Sponsored by Nottingham Trent University

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past year or unwittingly cancelled your TV and internet subscription, you’ve probably noticed the world isn’t doing particularly well at the moment.

From the rise of the far-right in Europe and America to a refugee crisis of unprecedented proportions, tragic and troubling news stories have become all too common.

Fortunately, with the right training, you could help combat injustices worldwide.

Here are 6 ways undertaking an online MA in International Relations could help you make a positive impact.   

1. Your sophisticated understanding of global issues will be second to none

The best international relations courses expose you to a wide range of issues, ensuring you’ll never be lost for words next time you’re talking to friends about global affairs. Nottingham Trent University runs an online Master of Arts in International Relations degree which explores a full range of global issues, including women and global movements, the political economy of under-development, and challenges to international security in the Asia-Pacific. Extensive knowledge of these global issues will help prepare you to work in areas of the world where your assistance might be needed to combat injustices. Read more about the course here.

2. You’ll think about the world around you in a smarter way

The world needs people who are capable of approaching problems critically and solving them. Fortunately, a master's in international relations is more about teaching you how to think, rather than what to think.

In studying international relations theory, you’ll learn how to auto-assess and critique your own ideological baggage, so you can identify the assumptions and unconscious biases which affect the way you interpret global issues. On the International Relations Theory module at Nottingham Trent University, you would be trained to abandon cultural bias to resolve complex global political situations through high-level independent analysis.

3. You could end up with a job that directly influences government policy…

With a master's in international relations, you could work in policy for a think tank, a pressure group, a public policy consultancy, a political party, trade unions or a charity. Wherever you go, you’ll be making a tangible difference in a broad range of areas, including, but not limited to, climate change, terrorism, immigration and international aid and development.  

4. Your work will have a positive impact on the poorest and most vulnerable

The world is deeply unequal, with a large number of countries still struggling with extreme poverty, child mortality, and diseases such as HIV. If you want to get involved and eradicate some of these critical issues, a master's in international relations could prepare you for roles within the international development sector.

5. You’ll be able to face the facts in a post-truth era

2017 needs bright minds who aren’t afraid to shout the truth. Last year, misinformation became so prevalent that the Oxford Dictionary’s word of 2016 was post-truth. Fake news has split up communities, paving the way for terrible crimes against humanity and the abnegation of basic human rights. Orwell said it best in his incredibly prescient novel 1984: “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”  Fortunately, the course at Nottingham Trent will both make you more aware of global issues and increase your understanding of the research methodologies behind the facts.

6. Your specialism is already waiting for you, whether you realize it or not

Enrolling to study a master's in international relations could help you find your niche area. By exploring many global issues which make up the course syllabus, you’ll be in a much better place to change the world around you.  

Convinced but can’t quit your job? Check out the online Master of Arts in International Relations at Nottingham Trent University and study at a time and place convenient for you!

By Sabrina Collier and Mathilde Frot

Been too busy to keep up with the week's news? Allow us to bring you up to speed with everything important (and some slightly-less-important dinosaur-related news) from the last seven days in less than five minutes.

Brexit, and other politics

We miss EU. Europeans said goodbye to the United Kingdom on Wednesday after Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50. The French newspaper Libération’s splash features a photo of the Queen’s Guard with the caption: “We Already Miss You […] Or Not”, while Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine opted for the morose headline “Divorce Hurts” above a gloomy photograph of Winston Churchill’s statue.

EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE: Theresa May severs ties with the EU #Brexit #Article50 #BrexitDay pic.twitter.com/lLia5is9J6

— JOE.co.uk (@JOE_co_uk) March 29, 2017

A united Ireland? Against a backdrop of political upheaval in Northern Ireland, Brexit Secretary David Davis admitted in a letter to the Northern Ireland MP Mark Durkan that the country would enjoy an automatic return to the EU if the country formed part of a united Ireland. Which could be an appealing prospect, given 55.8% of the country voted Remain. 

India's Trump Trump imitators seem to be springing up in almost every country at the moment and India is no different. Yogi Adityanath, who gave his first speech as head of the Uttar Pradesh assembly this week, is known for a history of hate speech and inciting racial violence. However, the hardline Hindu priest, who supports Trump's Muslim ban, struck a very different tone in his 15-minute address, asking for greater cooperation between the government and opposition and promising to end religious discrimination.

Technology fails

Big Brother On Wednesday, a bill granting internet service providers the right to sell the browsing habits of their consumers reached President Donald Trump’s desk. The bill would strike a major blow to advocates of online privacy and has been criticised by many. Cards Against Humanity co-creator Max Temkin has pledged to buy and publish the entire browsing history of every member of Congress who voted in favour of the bill. On the same day, Trump issued an executive order rolling back the Clean Power Plan, a signature piece of climate change legislation introduced by Barack Obama, as part of attempts to reignite the coal industry. Which, it turns out, probably won't happen...

So, Brexit, the end of internet privacy and the trashing of environmental protections. All in one day. Nice work

— alan rusbridger (@arusbridger) March 29, 2017

Facebook copies Snapchat They say imitation is the best form of flattery, but that's probably not going to make Snapchat feel any better this week. Facebook has become the latest social media platform to jump on the bandwagon and unveil a Snapchat copycat feature. Stories lets you use the in-app Facebook Camera to share pictures privately with friends or post them on your news feed. Much like its competitor, you’ll be able to add a variety of interactive elements to decorate your photos. Facebook also owns Instagram, Whatsapp as well as Facebook Messenger, all of which you may have noticed have also recently introduced features which copy Snapchat. Find out more about Facebook Stories.

Snapchat looking at the new Facebook Stories like... pic.twitter.com/o3TQKDdRJQ

— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeagueTSL) March 28, 2017

Uber crash A self-driving car from Uber was involved in an accident in Arizona this week, suggesting the technology still has some way to go. Fortunately the crash wasn’t as bad as it looks, as no one was hurt. Interestingly, police say that the human driver was at fault, having failed to yield, whereas the Uber car was following the law. Read more on this story here.

Report shows what happened in Uber's self-driving car crash https://t.co/YIhzyG7E4C pic.twitter.com/t8LMRnbp2R

— 12 News (@12News) March 31, 2017

Swim/sleep your way to graduation

Thrown in the deep end Elite Chinese university Tsinghua University has made waves after announcing an unusual requirement for students hoping to obtain a degree – a swim test. The university, known as the "Harvard of the East" insists swimming is an "essential survival skill" and they want students to get more active for the health benefits. Hopefully nobody sinks...

via GIPHY

RIT’s nap map Enjoy taking a quick nap in-between lectures? Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York has created Naps, a website dedicated to helping students find the best napping spots on campus. RIT’s Physical Wellness Team found the benefits of 20-30 minute power naps include better test performance, greater alertness, increased productivity, reduced irritability, and a reduced need for coffee. Read more at RIT’s website.

via GIPHY

Jurassic Park!

You wait ages for a good dinosaur story and then two come along at once. This week, a massive dinosaur footprint was discovered in Australia, measuring 1.7m long. That wasn't even the best dino discovery of the week though. Scientists in America announced they have reason to believe the fearsome T-Rex was actually a very gentle and sensitive lover. Maybe they can include that in the next Jurassic World movie...

Lead image: Jurassic Park

Click here to view the latest version of this article, based on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019.

The QS World University Rankings by Subject features a ranking of the top universities for physics and astronomy, extended this year to now feature over 500 institutions from around the world.

Read on for an overview of the top physics schools in each world region, or click here to view the full interactive table.

Top universities for physics in the US & Canada

The US boasts 95 representatives in the physics ranking, including the same six universities in the top 10 as last year. A further 10 US institutions feature in the top 50, including the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (12^th), the University of Chicago (13^th), Yale University (=14^th) and Columbia University (=19^th).

18 more of the world’s best universities for physics can be found in Canada, including three in the top 50:  University of Toronto (=25^th), the University of British Colombia (34^th) and McGill University (39^th, up from 51-100).

Top universities for physics in Europe

An impressive 231 top universities for physics are found in Europe, with Germany boasting the most entries out of any European country featured, with 41 institutions in the ranking. There are five German universities in the top 50, including Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (=16^th),  Technische Universität München (TU Munich) (=19^th) and KIT, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (=31^st).

A further 37 of the world’s best universities for physics and astronomy are based within the UK, with Imperial College London again missing out on a top 10 position for physics (it’s ranked 11^th). The other two UK universities ranked in the top 50 for this subject are the University of Manchester (=40^th) and UCL (University College London) (=44^th).

Italy also performs well, with 23 representatives in the physics ranking, including Sapienza - Università di Roma (=44^th).

Another 19 of the world’s best universities for physics are found in France, including Ecole Polytechnique ParisTech in the top 50 and three other institutions in the top 100.

Russia has 16 top physics schools, including six new entries. Three of Russia’s institutions are in the global top 50 for this subject: Lomonosov Moscow State University (21^st), Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) (=42^nd) and Novosibirsk State University (50^th).

Spain has 12 representatives in the physics ranking, including  Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Universitat de Barcelona in the top 100.

Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden are home to eight top universities for physics each, with three of the Netherlands’ entries featuring in the top 100, including Delft University of Technology. Sweden’s highest-ranked institution is KTH, Royal Institute of Technology (also ranked 51-100), while Belgium’s is Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) (101-150). 

Switzerland is another strong country for physics and astronomy, with seven representatives in the ranking. Outside of ETH Zurich in the top 10, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has also performed well and is ranked joint 14^th.

Austria has six top physics schools, including Vienna University of Technology at 101-150, while Finland, Poland and Portugal have five entrants in the physics ranking each, with the Finnish University of Helsinki the best-performing university from these countries at 101-150.

Fellow Nordic nation Denmark has four top universities for physics, with the University of Copenhagen the highest-ranked at 51-100. Greece and Ireland also have four entrants, with Ireland’s University College Dublin a notable performer with a ranking of 151-200.

Elsewhere, Norway and the Czech Republic have three representatives in the physics ranking each, while Hungary, Romania and Slovenia have two apiece. Of these five countries, the Czech Republic’s Charles University and Czech Technical University In Prague are the two highest-ranked at 151-200.

Finally, six European countries joined the physics ranking this year, all with one entrant: Belarus, Croatia, Estonia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Top universities for physics in Asia

China claims the largest share of Asia’s best universities for physics again this year, with 26 representatives, including six new entries. China’s highest-ranked universities for physics and astronomy are Peking University (18^th) and Tsinghua University (24^th).

South Korea is next with 20 top universities for physics, including five new entries. The highest-ranked South Korean institutions are Seoul National University (SNU) (30^th) and KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (=44^th).

Japan is home to 18 of the world’s top physics schools, with six of these boasting top 50 positions. As well as the University of Tokyo in the top 10, other high-ranking Japanese institutions for physics and astronomy include: Kyoto University (=16^th), Tokyo Institute of Technology (29^th) and Tohoku University (=31^st).

India also performs well, with 13 entrants in the physics ranking, the highest-ranked of which is Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) at 101-150. Taiwan is home to eight of the world’s top physics schools, led by National Taiwan University in 37^th place.

Hong Kong and Malaysia have five entrants each, with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) both ranked 51-100.

Although Singapore has just two universities in the physics ranking, they shouldn’t be written off, as both institutions achieve positions in the top 50. The National University of Singapore (NUS) is joint 25^th, while the Nanyang Technological University is placed 47^th. Also with two top physics schools is Pakistan, while Kazakhstan and Thailand both enter the ranking this year with one representative each.

Top universities for physics in Australia & New Zealand

A total of 16 Australian universities feature in the physics ranking, including five new entries. The  University of Melbourne continues to be the highest-ranked Australian university for physics and astronomy, ranked 48^th this year. Also ranked well are the Australian National University and the University of Sydney at 51-100.

Four more of the world’s best universities for physics are found in New Zealand, with the University of Auckland the highest-ranked of these at 101-150.

Top universities for physics in Latin America

Of the 23 top physics schools across Latin America, 11 are found in Brazil, including Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) and Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro all ranked 101-150.

Chile has five top physics schools, including the highest-ranked institution in Latin America for this subject: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) (51-100). Mexico has three representatives in the ranking, led by Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) at 101-150.

Argentina and Colombia both have two top universities for physics each, with the Argentinian Universidad de Buenos Aires a strong performer with a place in the top 150. 

Top universities for physics in Africa & the Middle East

Israel and Turkey are home to four of the world’s best universities for physics each, with Israel’s Technion – Israel Institute of Technology ranked 101-150. Saudi Arabia is new to the physics ranking this year with two entrants, including King Abdullah University of Science & Technology at 401-450.

Meanwhile in Africa, South Africa has three top universities for physics, led by the University of Cape Town at 201-250. Egypt joins it in the ranking with one entrant, Cairo University, which is placed 401-450 for physics and astronomy.

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Tuition fees in England are now the most expensive in the world, according to a new study.

The average annual cost of studying at an English university is £9,188 (US$11,425), which is nearly £2,000 more than the average fee paid by US students. According to the Student Loan Calculator, the average US student pays only US$9,410 (£7,568).

English tuition fees also far outstrip the typical fees paid elsewhere in Europe. French students pay the equivalent of US$430 per year, meaning it would take more than 25 years for a French student to pay as much as their English counterpart does in one.

Average fees in Belgium, Germany, Italy and Austria are also under $1,500 per year, while some European countries (including neighboring Scotland) don't charge fees at all.

English students are going to be hit even harder financially from this year onwards, with fees increasing to £9,250 (US$11,500) per year at most universities. The fee increase was quietly confirmed by the government in December, and will apply to domestic and EU students on full-time undergraduate degrees. Although universities were told they would have to justify increasing their fees, the BBC has reported that almost all universities are expected to charge the full amount.

Things could get even worse in the future too, as the government has suggested fees won't remain fixed, but will instead rise with inflation.

Best start saving your pennies and thinking of a witty sign to carry at the next protest march.

University is expensive. Get financial advice, scholarship information and lots more by signing up to our site. It's free.

Click here to view the latest version of this article, based on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018. 

Starting last year, the QS World University Rankings by Subject now includes a ranking of the world’s 100 top nursing schools, based on a methodology which assesses academic and employer reputation.

Read on for an overview of the top universities for nursing in each world region, or click here to view the full results.

Top nursing schools in the US and Canada

As is the case across the overall World Rankings by Subject, the US is especially well-represented in the nursing school, claiming 34 of the 100 positions, including 16 in the top 50. As well as having four institutions in the top 10 (above), other top universities for nursing in the US include: the University of Michigan (ranked 11^th),  the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Yale University (both joint 14^th), and the University of Pittsburgh (17^th).

Heading north to Canada, the country has nine top nursing schools, six of which are in the top 50. Outside of the University of Toronto in the top 10, other high-ranking institutions for this subject include the University of Alberta (16^th), the University of British Columbia (=20^th) and McMaster University (=27^th).

Top nursing schools in Europe

Of the 100 institutions featured in the nursing school ranking, over a quarter (26) are located within Europe, including 11 in the United Kingdom. Outside the three UK universities in the top 10, three other UK nursing schools feature in the top 50: the University of Edinburgh (29^th), Ulster University (37^th) and the University of Nottingham (=42^nd). 

Another strong European country for nursing is Sweden, which claims five of the world’s top nursing schools, including Karolinska Institutet (=12^th). Fellow Nordic nations Denmark and Finland also perform well, with Denmark’s sole entrant Aarhus University in the top 50, while Finland’s two representatives also achieve top 50 positions: the University of Turku and the University of Eastern Finland.

Meanwhile Ireland has four representatives in the ranking, led by Trinity College Dublin at 36^th. Elsewhere, Belgium, Spain and Switzerland claim one top nursing school apiece, all ranked 51-100.

Top nursing schools in Asia

Asia is home to 11 of the world’s top universities for nursing, with Hong Kong and Taiwan claiming three representatives each. Two of Hong Kong’s entrants are in the top 50: the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)  (=27^th) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (=30^th), and Taiwan’s National Taiwan University (NTU) is also featured in the top 50 (at joint 20^th).

Singapore’s sole entrant, the National University of Singapore (NUS), is the highest-ranked university in Asia for nursing, placing 19^th this year.

Two more top nursing schools can be found in South Korea, while Japan and Taiwan claim one each – of these, all four institutions are ranked 51-100. 

Top nursing schools in Latin America

Latin America is less prominent in the nursing school ranking, with Brazil the only Latin American country to feature. Brazil’s three top universities for nursing are all ranked 51-100, including the Universidade de São Paulo (USP).

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