Course description
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There is so much going on in the University: debates, talks, societies, events
It is truly an environment where you can flourish.
Sara Giorgi / MA International Relations student
The socio-political challenges facing us are becoming increasingly international in scale. That means there’s an ever-growing need for problem-solvers that can think globally.
Led by internationally recognised academics, our International Relations master’s programme will give you the tools to interrogate global politics and better understand global issues like foreign policy, environmental politics and migration.
Through mandatory course units, you’ll be introduced to a range of orthodox and critical research approaches, while developing your qualitative and quantitative skills.
You’ll also be able to tailor the programme to fit your interests, with optional course units including:
- Governing in an Unjust World: Justice and International Relations
- Global Ethics
- European Union Foreign Policy
- Critical Environmental Politics
- The Arab Uprisings and Revolutionary State Formation
Upon completing the programme, you’ll be well placed to pursue a career in academic research. You’ll also have developed highly transferrable skills in research design, critical inquiry and creative thinking, setting you up well for a career in policy, charity work and countless other sectors.
Special features
With over 13,000 students, The University of Manchester has one of the largest postgraduate communities in the UK.
As part of that community, students on the programme are encouraged to participate in the Critical Global Politics research cluster, who organise a seminar series attracting high profile speakers, including:
- Cynthia Enloe
- Cynthia Weber
- Nick Vaughan-Williams
- Marysia Zalewski
- Laura Shepherd.
Teaching and learning
Part-time students complete the full-time course over two years. There are no evening or weekend course units available on the part-time course.
You must first check the schedule of the compulsory course units and then select your optional units to suit your requirements.
Updated timetable information will be available from mid-August and you will have the opportunity to discuss your unit choices during induction week with your course director.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Design and Skills | POLI60312 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Graduate Seminar in International Relations Theory | POLI70401 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Critical Approaches in International Politics | POLI70412 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Philosophy of Politics Research | POLI70771 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Dissertation | POLI72000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Qualitative Research Methods | SOCS60230 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Introduction to Quantitative Methods | SOST70511 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Migration, Mobility and Displacement in the Contemporary World | MGDI60731 | 15 | Optional |
| Governing in an Unjust World: Justice and International Relations | POLI60182 | 15 | Optional |
| Global Governance | POLI70422 | 15 | Optional |
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Scholarships and bursaries
The School offers a number of awards for students applying for master's study.
To find our more, please visit our master's funding opportunity search page.
Facilities
As a School of Social Sciences student, you will be supported by first-class resources.
As well as access to networked study areas and one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the country, The University of Manchester Library .