MA International Relations
Duration: one year full time; two years part time
General Information
As an academic discipline, international relations deals with the causes and consequences of international phenomena such as war, trade, regional integration, migration and terrorism. While rooted in political science, teaching and research on international relations at SPIRe brings together different methodologies and theoretical perspectives. Particular strengths in the School include international political economy, international security, cultural and social-psychological approaches to international politics, regional integration, international institutions, development and human rights. Geographical expertise centres on Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East.
The MA International Relations is a 90-credit programme. Full-time students in both programmes must take three 10-credit modules and a shorter 5-credit dissertation design sequence in the first semester, and three 10-credit modules in the second semester. Students must also submit a thesis worth 25 credits that will be written during the summer term. Part-time students take a total of 90 credits over two years.
Students in the MA programme participate in the two-course core subject modules in international relations. Core subject modules are “Theories of International Relations” (first semester) and “International Security” (second semester). Participants in the subject-oriented MA programme can choose four electives from the wide range of courses offered in the School. Over the summer, students complete a thesis of approximately 10,000 words. Students are assigned an academic supervisor to help them choose their topic and guide their research.
Structure
The MA in International Relations is a 90-credit programme. Full time students must take three 10-credit modules and a 5-credit Dissertation Design module in the first semester, and three 10-credit modules in the second semester. Students must also submit a thesis worth 25-credits.
Part time students take a total of 90-credits over the two-year duration of the part-time programme. As the Dissertation Design module is provided to support students writing their thesis, it must be taken in the second year of study. It is advisable for students to take the core modules in Year 1.
Admission requirements
Each application is considered on its individual merits. The applicants should have earned an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject such as political science, international relations, social science, sociology, history, geography, economics, global studies, public policy, development studies, EU studies, law/international law etc. with at least Upper Second Class Honours, or its equivalent (an overall GPA of 3.0 (B) or higher in the American system). Relevant professional experience will also be taken into account.
Note that meet the requirements do not guarantee admission. Applicants in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted conditional on satisfactory completion of their undergraduate degree.
Career Prospects
As with most other qualifications in the social sciences, the degree offers no single predefined career path.
Participants in the MA programme can work in applied jobs in public administration, journalism, business, and the voluntary sector.
