International Relations MSc
Awards: MSc
Study modes: Full-time
Funding opportunities
Programme website: International Relations
This programme focuses on international relations and the pressing problems humanity faces in the international realm.
International Relations involves studying the complex interactions between sovereign states and a wide range of other organisations and institutions, including:
- multinational corporations
- security alliances
- international financial/trade organisations
- international legal bodies
- aid/development institutions
The programme enables you to examine global empirical issues and developments, and to adopt a range of theoretical approaches, allowing you to analyse and interpret the world with different conceptual lenses.
This programme explores topics such as:
- war
- terrorism
- power
- diplomacy
- climate change
- trade, poverty
- migration
- international cooperation
The programme focuses not only on the study of these topics, but also explores the ways to meet their associated challenges.
Our MSc International Relations programme offers intensive training in the theory and practice of international relations, preparing you for a diverse range of international careers or further research. Our approach combines innovative research with creative and inspirational teaching. Staff members approach research and teaching with an intricate knowledge of the major international institutions, complemented by a deep appreciation of historical change and key ideas in international thought.
Areas of interest
This programme provides the opportunity to analyse major issues in global affairs and engage with leading academic research within your own area(s) of interest. Examples of areas of focus include:
- the economic and cultural impact of globalisation
- triggers of state and non-state conflict and war
- the construction of foreign policy
- the significance of gender to policy and policy-making
- the environment and climate change
- international aid efforts and poverty alleviation
This degree programme is broad and wide-ranging, but also allows you to specialise in particular areas or countries of the world. Depending on course availability, you will be able to take specialist optional courses on specific regions such as Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
How will I learn?
This taught MSc programme combines a small number of core courses with a larger number of optional, topic-specific courses. The core courses generally involve large-group lectures complemented with small-group tutorials. The optional courses are smaller in group size and may be taught through lectures and tutorials, or via more interactive seminar sessions.
You will be expected to engage in regular, independent learning outside of the classroom. You will need to engage closely with the relevant academic literature. Lecturers and tutors will recommend readings, but you will also be expected to go beyond the reading lists provided.
More programme details
You can find more details about this programme, including student testimonials and suggested reading recommendations, on the programme webpage:
The MSc is offered full-time over 12 months.
The programme consists of 180 credits, including:
- individual courses, typically worth 20 credits each
- the dissertation, worth 60 credits (one-third of the final grade)
Courses
You will take two compulsory courses:
- International Relations Theory
- either International Security or International Political Economy
You will also take four optional courses from the range available. While available options can change every year, in recent years the programme has included courses on:
- foreign policy analysis
- the regional affairs of the Asia Pacific
- political contestation in the Middle East
- European foreign and security policy
- the global environment and climate change
- the importance of gender to the study of global affairs
- international development
With the agreement of the Programme Director, you may select optional courses from elsewhere within the University. Full-time students in particular are generally discouraged from taking language courses alongside this programme, even if not for credit, because of this programme's intensive nature.
Dissertation
You will undertake an independently researched dissertation. The dissertation is an extended piece of written work of a maximum 15,000 words on a topic largely of your choosing. You will be assigned a supervisor for your dissertation.
The dissertation is the most advanced element of the degree, and requires you to progress from structured coursework study to independent study. You will need to demonstrate the ability to engage critically and analytically with the literature, building upon relevant concepts and theory covered in the taught element of the degree.
The dissertation is normally made up of a balance of empirical and theoretical work, however, you are not required to conduct primary field research.
Dissertation topics
Examples of dissertation topics from previous years in related programmes include:
- International Security
- Comparative Regionalism
- Modern Peacekeeping
- Middle Eastern Politics
- African Foreign Policy
- EU Environmental Politics
- Humanitarian Intervention
- International Terrorism
- Gender Politics
- American Foreign Policy
- Cosmopolitanism
- International Trade
- European Security and Defence Policy
- Enlargement of the European Union
- Turkish membership of the EU
Find out more about compulsory and optional courses
We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | International Relations | 1 Year | Full-time | Programme structure 2024/25 |
By the end of the programme you will:
- know and understand core explanatory theories, concepts, institutions and issues in the study of international relations
- have specialist in-depth knowledge of specific areas and issues in international relations
- know key contemporary debates in existing academic literature in journals and books on international relations
- be able to analyse and evaluate competing theoretical paradigms in the explanation and judgment of international relations
- be able to apply explanatory models to analyse and understand specific developments within international relations
- be able to draw on a variety of disciplinary paradigms in the understanding of international relations
The wide-ranging nature of the programme means that it can help to prepare students for careers in numerous fields, such as:
- regional, national and international government institutions
- political parties
- development/international aid organisations
- educational, research and think-tank organisations
- national and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- media and public relations
- charity and the third sector
- advocacy and lobbying
- policy risk analysis
- diplomacy and international law services
Graduates of the programme can also pursue further study. You can use the MSc degree as a stepping stone towards a PhD in International Relations or related fields such as Political Science, International Political Economy, Security Studies, etc.
The programme also helps students to develop transferable skills, including the ability to:
- conduct independent research
- synthesise and critically analyse complex material
- communicate via oral and written channels at an enhanced level
These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in politics, international relations, or the social sciences.
We may also consider your application if you have a different background but have taken courses relevant to the programme.
Entrance to this programme is strongly competitive. You can increase your chances of a successful application by exceeding the minimum programme requirements.
Please review the important points to note on the programme website:
Students from China
This degree is Band C.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
- Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
Application fee
A non-refundable application fee of £50 must be paid after you submit your application. Your application will not be processed until we have received your application fee.
Living costs
You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.
Tuition fees
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | International Relations | 1 Year | Full-time | Tuition fees |
Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.
Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:
- borrowing money
- taking out a loan
- family support
- personal savings
- income from work
- employer sponsorship
- scholarships
Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.
The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:
- your programme
- the duration of your studies
- your residency status.
Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Dr Lucy Abbott
- Contact: Lucy.Abbott@ed.ac.uk
- Graduate School of Social & Political Science
- Chrystal Macmillan Building
- 15A George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LD
- Programme: International Relations
- School: Social & Political Science
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
MSc International Relations - 1 Year (Full-time)
Due to high demand, this programme operates a gathered field approach to admissions, with two application deadlines as noted below.
Each application round has a decision deadline, also listed below, but note that we may make offers to the strongest candidates on an ongoing basis, in advance of the published decision deadline.
We strongly recommend that you apply as early as possible, especially if you intend to apply for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand. If you are considering applying for our pre-sessional English Language programme, please make sure you apply in Round 1.
Please note that for an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including academic transcripts. If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements e.g. via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, please upload that evidence as soon as you have it.
Selection deadlines
Round | Application deadline | Places awarded by |
---|---|---|
1 | 13 January 2025 | 17 April 2025 |
2 | 29 May 2025 | 30 June 2025 |
Deadlines for UK/Scotland fee status
After Round 2, if there are still places available, applications will remain open only to applicants who are eligible for the UK/Scotland fee rate, including the EU/EEA Pre-settled Scotland fee status. Applications will remain open no later than 30 June 2025 and may close earlier than this if the programme becomes full, so we strongly recommend you apply as soon as possible.
If you apply with another fee status after 29 May 2025, your application will be rejected.
Application fee
You must have paid the application fee before the application deadline for the round you wish to be considered in.
(Revised 17 October 2024 to add application deadlines and selection process information)
References are not usually required for applications to this programme.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Dr Lucy Abbott
- Contact: Lucy.Abbott@ed.ac.uk
- Graduate School of Social & Political Science
- Chrystal Macmillan Building
- 15A George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LD
- Programme: International Relations
- School: Social & Political Science
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences