The Department of Political Science and International Relations consists of two academic chairs: Political Science and International Relations. Both chairs were established in the 1940s. In addition, the Jean Monnet Chair on European Integration and Regional Co-operation was created for the Department in 1995, and in 1999 it was given the status of the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence. The Department has 12 full-time teachers of whom 6 are professors, and the total number of staff is about 30.

The Department offers the following degree programmes:

• Bachelor of Social Sciences, with Political Science or International Relations as the major subject alternatives
• Master of Social Sciences with the same major subject alternatives
• Doctor of Social Sciences

Studies in Political Science cover political participation, parties, pressure groups and new social movements, the role of civil society in politics, political institutions and political systems, comparative politics, political decision-making and problems of governance, political ideas and ideologies as well as political theory, policy analysis and policies on different policy areas, such as welfare policy, energy policy, and environmental policy.

Studies in International Relations cover foreign policy and diplomacy, security and integration policies, European studies, world politics, international organisations and different research orientations and intellectual history of International Relations. World Politics, European Studies, and Peace and Conflict Studies are offered as areas of specialisation. The Master’s level studies deal with contending theoretical approaches, methodological orientations and the writing of research papers. The Department offers also courses on European integration and regional co-operation with North-Western Russia.

Postgraduate studies in Political Science and International Relations consist of in-depth studies in the theories and methodologies of the Social Sciences, extensive readings in some established research area and the individual research project. The Department participates in a doctoral programme that is organised as a graduate school (POLITU).

Research activities in Political Science include empirical research (studies on political participation, political decision-making, political institutions and policy analysis), historical research (the history of political ideas and ideologies, European and Finnish political history) and conceptual, methodological and theoretical studies.

Research activities in International Relations touch on some traditional areas of interest such as Finnish foreign policy, neutrality and other foreign policy issues, and European integration. In global issues, research is done on modern technology, professional institutions in development interventions, and modes of cultural interpretation in international relations. In Asian studies research has concentrated both on politico-cultural studies dealing with South and South-East Asia in general, as well as on a broader study project which examines the regionalisation and globalisation of the South-East Asian political system. In Peace and Conflict Studies, the Scandinavian tradition of peace research has formed the theoretical basis for the studies since the 1960s, but recently international conflict analysis and environmental studies have become objects of increasing interest.

The Department has developed many international exchanges and contacts, some of which by participating in the activities of the International School of Social Sciences, which is the international unit in the Faculty of Social Sciences offering courses and degree programmes taught in English. Bilateral student exchange schemes have been created with other European departments and institutes of Political Science and International Relations by participating in the Erasmus exchange programme, and also through the ISSS with universities outside Europe. The Department also has links with two Canadian universities. Furthermore, the Department participates in the Nordplus network for departments of Political Science, which involves 12 partner universities in the other four Nordic countries. Student exchange placements in these networks number altogether over 60 each academic year.

Both International Relations and Political Science are well represented in the programmes of the International School of Social Sciences. International Relations and Political Science are offered in English up to the Bachelor level, and can be studied as a major subject in the various Master’s programmes coordinated by the ISSS. Admission of new students to these programmes takes place usually every two years. In recent years, the ISSS has coordinated Master’s programmes in European Policies, Regional Co-operation and Transformation in North-West Russia (major subject: International Relations), European Studies and World Politics (IR as the major subject), Information Society and Russia (IR one major subject alternative), and Places, Spaces and Transnational Relations (IR as a major subject) as well as Bachelor’s programmes in European Studies (IR and Political Science as two of the major subject alternatives) and in Europe in the World. In the academic year 2007–2008 there were another three Master´s programmes available: Political Communication with International Relations as a major subject, European Studies: Europeanization of Politics and Governance with Political Science and International Relations as major subject choices, and European and Russian Studies with International Relations as one of the major subject alternatives.

The Department is a corporate member of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) and the International Political Science Association (IPSA).

Exchange and Visiting Students

Exchange students (Erasmus, Nordplus and bilateral exchanges) as well as other visiting students in the Department may take courses organised in English by the Department of Political Science and International Relations and the ISSS, if participation is not restricted due to the nature of the course or the room available. All exchange and visiting students coming to the Department of Political Science and International Relations are registered to the University by the International School of Social Sciences (Faculty of Social Sciences).

Instruction in English

The selection of courses available in English at the Department of Political Science and International Relations varies each academic year. However, some courses are organised on a more regular basis. In addition to the courses available, students can gain additional credits by writing papers and taking exams on set books. Registration for the courses is not usually required, whereas for examinations on set books a registration is required usually 7 working days prior to the exam day. See the Department’s web site for further information on courses available each semester as well as for information on the Department’s general examination days and the list of examiners.

Please note that only the requirements for each course module are presented in this curricula guide. You should keep in mind that not all the modules listed below include tuition. In addition, please also see the curricula of the ISSS programmes including courses in Political Science and International Relations in this guide. To find out which courses are offered in 2008–2009 see the Department’s web site or consult the ISSS web site at http://www.uta.fi/isss/.