Bachelor in Peace and Conflict Studies

This three-year bachelor's programme provides you with in-depth knowledge of Peace and Conflict Studies as a field, including its historical and theoretical foundations and its key analytical and methodological approaches. Moreover, you will get insights into specialised subject areas within the field such as civil society and social movements; media, propaganda and enemy images; and the role of the United Nations.

Peace and Conflict Studies is a multidisciplinary programme which draws on perspectives from political science, history, law, anthropology and philosophy. Throughout the programme, we address sets of questions such as:

• Why and how do armed conflicts and other forms of organised violence arise? What are the systemic and structural causes? What is the impact of media, propaganda and enemy images?
• How do combatants and victims of armed conflict experience and handle their situation? How can violence and oppression be resisted?
• What is required to achieve peace? How can violent conflicts be managed and turned into peaceful conditions by peaceful means?
• What role do international organisations and civil society play in working for peace both locally and globally? How do they go about their work in practice?

Practical experience and studies abroad

Within the framework of the programme, you have the opportunity to do an internship with a relevant national or international organisation, authority, association or company, giving you practical experience outside the traditional classroom setting. You will also get the chance to study abroad for one semester; Malmö University cooperates with a large number of universities to provide exchange opportunities for our students.

Organisation

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

The aim of 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 of 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. 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 organisation.

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 organised violence, armed conflicts and their resolution; in governmental and international agencies or non-state organisations.

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 organised violence, armed conflicts and peace work is shaped to local contexts; and to make assessments of how these contexts are affected by organised violence, armed conflicts and peace work, and;
• demonstrate an ability to identify their need of further knowledge and to upgrade their capabilities.

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 its central issues and its applicable methods;
• 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.

The diversity of the programme, combined with its multidisciplinary focus, will provide you with competencies that are sought after in numerous sectors and in a constantly growing labour market.

You will acquire skills and knowledge to prepare you for further academic studies at master’s level, or for employment in fields such as: foreign policy; international relations; global affairs; refugee and asylum issues; analysis, prevention and resolution of conflicts; peacebuilding; and reconciliation.

Future employers may include private sector businesses, local and international organisations and agencies, as well as national authorities and government organisations.