Migration Studies MSc

University of Oxford

This interdisciplinary nine-month master’s degree analyses global migration and mobility together with broader processes of social and political transformation. Drawing on innovative theoretical and methodological perspectives from across the social sciences, it offers an intellectually demanding route to understanding cultural, economic and political dimensions of migration in settings from labour relations to development programming and border politics.

Course objectives

The degree provides a broad, theoretical understanding of human mobility and the role of both internal and international migration in economic and political processes, social change and globalisation. Engaging critically with the politics of movement in today’s world, it prepares you for doctoral study or for careers in government, international organisations, or civil society. It also gives an overview of the major debates and literatures on contemporary migration. You will have the opportunity to plan, organise and carry out independent research and to gain the skills necessary to convey theoretical knowledge of migration to a variety of different audiences.

Successful students will leave with the critical analytical and research skills needed to contribute new perspectives to the study of migration in and beyond academia. With a strong focus on migration and mobility across world regions, you will gain insight into migration’s close connection to global systems of trade, labour, politics, and power. A strong focus on the politics of knowledge production will provide additional insights for your position in reshaping local and international debates over human movement.

Course structure

In the first and second terms you will follow these core courses:

• Migration and the Economy
• Governance of Migration
• Anthropology of Migration
• Migration and Development
• Methods in Social Research

In the second term, you will also take two highly focused, research-led option courses that change annually to reflect contemporary debates and academic themes. In the final term, you will write a dissertation based on original research on a topic of your choice.

Teaching and learning

Apart from four core faculty members from the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography (SAME) and the Department of International Development (ODID) who are dedicated to this degree, research staff from Oxford’s internationally renowned Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) and other units will provide additional teaching input. Teaching on the degree is both theory- and problem-focused and is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, student-led presentations, workshops, essays and library work. You will be expected to prepare for each lecture or seminar by reading a selection of recommended book chapters, articles and working papers. The MSc is a demanding course and, as is typical at Oxford, you will be expected to keep up with a considerable reading workload. Class sizes are small to mid-size, encouraging active participation and enabling students to learn from each other.