors. A recent study of graduates from BSIS who stay in Brussels shows that political communication is among their primary career destination.

The MA is offered in both a standard version (90 ECTS credits) and an extended version (120 ECTS credits) and in each case students may take the programme with or without a secondary specialisation. Those on the extended version take more modules to gain extra credit.

To be awarded the standard MA (90 ECTS), you must take three modules from the list for Political Strategy and Communication and a further three modules from the full list of modules offered at BSIS. For the extended MA (120 ECTS), you must take four modules from the list for Political Strategy and Communication and a further five modules from the full list of modules offered at BSIS.

Modules

The following modules are offered to our current students on the MA Political Strategy and Communication programme. At BSIS, you have a wide range of optional modules to choose from and this can be within your chosen degree, or as part of a secondary specialisation (for more information on specialisations, please see below.) This list of modules is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation:

POLI8680 - Political Communication*

POLI9030 - Political Strategy*

LAWS8141 - Public International Law

POLI7010 - Advocacy and Campaigning

POLI8481 - Negotiation and Mediation

POLI9240 - Foreign Policy Analysis

Modules marked with * are compulsory.

Students may not be registered on more than 3 modules per term (full-time) or 1 or 2 modules (part-time) and each module will run in either Autumn or Spring. 

On this programme you may not take more than three law modules (standard) or four law modules (extended).

The MA in Political Strategy and Communication allows you to choose secondary areas of specialisation from the range of programmes offered at BSIS. This leads to the award of an MA degree in, for example, 'Political Strategy and Communication with Human Rights Law'.

To include a secondary area of focus on the standard programme, you must choose three modules from the list for MA Political Strategy and Communication, two modules from one of the programmes listed below (your secondary area of study) and one module from the full list of modules offered at BSIS.

For the extended programme, you must choose four modules from the list for MA International Development, three modules from one of the programmes listed below (your secondary area of study) and two modules from the full list of modules offered at BSIS.

• with Human Rights Law
• with International Conflict and Security
• with International Law
  
• with International Migration
• with International Relations
• with Political Strategy and Communication
• with Foreign Policy (available as a secondary specialisation only)
  • Modules on Foreign Policy include:
    • Foreign Policy Analysis
    • International Politics of the Asia-Pacific
    • Politics in the Middle East
    • African Politics
    • Russia in International Affairs

On both the standard and extended programme, you must also submit a dissertation on a topic in Human Rights Law and complete the methodology module Fundamentals, Dissertation and Research.

Postgraduate resources

Students have access to excellent e-library facilities online via the Templeman library in Canterbury; inter-library loans within Belgium; 50,000 online journals are also available off-campus. Students also have outstanding access to libraries in Brussels, such as at our partner universities Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Université Libre de Bruxelles, the Royal Library of Belgium, among others. The School’s resources include a dedicated selection of more than 1,000 key texbooks on the subject of international affairs and law. In addition, postgraduate research students have their own designated room with computer terminals and access to wi-fi in all areas at the Brussels centre.

Dynamic publishing culture

Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. The Brussels School produces its own journal, The Brussels Journal of International Studies, which was founded in 2003. Details of recently published books can be found within the staff research interests section.

Global Skills Award

All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme. The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.