Explore our International Relations taught Master's degree.

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P-M9P9

MA

1 year full-time;
2 years part-time

30 September 2024

Politics and International Studies

University of Warwick

Warwick's International Relations (IR) MA explores key theoretical approaches from Realism to Post-Colonialism while critically analysing the role of states and other actors in international affairs, both historically and in the contemporary world.

This programme will tackle the ‘big’ issues facing global decision-makers such as: war, terrorism, (in)security, environmental degradation, climate change, pandemics, poverty, and inequality.

Traditionally, the discipline of International Relations (IR) has been concerned with issues of war and peace, focused on explaining and understanding the behaviour of states in their relationships with each other in the international state-system. However, the end of the Cold War and other currents in IR have exposed the limitations of this approach, highlighting a need for the inclusion of non-traditional concerns, i.e., things that would normally be outside the remit of ‘orthodox’ IR.

On this programme, you will learn what theory is and what it means to theorise; the key theoretical approaches in IR from Realism to Postcolonialism; and how to understand and apply these theories to historical and contemporary issues. Ultimately, students are equipped to evaluate theoretical positions in the light of pressing issues in contemporary political life.

Modules are taught via one 2-hour seminar per week. Every seminar will be based on extensive guided reading you will do each week, but there is no strict pattern to how sessions are run. This may include mini-lectures followed by discussion, Q&A sessions, organised debates, peer presentations, policy briefs, small group work, and other projects.

You can also choose to study part-time with us. Find out more about part-time study on our PAIS web pages.

Normally a maximum of 18 per seminar group in PAIS delivered modules.

6 hours of Seminars per week for 9 weeks in Terms One and Two plus advice and feedback hours when requested and Dissertation supervision in Terms Two and Three.

Assessment methods include research essays and other (written) assignments throughout the year, culminating in a 10,000 word dissertation at the end.

Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules in a module pre-registration process about which you will receive information at the beginning of September.

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.

Visit our PAIS web pages for department-specific advice on applying to ensure your application has the best chance for success.

Postgraduate FAQs (PAIS specific)

Postgraduate FAQs (General)

• Band B
• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Theories and Issues in International Relations

This module provides an introduction to International Relations (IR) theory; it exposes them to the key ideas and approaches which scholars working in the discipline use to understand and explain issues and practices of international politics. The module aims to familiarise students with the key theoretical approaches in IR and to make theory accessible and understandable. This is done via both an analysis of the key theoretical approaches to IR and by examining their insights and limitations through the study of key issues and themes in international relations, and by considering relevant case studies.

International Relations theorising draws from a wide diversity of intellectual sources and its scope is not limited by the narrow confines of the empirics of interstate behaviour. Firstly, IR theories draw from disciplines other than Politics, including philosophy, sociology and economics. Secondly, some of the theoretical literature is explicitly critical about the adequacy of particular theoretical approaches and seeks to deconstruct the role of theory and the theorist in IR, rather than just elaborate and apply existing theories; the module transcends theory through engaging with metatheoretical and philosophical questions. IR theory is not confined to academia. Policymakers and practitioners of world politics are also informed by and reproduce particular theoretical understandings of the way the world works even if they do not specifically recognise or present them as such. Finally, through welcoming a diversity of (unorthodox) perspectives, it becomes possible to even argue that we are all theorists and that we all theorise.

Dissertation

The Dissertation is an opportunity to study a topic of your choosing, in autonomy and in-depth, under the guidance of an advisor selected among the many experts in the Department. The Dissertation topic should be related to your course. It is an original empirical and/or theoretical investigation, led over terms 2 and 3, that takes further the work done in regular seminars in terms 1 and 2. The Dissertation is the closest you will get to real research during your degree. It is a key experience if you have a PhD in view, or extra-academic research, or any future employment that will require the ability to lead investigations and write reports in autonomy.

• Examining Rising World Powers
• International Relations and Security of the Middle East
• The Global Politics of Nuclear Weapons

The optional module lists are updated regularly.

You may select up to 40 CATS (normally two modules) from a list of specialist modules for this course, and a further 40-80 CATS from our extensive range of optional modules for a total of 120 CATS of taught modules.

We have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history.

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