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We are living in a fast moving and fluctuating geopolitical world. Look around you: the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the rise of China, the conflict in the Middle East, and the return of Trump are all geopolitical events that have a direct impact on our lives and careers. The world we have created is almost daily a rapidly outstripping our capacity to understand it. The scale of global interconnectivity and interdependence has resulted in a steep change and complexity in global and regional geopolitical orders further driven by technological developments and strategic power shifts in the international order. The challenging question remains: how do we make sense of this complex and rapidly changing rule-based liberal world order? 

Our programme, delivered by our field-leading team of experts, aims to equip you with the 21st century skills and knowledge, to make sense of these events and boost your career prospects.  In our interactive sessions, through discussions and debates in class, you will be encouraged to explore the cause of global events and potential solutions.  You will discover how the developments in international relations affects real-world events, and develop critical and analytical skills in diplomacy, intelligence, security and policy making. With guest lecturers and visits to international organizations in London, you’ll gain the relevant experience and leadership skills you need for a role in global politics and international affairs. You’ll delve into the most pressing issues in global politics, such as foreign policy of the key actors, geopolitical shifts, global security challenges, migration, global communications, climate change, human rights and international law. You'll explore the rise of emerging powers and the Global South. The course also gives you flexibility to choose specialist optional modules. 

This MA programme will equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to boost your career prospects in diplomacy, intelligence, international organisations, political risk, government agencies, security sector, NGOs, think tanks, or academia. The course offers a wide range of modules including a work placement opportunity and dissertation module that trains you to engage in a substantial piece of research and to apply your knowledge and skills in an area of particular interest to you and your career aspirations. With a particular focus on security, intelligence and diplomatic statecraft, this course combines academic insight with practical learning. 

We welcome and support students from a variety of disciplinary and diverse backgrounds. You may have studied IR before, or you may have a background in an associated degree. Or you may be coming to this area afresh, looking to change the course of your career.

You'll complete four core modules plus two optional modules over the autumn and winter/spring semesters, with a dissertation module in the summer semester. Depending on your entry point to the course, you'll submit a final dissertation or a work-based project report in October or January of the year following your entry.

On the 12-month version of the MA, you can choose the Work Integrated Learning module to replace the dissertation with prior agreement if you have secured a suitable placement with an external organisation.