Full-time study: 2 semesters, distant education
Language of study: English
Academic Director: Dr. Iskren Ivanov
Email: i_ivanov@phls.uni-sofia.bg
Tuition fee: €1200 (€600 per semester)
Eligibility: Open to European and International applicants
The Master’s Degree Program in Political Pathologies of the Global World is a graduate program in advance of undergraduate level, that provides training in scholarships and research. The full-time distant option of education enables completion of Master’s Degree for one academic year. Students are expected to complete their studies in two semesters (including their thesis defense). Courses are offered in ten-days modules, taught completely online, with an option of teaching outside ordinary working hours, to provide flexibility for working professionals. The program is a result of joint academic efforts of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, U.S. Department of State, and the Beit-Berl College of Israel. Our team consists of world-renowned academics and senior professionals from Bulgaria, the United States, Israel, Poland, Colombia, Kazakhstan, and Cuba. The Program is fully accredited in compliance with the requirements of the following institutions: The European Consortium for Accreditation in higher education, Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria, and the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency. Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski is part of the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area.
Diverse and Equality Policy: We welcome applications from Europe and overseas, and we are strongly committed to the principles of diversity which enables our education to treat equally all students regardless of their race, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender, disability status, or any other dimension of diversity.
The Master’s Degree in Political Pathologies is a 60-credit (ECTS) degree program comprised of:
- Required courses (35 credits)
- Elective courses (10 credits)
- Thesis defense (15 credits)
This program provides targeted learning of professional skills in both political and security context for career seekers to enable them to analyze, assess, and resolve challenges that threaten the normal functioning of the international security system. You can receive your knowledge here, distantly, apply it in your life, and deliver practical results. Our international team will bring you more than theoretical skills and face-to-face interaction. You will gain foundational knowledge, empirical skills, and analytical competences to serve your professional expertise and practice. Most importantly, your colleagues will be as diverse as the issues you face. The program will broaden and enlarge your perspectives and sharpen your expertise to prepare you for a successful service and career.
During your first semester of study, you will take courses to sharpen your skills in targeting pathologies such as:
- Introduction to Political Pathologies
- Radicalization and de-radicalization
- Religion and violence
- Fake news and state-sponsored media propaganda
- Radical ideologies and political extremism
- Violent conflicts and segregation
- Climate change and environmental pollution
Your second semester will develop your expertise in dealing with pathologies such as:
- Cybercrimes and domestic violence
- Ideological warfare and conspiracies
- Narcoterrorism
- Crisis management and crimes against humanity
- Terrorism
- High-level political corruption
Your study will culminate in a master thesis that should be completed and defended within the year of your studies.
After completing the program, you will:
- Achieve competence in an array of analytic techniques that pertain to conflict resolution, such as such as security risk assessment
- Master the ability to use your skills as prevention of terrorism, corruption, radicalization, and the use of religion as a tool of political violence
- Gain foundational knowledge, fluency in theoretical and empirical research methods to understand the nature, form and trends of modern political pathologies
- Have a strong command of how to best use your expertise and skills in the field of security studies
To apply you need to prepare:
- CV/Résumé (in English) – up to 5 pages.
- Cover Letter (in English) – up to 500 words. Briefly summarize your academic background, research interests and motivation to apply.
- Graduate Diploma (certified copy) – Full transcripts are not required.
Important deadlines: Applications for the program open each year in the beginning of July and close in the beginning of September. Exact dates will be announced here.
Important Information: International applicants should contact the International Students Office at bvaneva@admin.uni-sofia.bg or ateodosieva@admin.uni-sofia.bg prior to submitting their applications in order to file an inquiry for obtaining a Certificate of recognition and review. We encourage the applicants to send their inquiries at their earliest convenience to obtain their Certificates within the submission deadline.
Application procedure:
- Step 1: Prepare your documents.
- Step 2: Contact the International Students Office (international applicants only).
- Step 3: Fill out the registration form here http://ma.su-phls.info/
If you have any questions regarding the graduate program in Political Pathologies of the Global World, please contact directly Dr. Iskren Ivanov at i_ivanov@phls.uni-sofia.bg.