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Master of Science by Coursework in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies

  • 1. The course shall be under the supervision of the Refugee and Forced Migration Studies Teaching Committee of the Department of International Development.
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  • 2. Candidates must follow a course of instruction in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies for at least three terms and will be expected to attend such lectures and seminars as their supervisor/Course Director shall recommend. 
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  • 3. Each candidate will be required to satisfy the examiners in six papers and a thesis. 

    Papers I-II

  • 4. Each candidate will be required to satisfy the examiners in two core papers: 
    • Paper I: International Legal and Ethical Frameworks
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    • Paper II: Political and Anthropological Frameworks
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  • 5. Each core paper will be assessed by a written examination in early Trinity term. 

    Papers III-IV: Two elective courses 

  • 6. Each candidate will be required to choose two elective courses, with at least one from the Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (RFMS) pool. The second elective may be selected from either (a) RFMS electives, (b) an elective in another relevant master’s degree in the Department of International Development, or exceptionally (c) another relevant master’s degree in the University. Electives offered outside the Department of International Development may only be examined subject to permission from the MSc RFMS Teaching Committee. Applications to do this must be made following the requirements and by the date specified in the Course Handbook. Details of option papers available within the Department, and the assessment requirements and timings, will be made available for students to select at the start of Michaelmas term. Where students are taking an elective offered by a master's degree outside of the Department of International Development, candidates are required to follow the assessment requirements of the degree in question.

  • Paper V and VI: Research Methods

  • 7. Each candidate must display an understanding of research methods relevant to forced migration. This will be in the form of two individual 2,500 word essays.
    • Paper V: The Individual Qualitative Research Design Essay must be presented in a proper scholarly form and submitted using the University approved online submission system no later than 12 noon on Thursday of Week 9 of Michaelmas Term. 
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    • Paper VI: The Individual Quantitative Research Methods Essay must be presented in a proper scholarly form and submitted using the University approved online submission system no later than 12 noon on Thursday of Week 9 of Hilary Term.

  • Multidisciplinary thesis

  • 8. Each candidate will be required to submit a thesis of not less than 10,000 and not more than 15,000 words on a topic relevant to forced migration approved by the Chair of Examiners.  
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  • 9. The thesis must be submitted no later than 12 noon on Thursday of Week 8 of Trinity Term.
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  • 10. All assessments must be submitted using the University approved online assessment platform. Technical information on the requirements for online submissions is provided in the Course Handbook.
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  • 11. Candidates may be required to attend an oral examination on one of more elements of the candidate’s assessed work.