Introduction:

The International Relations Masters degree is designed to develop global awareness, an understanding of the complexity of contemporary international arenas, and a sense of how policies can address rapid, sophisticated change.

The course offers you the opportunity to take part in an exciting contemporary discussion that not only focuses on core theoretical understandings, but also on contemporary and critical developments within the field.

The course is grounded in theoretical debates and research methods, and has a strong policy focus on global governance, the link between political economy and security, and the transient nature of international political actors and phenomena.

What you’ll study

*We are currently reviewing the content of our courses to ensure that they remain relevant and current to our students’ future ambitions and society. Please continue to check this course webpage for the latest developments.

Teaching on the course is from a truly international team and attracts a cohort from across the world. This allows you to consider many different international viewpoints and offers a thoroughly holistic learning experience. You will gain an advanced and critical understanding of International Relations Theories, Policies and Practices.

During the course you’ll have the opportunity to complete a period of work-based learning if you choose to complete the work-based research project.

During this postgraduate course you’ll study modules specially designed to impart theoretical knowledge, research and practical skills.

Careers and employability

By nature, the International Relations subject aims to foster your global citizenship characteristics with the discipline’s focus on openness to the world, and its focus on sustainability issues. In addition, the knowledge and skills that you attain are generally those that employers in a variety of different sectors seek, which means that as a graduate of this course you should have a good opportunity to promote yourself to suitable employers.

As an International Relations graduate from this course you’ll have had the opportunity to reflect on the subject and transferable skills that you have learned while preparing coursework, and those include expertise in writing complex yet concise analytical pieces, developing and implementing projects, and the ability to present in-depth ideas with confidence. You will also have been helped and encouraged to articulate those skills in relation to particular occupations that you may be interested in pursuing. The course also focuses on developing the following skills: communication, time-management, team-working, and IT / modern technologies. Each module on this course is designed to engage you in developing these skills which often form part of assessed assignments.

Alongside providing such transferable skills, we believe that the optional pathway through the Dissertation module will strongly enhance your employability skills and, more generally, the course’s engagement with contemporary global issues will ensure that your knowledge and ‘openness’ to the wider world is up-to-date and relevant.

A number of students seek internships and placements during the summer months, and are assisted by the International Relations team to find relevant experiences. This allows graduates from this course to seek a wide range of careers and professions.

You may wish to pursue a career in relevant government departments or international aid and development agencies. In the private sector businesses are increasingly looking for graduates with an understanding of international / global events and processes.

The job titles below give an indication of the careers our recent International Relations graduates are pursuing:

• Trainee campaign organiser
• Financial advisor
• Freelance researcher
• PR Intern
• Writer

Entry requirements

• You will need an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK undergraduate honours degree (normally a 2.2 or above).

If you hold a first degree but it doesn’t meet the entry requirements above, please refer to the information below.

• Applicants with non-standard entry qualifications and/or relevant experience will be considered on an individual basis. You will be required to demonstrate how your experiences and knowledge would enable you to study this course at Masters-level in your Personal Statement.

Fees and funding

Study route	International / EU students
Full-time	£15,850
Part-time (cost per year of study)	£7,925 (for Year One*)

Fees are for 2022 entry.

* Please note that if you are considering a part-time route that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for Year One of study. The course fee for Year Two is subject to annual review.

Tuition fees are payable for each year that you are at the University. The level of tuition fees for the second and subsequent years of your postgraduate course may increase in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.

If you choose to study the two-year route of an eligible course, which incorporates a work placement, the fee for Year Two will be £1,385.

If you’re starting a postgraduate course in January 2023 you’ll pay the 2022 fee.

Late Applications

If you missed the UCAS January deadline, it’s not too late to apply to join us in September 2022.

Applying to university after the January deadline isn’t anything to worry about – we accept applications for most of our undergraduate courses until Thursday 30 June 2022.