MPhil in International Relations

About the course

The MPhil in International Relations is a two-year (21-month) course which combines intellectually rigorous training in theoretical and conceptual approaches to international relations with the study of the recent history of world politics, as well as providing methodological training and personalised guidance for the production of high-quality original research.

The MPhil International Relations course equips you with the knowledge and skills you require to pursue further research and study at an advanced level and also to undertake many forms of professional work in the field. This MPhil is a very popular course, attracting students from the world’s leading institutions. Entry is very competitive and students come from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities.

The Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) is internationally recognised as a leader in research in the field of international relations and is home to the Centre for International Studies.

Assessment
First year

The core course culminates in a three-hour examination at the end of the first year. Research design and methods training is assessed by tests across the first year. Progression to the second year is conditional on satisfactory performance in these examinations and tests.

Second year

At the end of the course, you are required to sit two three-hour written examinations in the optional papers of your choice and submit a thesis of not more than 30,000 words.

Graduate destinations

Oxford’s MPhil Programme in International Relations has served as the launch pad for many successful academic careers in the field, with students undertaking doctoral work either in Oxford or elsewhere. Its graduates have also gone on to work at the top levels of government and international diplomacy, and in senior positions in international institutions, the non-profit sector, journalism and the private sector.

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications or their equivalent: a first-class undergraduate degree with honours. The qualification above should be achieved in one of the following subject areas or disciplines: political science; international relations; economics; history; philosophy; sociology; law. Nonetheless, each application will be assessed upon its own merits, and so candidates with a degree in an unrelated discipline should demonstrate the relevance of their academic background to their proposed subject or topic of study. Entrance is very competitive. For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.8 out of 4.0.