MA in Politics and Governance in the Digital Age
Tartu, Estonia
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
15 Mar 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
01 Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 4,200 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Tuition-waiver scholarships available
Introduction
Democratic governance is facing many challenges. Citizens demand high-quality public services and have high expectations about how governments should take their concerns and ideas into account in policy-making and public service delivery. At the same time, more and more interactions between governments and citizens take place digitally. In Estonia, Internet voting has become the most prevalent mode of casting a vote at local, national and European elections. Social media have become platforms through which political actors, including populist and extremist ones, reach out to voters and through which citizens’ political discontent is voiced and sometimes amplified. Furthermore, algorithms are increasingly being used to determine what services citizens are entitled to get, but also to identify which citizens are more likely to commit tax fraud or have difficulties finding employment. All these digital innovations provide promising perspectives but also raise fundamental political and ethical questions: what are the impacts of social media on voting behaviour, should Big Tech companies be regulated (and if so, how), and how ‘just’ and fair is algorithmic governance?
The master's degree programme in Politics and Governance in the Digital Age offers knowledge and skills that enable you to navigate this changing landscape of governance, politics and digital innovations. This programme integrates the fundamentals of governance, digital transformation and data analysis to improve our understanding of contemporary challenges to governance, politics and democracy. Understanding aspects of digital governance, as well as the basic structures of democratic states and societies, is key to a successful career in modern government, civil society, politics, public sector innovation or international organisations.
The master's programme provides in-depth knowledge about core political science topics, such as political ideas and institutions, elections, and political behaviour, along with a study of digital democratic innovations, electronic governance and digital society. This is reinforced by training in data analytics, research methods and techniques of quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Why study democracy and governance at the University of Tartu?
- to gain a comprehensive understanding of the functioning of modern democratic politics, public administration, and societies in the digital age;
- to enhance research skills, including in research design and qualitative and quantitative methods, and learn to use these to conduct policy impact assessment;
- to gain insight into the effects that digital transformation has on politics and modern governance, drawing, in particular, on the experience of Estonia – arguably one of the most advanced digital societies in the world;
- to experience first-hand how e-democracy and e-governance can affect different aspects of life, as the City of Tartu and the country of Estonia are at the forefront of digital democracy.
Admissions
Curriculum
The MA programme integrates an empirical and theoretical understanding of democracy and governance. Understanding them is the key to building a successful career in modern government, civil society, politics and international organisations.
The programme provides in-depth knowledge about the history of democracy, modern democratic institutions, public policy and governance, elections and political behaviour, ethnopolitics, and ethics.
The curriculum consists of:
- Methods module (18 ECTS)
- Core Competencies module (36 ECTS)
- Elective module with specialisation(30 ECTS)
- Study abroad module (15 ECTS)
- Optional courses module (6 ECTS)
- MA thesis module (30 ECTS)
Examples of courses:
- Comparative Politics
- E-governance
- Public Governance
- Cross-border E-governance
- Recent Issues in Governance
- Big Data and Society
- Political Theory and Ethics
Rankings
The University of Tartu belongs to the top 1.2% of the world's universities.
Program Outcome
Our learning outcomes include:
- integrated knowledge of core components of politics and governance as well as of digital transformation, including state-held e-services;
- data analysis skills using examples from digital services, the Estonian e-residency programme and the e-Estonia open data repository;
- media competencies and critical thinking;
- understanding of modern institutions and of how digital transformation shapes political processes;
- the ability to identify and analyse the key problems and processes of governance involving both government institutions and civil society;
- proper research skills to perform policy analysis and contribute to policy formation;
- solid writing and oral presentation skills to be effective in a professional career;
- an international perspective that will enrich career prospects both at home and globally.
Scholarships and Funding
There are 5 tuition waivers for citizens of EU/EEA/Switzerland, 5 for all citizenships.
Program Tuition Fee
Gallery
Career Opportunities
The Politics and Governance in the Digital Age programme provides you with essential skills and knowledge both in comparative political science and governance. Combined with data-driven governance, e-democracy and critical thinking in the digital society, students can explain how digital transformation affects modern political processes and public administration. This opens up many possibilities for applying your skills and knowledge after graduation from this programme.
Political scientists study the structure and theory of government and seek practical and theoretical solutions to political problems. This MA programme prepares students for advisory positions, high-level positions in ministries and governments, or to be employed at the highest levels of administration. Similarly, it enables students to start a career in the private sector, e.g. in consulting, given the expertise in the digital transformation of the public sector.
Former students have been employed at international organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme, the European e-Government Programme in Luxembourg, the European Commission or an embassy in Washington D.C. as a technology attaché. Some have opted for academia and continued in doctoral studies. The master's programme in Politics and Governance in the Digital Age equips students to operate in vast arrays of professional fields.
Facilities
Student Testimonials
Why study at University of Tartu
- The University of Tartu is ranked in the top 230 universities in the world in politics.
- Estonia is one of the most dynamic reformers in Europe while maintaining a stable democracy and social environment. It is a world leader in e-government and e-voting.
- Join the Politics and Governance in the Digital Age MA programme to learn how democratic states and societies function and how they are shaped by the digital age, with a special emphasis on e-governance and digital democracy.
- Estonia is the ideal place to study to understand how a democratic society can be built and digitally transformed.
- Get in touch with Estonia’s e-governance community.
- Acquire the essential skills and knowledge for a successful career in modern government, civil society, politics, and international organisations.