Programme:

Political Sciences (2025/2026)

Study Cycle:	Second Cycle (Postgraduate)
Faculty:	Contemporary Social Sciences

Programme Code:	N-MPAPS60C
Academic year:	2023 / 2024
Title:	Master in Political Sciences
ECTS:	60 (1 year) Accrediation
Decision:	Decision for starting of the program

Through the study program, students will acquire knowledge in management, consulting, political knowledge, analytical knowledge, legal knowledge, skills and competencies, which will be applied in governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Students will learn how an increasingly complex world, where the global and the local meet, presents us with new challenges and opportunities. The program provides a solid practical foundation in concepts such as justice, peace, security, power, culture and democracy. Students will learn how to analyze conflicts, international relations and human rights claims and violations.

In addition to the core courses and courses in quantitative and qualitative methods, students choose options from a wide range of courses related to different aspects of global politics. They also complete a dissertation on an approved topic, under the supervision of a mentor/member of the Faculty of Contemporary Social Sciences.

Master’s degree in Political Science equips graduates with advanced political analysis skills, preparing them for careers in policy research, governance, and strategic decision-making. With expertise in analyzing political systems, public policies, international relations, and conflict resolution, graduates can work as political analysts, policy advisors, research consultants, or government strategists. Their ability to assess political trends, evaluate the impact of policies, and provide data-driven recommendations makes them valuable in think tanks, government agencies, international organizations, and media outlets. Additionally, their strong foundation in qualitative and quantitative research methods enables them to contribute to academic research, electoral analysis, and geopolitical forecasting. Whether shaping public policy, advising political leaders, or conducting research on global political dynamics, graduates play a crucial role in understanding and addressing complex political challenges in an increasingly interconnected world.

Knowledge and understanding

Has advanced knowledge of theoretical issues relating to political life.
Has a deep understanding of significant principles and political processes.
Has excellent knowledge of political science, through the development and application of original ideas from a research context.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Can assist in solving problems of a political nature through an institutional plan.
Is able to analyze, evaluate and interpret the existing political system of North Macedonia, and to find solutions to problems related to interethnic relations.
Can take an active part in all levels of the institutions of the political system and apply advanced knowledge on political issues.
Can analyze the main arguments in a political context, and apply scientific political findings in new situations.
Can interpret certain data and at the same time discuss their relevance in political life.

Making judgement

To criticize current political issues and provide alternative solutions for their improvement.
Has the ability to choose a topic and develop it for a specific purpose and for a specific audience in order to respect different political perspectives.
To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of political processes in the Republic of North Macedonia.
To argue and select political phenomena and be able to evaluate them through empirical and theoretical methods.
To assess the emergence of political institutions, their work, how they interact with their external environment, and how they influence individual and collective behavior.
To make an assessment between analysis and thought and to judge political phenomena.

Communication skills

Can prepare a political speech and use appropriate political terminology.
Can present the conclusions of their scientific research and knowledge to a larger audience outside the traditional academic field.
Can articulate information and ideas to political parties and citizens.

Learning skills

Can continue their individual learning, self-educate and improve themselves within the framework of the lifelong learning process, taking care of the available resources within the political system.
Can take the initiative to identify the learning needs of groups and institutions on complex specific political issues.
Is able to train citizens on political rights in accordance with the Macedonian legal order.
Demonstrates advanced knowledge of approaches to the study of political science, normative versus empirical theoretical approaches, qualitative versus quantitative research strategies and classical and contemporary political theories.

Semester 1

[MCDP1020] [6 ECTS] International Institutions
This course will cover the various topics such as important theoretical studies of international institutions, their historical development and their roles, functions and powers. This course studies the role of institutions as the sum of collective action to solve problems in global politics. This course focuses on the impact of international institutions in the world, ranging from peace and security, economic development, human rights and environmental protection, etc. Here we analyzed the establishment of international organizations, their challenges, but also their ongoing successes and failures. Particular attention is paid to the United Nations and its many related bodies, regional organizations (eg, the European Union, the Organization of American States, the African Union, NATO, OSCE), international non-governmental organizations, and multinational corporations.
[MCPS1015] [6 ECTS] Comparative Politics
Comparative Politics is a course that provides students with in-depth knowledge of political systems and regimes from a comparative perspective. The course examines the context of political culture, the state, and bureaucracy, focusing on democratic developments and their impact on different nations. Students will develop analytical skills and critical thinking to evaluate similarities and differences between political systems and interpret key theoretical approaches. Through evidence-based methods and ethical analysis, they will enhance their writing and research skills in the field of comparative politics.
[EMPS1030] [6 ECTS] Public Policies Analysis
This course aims to enable students to define and illustrate the analysis of policy and its role in creating and transforming the information relevant for policy. There is no agreement on how precisely to define public policy. Students will have the opportunity to become familiar with this field and to critically analyze the developments and events in the area of public policy. Analysis of public policies is a discipline for problem solving that draws knowledge of basic theories and methodologies of social sciences, the social professions and the philosophy of politics.
[MCPS3310] [6 ECTS] Leadership and Organizational Development
This course aims to enable students to learn how leaders and managers develop and implement the achievement of the mission and vision of an organization in the public sector; develop values required for long-term success and their application through appropriate activities and habits, as leaders and managers are personally involved in ensuring that management systems of the organization will be developed and implemented. Also, about the way how the organization implements its mission and vision through a clear strategy based on the views of all interested parties, supported by all relevant policies, plans, goals and processes.
[6 ECTS] Elective Course
- [MCDP2030] Diplomacy and Diplomatic Methods
  The course provides students with an understanding of the institution of diplomacy and its actors. It teaches them how it functions and how it develops. Students learn how diplomats represent their countries and national interests and contribute to the development and execution of foreign policy. Students use the skills and knowledge from this course in discussion and preparation of papers, acquire practical writing and presentation skills, and become familiar with theoretical considerations about diplomacy. Students are trained through this course for careers in their national and global diplomatic systems.
- [EMPS1031] World Politics
  This course provides students with an overview of major theoretical traditions and has a particular focus on current research in international relations. The course will focus on the main theories of international relations, the theoretical approach, debates and an informative section with the main literature in the main subfields of the discipline. The course program is structured in such a way as to introduce students to the substantive debates and divisions of opinion in the space, for example, between rational choice. It will also focus on some of the key core subfields of international relations such as international organizations, humanitarian intervention and global governance. Students will be encouraged to explore the effectiveness of different theoretical approaches in explaining phenomena in world politics.
- [MCDP2020] Еurpean Union: Institutions, Politics and Laws
  The general goal of this course is for students to acquire the ability to analyze, understand, and objectively evaluate the complex mixture of phenomena that make up the European Union: Law, Policies and Institutions. This course aims to enable students to analyze the policies of the European Union, and to describe their characteristics. The first part of the course studies the development of law, decision-making and the role of the main actors, the second part deals with the EU institutions and the third part deals with several policy areas. The course aims to acquaint students with the complexity and development of European integration, and thus the development of institutions (political and legal), their nature and characteristics, legalities and policies. Moreover, the aim is to familiarize students with the main theoretical interpretations of the development of the European Union, as well as to consider the current and possible future challenges facing the EU, especially in terms of its institutions, policies and law.
- [EMPS1032] Ethics in Politics
  Ethics in Politics is a course that provides students with an in-depth understanding of the semantics and concepts of morality and ethics within a political context. Students will gain knowledge of standards of conduct, moral reasoning, and moral philosophy, developing a critical perspective on the role of morality in political life. The course helps shape clear views on ethical political discourse and prepares students to face ethically challenging situations. Additionally, it encourages reflection on the character required in the profession of a politician and enables students to analyze the close relationship between ethics and politics based on relevant literature.
- [EMPS1034] Sustainable Development
  The main objectives of this course are: To highlight, at the level of the study program, the main elements of sustainable development, as concepts that represent, analysis of the same objectives and the deployment of the SDGs, (Sustainable Development Goals), with the global aspects of public policies. The course also aims to explain the positions of the EU and the role of the governments of member countries, how they will cope or how they should direct the policies at the level of domestic government strategies. These parallel situations also represent the main concept through which the topics are developed during the semester of this study program.
- [MCPS1014] Conflict Resolution
  Through this course, students will be introduced to the most important theories of international conflicts and peace, as well as the most widespread models of conflict resolution in contemporary societies. Also, students will acquire skills and new tools for mediation in the negotiation process through case studies and various conflict resolution scenarios. Special attention will be paid to the preparation of a research project on the negotiations of a particular conflict and the processing of data obtained from fieldwork on the process of conflict resolution in multiethnic societies and the process of reconciliation.

Semester 2

[CM300] [24 ECTS] Master Thesis
After passing the exams, the student can begin the procedure of presenting, writing and publicly defending the master's thesis. The student chooses the mentor, who gives him/her instructions for preparation of the application of master theses. The application must be approved by the Teaching and Scientific Council of the Faculty. After the final version of the Master's thesis is prepared, the Teaching and Scientific Council of the Faculty establishes a three-member commission, which prepares a report, which either accepts or rejects the Master's thesis. The positive report is approved by the Teaching and Scientific Council of the Faculty and the date of the public defense is set.
[MCPA1010] [6 ECTS] Research Methodology
This course is designed for students who are preparing a Master thesis. The main objective of the course is students to be offered tools for establishing their thesis regarding the research question and creating methods for collecting data through qualitative and quantitative analysis. The course is focused on problems of quantitative methods and techniques such as statistical analysis, texts related to the theory and testing hypothesis. In addition, of significance are topics of descriptive and causal inference, longitudinal, comparative and research case studies. Advanced information is offered for collecting data working with text. The goal is to analyze qualitative data, finalize all theoretical practices and works in the function of designing and writing the thesis.