International Relations MSc

Why this course?

This course will equip you with a grounding in the analysis of international politics, in terms of the issues, actors and processes that shape the world today and also the theoretical frameworks and methodological techniques by which we make sense of them.

What role do powerful states, international organisations and social movements play in international and regional politics? How should we respond to global crises and conflicts? How does power operate in, across and between states? In what ways do international political and economic processes shape the everyday lives of people across the globe? And how can we explain and evaluate such processes?

This MSc in International Relations will help you answer these questions. It will equip you with a systematic grounding in the analysis of international politics, in terms both of the issues, actors and processes that shape the world today and the theoretical frameworks and methodological techniques by which we make sense of them.

The course is distinctive in combining American and British, positivist and critical, approaches to this field of study, as well as in its range of specialist classes on topics as diverse as international law, the EU, security and gender.

What you’ll study

The MSc in International Relations offers rigorous methodological training, drawing on long-established expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods. You'll be encouraged to evaluate these methods and to apply them to international political actors and processes. The course will significantly enhance your employability skills in terms of research management, data analysis and critical thinking.

The course is organised into core and optional classes. The core classes provide an introduction to:

• theoretical frameworks in the field
• key issues of interstate cooperation and conflict
• the role of international organisations
• principles of research design

There will also be a range of optional classes open to you, on specialised topics in international relations and on research methods. These will vary from year to year.

You'll take two core classes and one optional class per semester. Classes average 20 contact hours with additional computer laboratory sessions for some methods classes. You'll also complete a dissertation over the summer, under the supervision of one of our International Relations scholars.

First or upper second-class Honours degree, or equivalent, in social science.