International Relations: Theories, Practices and Policy, MA, PGCert, PGDip

The MA in International Relations is designed to help develop a global awareness, an ability to grasp and interpret complexity, and a sense of how policies can address rapid, sophisticated change.

Key Information

Entry requirements

A good honours (minimum 2.2) degree in a relevant subject
English language requirements for International and EU students
Applicants from candidates with non-standard entry qualifications will be considered on an individual basis

Course length

One year full-time, two years part-time

Study location

Clifton campus

Fees and funding

Please see our fees information page

Schools

Visit the School of Arts and Humanities site

Overview

£1,000 School of Arts and Humanities postgraduate bursaries available for 2012 entry

What will I study?

Teaching on the course is drawn directly from regionally aligned research strengths in Asia-Pacific, The Middle East, North Africa, The Indian sub-continent, and Europe. This research feeds directly into the course allowing you to learn about the latest issues in this field from world-renowned experts. You can focus your studies on a wide range of options including global warming, terrorism, finance, institutions or religious conflict.

Special features

The MA in International Relations has run for over 20 years at Nottingham Trent University. 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. The course is unique in its combination of high-quality academic work, which can lead on to study for a research degree, and more professional or vocational elements.

Students on this course all have the opportunity to participate in seminars, symposia and joint work with students of other postgraduate courses. We hold regular research seminars and day schools that you can attend. This provides opportunities for you to meet and interact with our thriving community of research students, of whom there are currently about 20 registered for a PhD in International Relations at NTU.

Book onto one of our postgraduate open events

Any questions?

General course enquiries
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Admissions enquiries
Telephone: +44(0)115 848 4200

Course

Study routes

MA full-time: 12 months
MA part-time: 24 months
PgDip full-time: 12 months
PgDip part-time: 24 months
PgCert full-time: 9 months

Core modules

Approaching and Doing Research - Includes a focus on issues such as social inquiry interpretation, ethnography, ethics, positionality, research questions and design, literature reviews and presenting research.
International Relations
- Globalisation includes theories and contested debates on globalisation; globalisation and global political economy; global society and global citizenship; global media, culture; resistance to globalisation in different forms locally and worldwide; globalisation; global cities and global hubs; technology change and globalisation.
- Theories, methodologies and methods of contemporary international relations includes approaches to theoretical debates; quantitative, qualitative and critical approaches to IR; critical readings of relations between IR and other disciplines; innovative approaches to understanding and explanation in IR.
- History of Thought in International Relations includes the evolution of ideas and understandings of international relations in western and non-western traditions; the growth of international law and the state; the growth of international cooperation through global and regional institutional frameworks; governance structures in IR; conceptions of security, development, power, justice and ethics.
- Global political economy includes liberal, critical and radical theories of GPE; finance, trade, development, technology change, corporate activity; states and markets.
Dissertation

Assessment

Assessment on the course involves coursework, report writing, presentations and group work. There are also class tests, critical reviews, and critical bibliographies to prepare. There are no formal examinations on the course. All candidates for the MA write a 15,000 word dissertation, and prepare work on research methods including an assessed dissertation proposal as part of the research training element of the degree.

Careers

Career development

International Relations graduates are highly employable due to their wide-ranging skills and competencies. Students from this course go on to careers in intelligence, finance, journalism, law, NGOs and a high percentage take their studies further at PhD level.

Placements

Although this course does not offer a formal placement, all of our courses are vocationally focused and will help you to develop a broad range of transferable skills.

How to apply

Find out more about applying for a postgraduate course at NTU.

Use our online portal to submit your application.