International Relations

Entry requirements

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in a relevant/related subject.

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The MA International Relations deals with the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century from a critical perspective.

On this International Relations degree, you will engage with a variety of approaches essential to understanding contemporary world politics. You will learn the foundations of classic International Relations, and will also be challenged with a wealth of critical and unorthodox approaches.

You will learn to move beyond the standard canon of textbook theories, and to study International Relations using an interdisciplinary approach, paying particular attention to the complex relationship between power, culture, and identity.

Instead of replicating state-centred and Eurocentric caricatures of international politics, the programme also offers a broad view of 'the international', which explores alternative ways of experiencing the world. This will help you develop your own critical analysis of crucial questions of power, conflict, and justice.

You will study in small groups, supported by lecturers and tutors pushing the boundaries of contemporary International Relations scholarship. You will be introduced to cutting-edge approaches to the subject, and an unusually wide range of area expertise, including Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East.

The programme will also allow you to tailor your degree to your needs and interests by choosing from a range of option modules. These can include modules about the international politics of security, development, violence, human rights, resistance, justice, gender, religion, and the politics of knowledge, among others.

Throughout your studies you’ll gain analytical skills essential for further study at PhD level. These will also be invaluable should you wish to work in fields like journalism, government, diplomacy, or in NGOs, international organisations, and think-tanks. You will also have the opportunity to do a work placement during your studies, and gain real-world work experience as part of your degree.

Fees and funding