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My PhD research examines the role of religious leaders in Northern Ireland and their current relationship with British state actors in building sustainable civil peace. I am interested more broadly in the civil power of religion and how it exists alongside and interacts with secular political and diplomatic institutions in post-conflict settings. 

I joined the School of Journalism, Media and Communication in September 2021 on a ºù«Ӱҵ Postgraduate Scholarship to study MA International Public and Political Communication. Before that, I studied International Relations and Politics BA at the University of ºù«Ӱҵ's Politics Department. The School offers taught students and researchers a friendly and fast-paced environment of practical and theoretical study. The staff have an impressive range of research interests and many take the time to actively seek the inclusion and input of students in their work. Students are trained to be independent thinkers and workers, and this is one of the reasons why I chose to remain in the Department for my PhD.

The module leaders worked hard to clearly explain the course content, encourage debate, test our arguments and assumptions and to read texts critically.

Tom Parkin

MA International Public and Political Communication

The International Public and Political Communication MA is made up of a wide range of modules, covering topics from visual communication, to communication in peacebuilding, to exploring media, society and international crises. This spread exposes postgraduate students to a wide selection of research in a single year course. This proved useful to me in exploring my own interests and gaining confidence as a new researcher. Beyond the course, this MA brought together other students who were also keen to better understand the role of communication is politics and our daily lives and study it across national and disciplinary boundaries. Many of the friendships I made during my time here are lifelong and for that alone, I am incredibly grateful. 

I particularly enjoyed the modules on Media, Society and International Crises, Communication in Peacebuilding and International Visual Public and Political Communication. The module leaders worked very hard to clearly explain the course content, encourage debate, test our arguments and assumptions and to read texts critically. These are essential skills that I have already put to use in my PhD research, as well as my work outside the Department.

If you are thinking about studying MA IPPC, go for it! This course will challenge you to think more critically, read more effectively, challenge your opinions and encourage new ideas. The trick is to get stuck in and take risks, but it's up to you to locate and sometimes, create opportunities for yourself. For me, this is the biggest difference between studying for a BA and an MA degree.