Arctic World Politics

Programme overview

Degree: Master of Social Science (M.Soc.Sc.)
Major subject: Arctic World Politics
Credits: 120 ECTS
Duration of studies: 2 years (full time)
Application period: January 8, 2025 – January 22, 2025 (by 3pm Finnish time)
Student selection results: 28 May 2025 at the latest
Study right begins: August 1st, 2025

What will you learn?

Why is the Arctic increasingly important in world politics? What is world politics from the perspective of Arctic societies and Indigenous peoples? How to study the relations between the Arctic and global change?

During this multidisciplinary MA program, you learn to

• understand world politics and global change as seen from within the Arctic region.
• identity, assess and analyze complex social and political phenomena employing especially Arctic Indigenous, environmental and critical theories and approaches.
• address challenges relating to global and regional sustainability and justice.
• produce new knowledge that has potentially high research and policy relevance.
• develop competences relevant for various professional and expert positions and for further PhD study.
  

 

To be eligible you must have:

• a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Politics, Sociology or International Relations or
• a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in another field relevant for interdisciplinary humanities and social sciences (e.g. geography, cultural studies, anthropology, environmental sciences or arts)
• A good command of English language for academic purposes
• Full admission criteria here 

 

The Arctic is deeply entangled with world politics and the large global challenges of our time. Climate change and global warming have a profound impact on Arctic geographies, societies, and ways of life. Growing external interest in the region’s natural resources and transport routes has moved the region into the epicenter of broad geopolitical concerns and global divisions and tensions. Yet, knowledge and experiences of Arctic peoples, societies and communities, including Indigenous peoples, can profoundly challenge these dominant narratives and framings of the Arctic, and provide alternative, decolonial, and critical perspectives and agency to world politics and global change. Never has there been such demand for new, multidisciplinary knowledge on the Arctic region and its connections to the rest of the world.  

  

Hence, it is crucial to examine whose experiences and what kind of knowledge are valued in political decisions and policymaking, and for what purposes that knowledge is used. The MA degree programme in Arctic World Politics addresses these issues from a critical, multidisciplinary perspective that centers local-to-global connections and Indigenous knowledge, combining Politics and International Relations, Indigenous Studies, Environmental Studies, Sociology, Anthropology and Gender Studies. In addition to power relations, conflicts and systems of governance involving states, we highlight the central role of multispecies relations and Indigenous knowledge and worldviews.

The programme consists of five core courses in the subject area (50 ECTS total), elective courses (10 ECTS) and studies and work relating to the MA thesis (60 ECTS total).

All core courses are taught by professors who have profound expertise in Arctic research within their own discipline and field of expertise. Electives can be selected from the University of Lapland's and Arctic Centre's broad course offerings, or from courses in other universities that form part of the University of Lapland's collaborative network. The program culminates on an MA thesis that allows the students to produce knowledge on a topic of their own choosing, and deepen their understanding and expertise in questions they are particularly interested in.

 

Arctic World Politics, 120 ECTS:

• Introduction to Arctic World Politics, 10 ETCS
• Advanced theories in International Relations, 10 ETCS
• Northern Knowledges, 10 ETCS
• Arctic Indigenous Governance and Gender, 10 ECTS
• Anthropological Approaches to the Arctic, 10 ETCS
• Elective Studies, 10 ETCS
• Arctic World Politics thesis seminar, methods, and MA thesis 60 ETCS
  

Who is the programme for?

The programme is intended for students who seek to understand and address world politics and global change from diverse perspectives, emphasizing critical theoretical and conceptual approaches, and different understandings of sustainability and justice. You must be ready to live and study at Rovaniemi, where you have a chance to fully benefit from the ample opportunities for circumpolar Arctic research cooperation and exchange offered by the University of Lapland, including Arctic Centre.

Specialization in the Arctic will be a significant advantage in a range of professional and expert positions, whether on a local, national, regional, EU or global level. The Arctic World Politics MA programme also provides an excellent grounding for further PhD study.

More information:

How to apply?

>> All applications via Studyinfo
>> More information on applying, start here

Admissions criteria and student selection: Arctic World Politics Admissions criteria 2025