Peace and Conflict Studies

Programme - first cycle - 180 credits

Overview

Admission requirements

The special prerequisite for this programme focus, besides basic eligibility for university studies, is fieldeligibility 6: Civics A and English B. Applicants are exempted from the Civics A requirement.

Description

This programme gives you a more truthful understanding of what occurs in the numerous combat zones around the world and how societies are affected by violence. What causes wars? What role can international organizations play in all this? Throughout this programme we answer these and similar questions.

This programme prepares you for an academic career or for employment in fields such as foreign policy, refugee issues, peace building and prevention and resolution of conflicts.
Potential employers include international organisations, government agencies, private companies and non-governmental organisations. You can also continue studies at the Master’s level.

Content

What is Peace and Conflict Studies?

Study Peace and Conflict Studies

A wide variety of learning experiences await you. There will be lectures, group projects, practical exercises, film showings and meetings with practitioners in the field.

Everyday we see images of war and violence on our television screens and in the newspapers. Taken together, all the stories of bloodshed create the image of a divided world, with one part engulfed in endless wars and the other looking on helplessly. Peace and Conflict Studies at Malmö University gives you a more truthful understanding of what actually goes on in the combat zones of the planet, and how societies of the global peace zone are implicated in the violence that occurs in distant places.

What causes wars? How can societies move beyond conflict? How can we grasp and analyse the global and local conflict scenarios of our time? These are some of the questions Peace and Conflict Studies will answer. This programme is concerned with the causes and effects of organized violence, with the fate of ordinary people in war and peace and with their aspirations towards peace and justice.

What makes Peace and Conflict Studies unique?

It is important to see peace and conflict issues through the eyes of those who are directly involved in them. We emphasise grassroots perspectives on organized violence, as well as peace initiatives. We also develop and maintain international partnerships so students are able to study or do an internship abroad.

In a cosmopolitan city like Malmö, it is likely that you will meet people who have personal experiences of war and other forms of organized violence. This is true of Malmö University’s students as well, which opens up new vistas and makes enriching dialogues possible for all of us.

Read article " Model UN at the Department of Gobla Political Studies"

A Lecture's Blogg

Follow the blogg Crossglobe. One of the senior lectures are sharing serious intellectual conversations on issues such as values and interests related to gender, environment, family, political discourse, the bringing up of children, equal rights, the role of the media, war and conflicts, knowledge, power as expressed at home, in school, at work, in the world.

Interviews

Ho Yun Na, Bachelor’s student in Peace and Conflict Studies

Ho Yun Na from Korea is a first-year bachelor's student in peace and conflict studies. He had heard a lot about the education systems in the Nordic countries, and was keen to study in Sweden.

Why did you decide to come to Malmö?
– It had much to do with the educational system in South Korea, where I’m from. The students there get good results, but it’s extremely competitive and I didn’t like that atmosphere. There is no diversity, everything is standardised and I felt that there was no room to think differently. I had heard of the welfare and education systems in the northern European countries, specifically Sweden, and the thought of a more flexible system where diversity is valued appealed to me.

I wanted to go to high school in Sweden, but I ended up being home schooled for my high school years. Once I was going to apply for university I looked into Sweden again, and although I was disappointed by the high tuition fees, I decided to apply.

This was the only university that offered a Peace and Conflict Studies programme taught in English. Malmö University is very good for international students as it offers so many programmes in the areas of global politics and human rights, taught in English.

What do you think of the university and Malmö so far?
– It’s a bit different from what I expected, but I still think it will be a very important experience. The cold weather is diffult adjusting to, and I’ve had trouble finding books for my courses. The best part is the diversity of students at Malmö University. I’ve met people with a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. The university has also been good at asking for feedback, and seems to value the opinion of international students. As for Malmö, I like the design of the city; the buildings aren’t as standardised as in Korea. And the public transportation system is great!

What do you want to do once you’ve completed your degree?
– I’m pretty sure I want to get a master’s degree, but I’m not sure where yet. I have thought about the University for Peace in Costa Rica. They have programmes focused on conflict resolution, which I am very interested in.

Career

What career will I be prepared for?

We use feedback from former students, who have moved on to successful careers, to design our programme and courses. You will acquire important skills and knowledge, preparing you for an academic career or for employment in the fields of foreign policy, international relations, global affairs, refugee and asylum issues, the analysis, prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace building and reconciliation. Both the public and the private sector, as well as many non-governmental organizations look for skilled and knowledgeable staff able to analyse opportunities and threats, process information on risk scenarios and tap into and contextualize local knowledge systems. 

Syllabus

Programme Code: SGFKE

Institution:
Department of Global Political Studies
Revision:
8
For students admitted fall 2012  

Other set versions

  • Version 1
    approved 2007-03-02
    For students admitted fall 2007  
  • Version 2
    approved 2007-03-02
    For students admitted fall 2008   spring 2008  
  • Version 4
    approved 2007-03-02
    For students admitted fall 2009   spring 2009  
  • Version 5
    approved 2008-12-04
    For students admitted fall 2009  
  • Version 6
    approved 2008-12-04
    For students admitted fall 2010  
  • Version 7
    approved 2008-12-04
  • Version 7.1
    approved 2011-10-26
    For students admitted fall 2011  

Approval

The programme was established 02 March 2007.
This programme syllabus (version 8) was approved 15 December 2011 by the Board of Studies at Faculty of Culture and Society.
The syllabus is valid from 03 September 2012. Replacement for programme syllabus ratified 02 March 2007.

Entry requirements

The special prerequisite for this programme focus, besides basic eligibility for university studies, is fieldeligibility 6: Civics A and English B. Applicants are exempted from the Civics A requirement.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding
A graduate of the Bachelor’s Programme in Peace and Conflict Studies must:
  • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the scientific basis in the field of peace and conflict studies, knowledge of central its central issues and its applicable methods in peace and conflict studies;
  • demonstrate in-depth knowledge of conflict analysis, conflict resolution, conflict prevention and the history and cultural context of organized violence;
  • demonstrate a general sense of current research issues within peace and conflict studies;
  • demonstrate in-depth knowledge of current research within peace and conflict studies;
  • demonstrate knowledge of Malmö University’s perspectives: the environment, migration, and ethnicity;

Applying knowledge and understanding
A graduate of the Bachelor’s Programme in Peace and Conflict Studies must:
  • demonstrate an ability to independently seek, gather and critically interpret information for instance by independent conflict analysis and report writing;
  • demonstrate an ability to independently identify, formulate and solve problems and to perform tasks within specified time limits, to present and discuss information, problems and solutions in dialogue with different groups, orally and in writing; and - demonstrate the skills required to work independently in the field that the education concerns.;
  • demonstrate an ability that is required to work independently within areas concerning organized violence, armed conflicts and their resolution; in governmental and international agencies or non-state organizations;

Making judgments and communicating perspectives
For a Degree of Bachelor students must
  • demonstrate an ability to make assessments in peace and conflict studies, taking into account relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects;
  • demonstrate insight into the role of knowledge in society and into people’s responsibility for how knowledge is used;
  • demonstrate insight into how organized violence, armed conflicts and peace work is shaped to local contexts; and to make assesments of how these contexts are affected by organized violence, armed conflicts and peace work, and;
  • demonstrate an ability to identify their need of further knowledge and to upgrade their capabilities.

    • Content

    Courses

    For programme with start Fall 2012:

    Fall 2012

    Spring 2013

    Fall 2013

    Spring 2015

    During semester four and five students take elective courses that program coordinator find relevant for the program. It is possible to study at other universities in Sweden or abroad. During semester five it is also possible to make an internship at a relevant workplace, such as governmental agency or non-governmental organization.

    Organisation

    The undergraduate programme comprises six semesters and leads to a Bachelor’s degree in Peace and conflict studies.

    The aim with the programme is to make the students develop an understanding for systemic as well as grass root level perspectives on organized violence, conflict resolution and the concept peace.

    In the three semesters of peace and conflict studies (I, II and III) conventional theories of the field are treated. This includes among other things conflict analysis and conflict theory and method. The last semester of the program includes a BA thesis.

    In semester three the course includes Civil society actors in local, national and international contexts as well as Project management and methods in zones of conflict. These two courses make the profile of the programme. The courses concern the role of civil society and its practice conflicts as well as its relations to other actors locally and globally. The civil society is consequently related to its surrounding international and political-economic society. The working methods, possibilities and problems in different contexts are in focus.

    In semester four and five the students study elective courses, that the programme coordinator adjudge being relevant for the programme. It is possible to study at other universities in Sweden and abroad. In semester five an internship is allowed in a place of work that is adjudged relevant for the program, for instance a governmental agency or organization.

    Degree

    Bachelor of Arts / Science.

    Kandidatexamen i Freds- och konfliktvetenskap / Bachelor of Arts with a major in Peace and Conflict Studies.

Contact

Further information

Ingrid Alexandersson, student services assistant
Phone: 040-66 57331
E-mail: ingrid.alexandersson@mah.se

Kristian Steiner, programme responsible
Phone: 040-66 57267
E-mail: kristian.steiner@mah.se