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The Master's in Political Science is an in-depth course of study with the key objective of providing a solid theoretical and empirical training in the field of Political Science and other related sciences, centered on the problems of democracy and citizenship.
The students are intended to improve their ability of putting their acquired knowledge into practice, so as to: 1) encourage a qualified professional performance, specialised in social and political reality; 2) develop the practice of scientific research by learning how to articulate various types of knowledge with research methods and techniques.
The Master's course in Political Science has an experienced faculty composed by Portuguese and international professors, with a broad curriculum in the fields of teaching and political research. A great part of the faculty is connected to the Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES-IUL), a research centre that has always maintained the classification of Excellent in the evaluations carried out by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Foundation for Science and Technology). The students are encouraged to develop empirical research and to apply their knowledge in a professional context, namely by means of undergoing internships in the considerable number of public and private institutions, with which Iscte has established protocols.
2026/2027
The Master in Political Science has a duration of two years, corresponding to a total of 120 credits (ECTS). Classes take place after working hours (from 6pm onwards). The Master is structured in three thematic areas:
- Governance and Policy for Development, which implies the choice of the following optional subjects: Economy and European Policies, State and Development, and Debates in Public Policy.
- Public Opinion and Political Communication, which implies the choice of: Political Campaign Analysis, Public Opinion and Polls, Media Literacy and Political Communication.
- Political Institutions and Political Behavior, which implies the choice of: Comparative Political Institutions, Public Opinion and Polls, and Societies and Political Systems in Europe.
The curricular structure is organized around political science training and specialization in one of these three thematic areas. Therefore, it comprises the core themes of this scientific area (such as: democracy, governance, political behavior, political parties, political representation, or public policies), as well as structuring subjects for each of the three thematic areas. Throughout their training, students also have the possibility to attend two optional subjects (to choose from the existing offer at Iscte), and an optional subject related to a Specialized Research Technique, in order to support the preparation of their dissertation. Students whose previous training has not given them the skills to carry out research in Social Sciences are advised to attend specific subjects on research methodologies and techniques (such as Research Methods in Social Sciences).
Students can also choose optional CUs, from a wide range of CUs offered by Iscte, taught in Portuguese or English, and it is up to the student to choose the one that interests him or her most.
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
| Attitudes and Political Behaviour * | 1 | 6.0 |
| Elections, Parties and Political Representation * | 1 | 6.0 |
| Research Methods in Social Sciences Parte Escolar > Optional Courses > Free Or Supplementary - 1st Year | 1 | 6.0 |
| Sociological Theory Parte Escolar > Optional Courses > Free Or Supplementary - 1st Year | 1 | 6.0 |
| Democracy: Contemporary Issues and Debates * | 2 | 6.0 |
| Economics and Public Policy * | 2 | 6.0 |
| Governance and Globalization * | 2 | 6.0 |
| Research Design * | 2 | 6.0 |
Recommended optative
Optional courses will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
1st semester
2nd semester
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Cycle Internship Parte Escolar > Optional Courses > Free - 2nd Year | 1 | 6.0 |
| Master Dissertation in Political Science Final Work | 1 | 48.0 |
Recommended optative
Optional courses will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
1st semester
2nd semester
2025/2026
| Round | Start Date | End Date | Vacancies | Application fee | Reservation fee | candidacy.reservation_fee_international |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st round | Mestrado/Master | 2025-12-15 09:30 | 2026-01-14 17:00 | 8 | 70.00 € | 200.00 € | 500.00 € |
| 2nd round | Mestrado/Master | 2026-01-15 09:30 | 2026-02-25 17:00 | 9 | 70.00 € | 200.00 € | 500.00 € |
| 3rd round | Mestrado/Master | 2026-02-26 09:30 | 2026-04-06 17:00 | 10 | 70.00 € | 200.00 € | 500.00 € |
| 4th round | Mestrado/Master | 2026-04-07 09:30 | 2026-05-13 17:00 | 5 | 70.00 € | 200.00 € | 500.00 € |
| 5th round | Mestrado/Master | 2026-05-14 09:30 | 2026-06-24 17:00 | 3 | 70.00 € | 200.00 € | 500.00 € |
See the admission and ranking criteria 2026/2027