Postgraduate Studies in London - MA International Relations

› Apply Online - Fall 2012 Admissions

The MA in International Relations is dually accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and validated by The Open University.

Dr. James D. Boys

Richmond’s MA in International Relations has been designed to take full advantage of the many benefits offered by our central London location. Situated a short distance from Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament and the many departments of government, our Kensington campus is a prime location from which to observe first hand the machinations of international relations and global power politics.

Richmond sits at the crossroads of the world, at the gateway to Europe and North America. It is appropriate, therefore, that we offer an MA in International Relations to challenge a new generation of global leaders. On a course that has been constructed to offer opportunity, while demanding the very best of its students, you will find yourself at the very heart of one of the world’s most vibrant cities and in a setting that is designed to allow you to achieve all that is possible.

Our Masters Degree in International Relations will provide you with a grounding in advance theory while allowing you to specialise in a global region and themes that are most interesting to you personally, allowing you to construct a very personal degree program. We are determined to recruit students on the basis of their academic ability and individuality and so therefore do not require a GRE test result. Our course allows students to complete a Masters Degree in one year while studying in one of the world's great cities. London provides opportunities to meet policy makers and diplomats and is a wonderful jumping-off point for trips to Paris, NATO, the EU headquarters and mainland Europe.

From its very inception the MA in International Relations has been structured to provide students with both a theoretical grounding as well as practical skills required for graduate students in the 21st century. Far from the stilted approach of yesteryear, this course places you at the centre of the international arena by providing you with the opportunity to thrive in a challenging internship that forms the nucleus of the course.

Our focus on the theoretical and the practical aspects of postgraduate study has been driven by a determination to ensure that our students gain both qualifications and experience during their postgraduate endeavours, and therefore to make them highly prized in the eyes of potential employers.

We welcome your application to the program. Please take the time to work on your professional statement and think about the way in which the individual character of this program can enhance your career. We particularly welcome visits to our Kensington campus in the Fall semester and if you have further questions, please feel free to get in touch.

Dr. James D. Boys

Director of the International Relations Postgraduate Degree Program
Web Bio: Dr. James D. Boys
Email: james.boys@richmond.ac.uk

Program Goals

The Masters Degree in International Relations at Richmond provides a unique combination in its provision of practical and theoretical skills. The degree provides an in-depth theoretical appreciation of international relations in a classroom environment as well as a practical understanding of the subject in an invaluable internship setting. The degree provides its own reward, as well as serving as a platform for further potential academic study.

The degree can lead to eventual careers in roles that require articulate, clear thinking individuals with a grasp of contemporary events, including government, international organisations, business, finance and the media. The background of the MA faculty will enable students to develop an appreciation of the nuance in international relations, which, combined with the internship, will help prepare students for further graduate study or careers in related fields.

Successful students will be able to:

Articulate the various debates within the IR discipline (historical, philosophical, cultural and economic) and comprehend how different theories may or may not be integrated.
Demonstrate a clear appreciation of the intrinsic relationship between foreign and domestic politics.
Discern the background to international issues of the day.
Demonstrate an ideological sophistication by challenging accepted orthodoxy on the basis of new or re-interpreted evidence or new conceptual approaches.
Critically evaluate the effectiveness of foreign policy processes and diplomacy.