1 MSc in Migration Studies – University of Oxford – Oxford, United Kingdom
The University of Oxford offers a MSc in Migration Studies, an interdisciplinary program designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of domestic and international migration through political, social, economic, legal, and other relevant lenses. Classes equip participants with theoretical knowledge, as well as analytical, research, and other practical skills. Students will learn about the dilemmas that policymakers face on the national and international level when dealing with issues of migration. In addition to 3 core courses and 2 electives, students must also complete a dissertation in order to receive their degree. Students are also given the opportunity to take an optional study visit to various locations to meet with professionals in the field, community organizations, and other key stakeholders working with migration.
This 9-month degree course costs £21,200 for UK/EU students and £26,960 for international students. Students can also expect to spend between £1,058 and £1,643 each month of their study in living expenses. Oxford offers over 1000 full graduate scholarships. Students are considered for several scholarships upon acceptance into the degree program. Students can use Oxford’s scholarship search to view all potential funding options they may be eligible to apply for, either through the normal degree application or through separate applications.
2 MA in Migration Studies – University of Essex – Colchester, United Kingdom
The University of Essex’s MA in Migration Studies is designed to combine sociology with methodology to give students a deepened understanding of migration and related issues. The courses cover a wide range of topics including human rights, welfare, human trafficking, race and ethnicity, multiculturalism, and more. Students will have a broad selection of courses to choose from to complete their degree, completing their study with a dissertation. Students are encouraged to take advantage of seminars, workshops, and research projects offered by the department.
This 1-year, full-time program costs £7,940 for UK/EU students and £17,560 for international students. The University of Essex offers a variety of master’s scholarships, but eligibility varies by program of study and country of residence. The university website offers a scholarship finder to help students search for programs that fit their needs and qualifications.
3 MA in Migration Studies – University of San Francisco – San Francisco, CA, USA
The University of San Francisco offers an MA in Migration Studies. Students will gain a multidisciplinary perspective on migration studies issues through both courses and extracurricular opportunities. In addition to 5 core courses, 4 special topics courses, and 4 research seminars, students also have the opportunity to study their second semester at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico. The university also has summer fieldwork and immersion trips available for students to gain hands-on experience around the world.
This is a 2-year, full-time program. Tuition costs about $24,310 per year, not including living expenses. Students who choose to study in Mexico, will likely pay less in living expenses for that semester. The program offers a limited number of scholarships from $1000-$5000. Students are considered for these scholarships upon admission to the program. A limited number of students will also be offered teaching assistantships upon admission. Students can also apply for on-campus employment and outside scholarships to help fund their studies.
4 Master of Migration Studies (MMigS) – Victoria University Wellington – Wellington, New Zealand
Victoria University Wellington offers a Master of Migration Studies which offers an interdisciplinary perspective on issues of migration. Students will learn through the lenses of political science, geography, and history to explore the challenges and opportunities that migration creates. Students can choose to focus on a particular current topic to study throughout their courses and will also gain skills in critical thinking, communications and research. They will also have a chance to either participate in an internship with a migration policy organization or complete a research project. The university boasts connections with national organizations dealing with issues of migration that students have the chance to connect and network with.
The cost of this program is NZ$12,446, and it can be taken full-time for 3 trimesters or part-time for 6 trimesters. Victoria University has a scholarship search site with a large number of scholarships listed and available to graduate students. Eligibility requirements vary for each scholarship, including national origin, academic excellence, degree program, and more. Scholarship amounts vary.
5 MA in Ethnic and Migration Studies – Linkoping University – Linkoping, Sweden
Linkoping University has an MA in Ethnic and Migration Studies program, designed to provide students with interdisciplinary perspectives on issues of migration. Mandatory and elective courses focus on sociology and history to help students gain a wide knowledge on topics such as labor migration, asylum policy, citizenship, race and ethnicity, culture and art, and more. Courses are taught by international guest professors who are experts in the field. In addition to classes, students also must complete a master’s thesis and have the opportunity to participate in several seminars and tutorial meanings with faculty. Students will also have connections to obtain internships with well-known organizations dealing with migration and related issues.
Tuition for this program is free to EU/EEA students and 40,000 SEK per semester for students from all other countries. Linkoping offers several scholarship opportunities for international students who owe fees. Students can check their eligibility for scholarships on Linkoping’s website during the application period.
6 MA in International Migration Studies – City University of New York – New York, NY, USA
The City University of New York (CUNY)’s MA in International Migration Studies is a multidisciplinary program that aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to understand the political, social, cultural, and economic aspects of international migration. Students will study under leading immigration faculty with expertise in a wide range of areas relevant to migration. Students will also have access to a large number of international and national organizations working with migration and related topics. Through both core and elective courses, students can choose from the concentration areas of Comparative Immigration, Global Immigrant Cities, Assimilation and Integration, Immigration Politics and Policies, or they can design their own. Students will complete a final capstone project to finish their degree.
This program can be taken full-time or part-time and will take 1 ½ years to 2 ½ years to complete, depending on courseload. Tuition for in-state residents is $5385 per semester or $455 per credit; tuition for out-of-state students is $833 per credit. CUNY offers a Dean’s Merit Scholarship to a limited number of graduate students, covering $5000 of tuition over the course of 2 years. Their website also lists a number of outside scholarships available for students to apply for to help with the cost of their degree.
7 MSc International Migration and Public Policy – London School of Economics and Political Science – London, UK
The London School of Economics and Political Science offers an MSc in International Migration and Public Policy. Courses will help students gain insight into migration and related topics at the local, national, and global levels, specifically focusing on migration policy in Europe and its role in international migration. Students will choose a specialization, in addition to taking core courses and completing a 10,000-word research project. Students also take a professional development course, designed to help them gain skills for future careers. Courses are taught by expert professionals in migration, and students also have opportunities to participate in public lecture and seminar series organized by the LSE Migration Studies Unit.
This 1-year program costs £21,744 for all students. LSE has several merit- and need-based programs for students to help cover the cost of tuition. The school provides over £11.5 million each year in scholarships to graduate students from all over the world.
8 MA in Migration and Diaspora Studies – University of London SOAS – London, UK
The University of London SOAS offers an MA in Migration and Diaspora Studies, designed to give students in-depth knowledge of and a chance to engage with migration studies and other related topics. Students will take both mandatory and elective courses, including a research methods course. Course topics cover a variety of topics, including culture, anthropology, media and art, policy, and more. In order to finish the degree, students must complete a dissertation. All master’s level students at SOAS are also entitled to free language courses through the Language Entitlement Programme. Students can also choose to complete this degree in 2 years with an Intensive Language Study component.
This 1-year program is costs £9,685 for UK/EU students and £19,930 for international students. SOAS offer several different scholarships available to students from a variety of backgrounds. Eligibility depends on merit and country of residence; a list of possible scholarships is provided on the site with application deadlines.
9 Master in Migration Studies – Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona (UPF) – Barcelona, Spain
The Universitat Pompeu Fabra has a Master in Migration Studies program, which is made for people who are interested in migration and diversity management that are seeking a theoretical and practical understanding to related issues. Students will combine compulsory courses, optional courses, and a final master’s thesis with workshops to complete their degree. The program uses research, case studies, comparative studies, and quantitative and qualitative analysis to train researchers in the field of immigration and diversity.
This program is 1 year at full-time study and 2 years at part-time study. Tuition for EU students is 3.301,8 € and for non-EU students is 5.749,8 €. UPF has several scholarships available to master’s level students, which are listed on their website. Most require a separate application, except the UPF Tuition Fee Scholarship, which students are considered for upon admission.
10 MSc in Migration and Ethnic Studies – University of Amsterdam – Amsterdam, the Netherlands
The University of Amsterdam’s Master in Migration and Ethnic Studies helps students examine migration through ethnic, economic, and cultural lenses. Both core and elective courses cover a wide range of issues such as citizenship, gender, culture and religion, refugees and asylum, labor migration and employment, and more. Students will hear from guest speakers with a variety of backgrounds and experience, as well as professionals in the field. In addition to courses, students will also complete a research thesis and can undertake an internship in place of one of their elective courses.
Tuition for this 1-year program costs € 2,083.00 for EEA and Suriname students obtaining their first master’s degree and € 16,335.00 for non-EEA students. The University of Amsterdam has several scholarships available to students, including the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship and Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship. Other country-specific scholarships are available, as well as external scholarship options.
Also consider: Masters in Human Rights
