International Relations

MA or PGDip or PGCert

Start dates: September 2025 / September 2026

Full time: MA: 12 months; PGDip: 9 months; PGCert: 9 months

Part time: MA: 24 months; PGDip: 18 months; PGCert: 18 months

Location: Headington

School(s): School of Law and Social Sciences

Find a course

Overview

Explore pressing issues and power struggles in today’s globalised world. You’ll examine how states and societies cooperate on our international relations postgraduate course, and question world politics and the global political economy.

You’ll get to know the key players, organisations, and policies that underpin world economies. You’ll challenge their aims, and discuss the obstacles they face. You’ll explore how systems impact individuals like refugees and protesters, as well as global problems like the climate emergency.

You’ll have the freedom to pursue what interests you. This might involve scrutinising the Paris Agreement or analysing Fair Trade. Or examining social movements like the Yellow Vests, Flygskam, or pro-democracy activism in Hong Kong.

This course is also available through distance learning.

Attend an open day or webinar Ask a question Order a prospectus

Why Oxford Brookes University?

  • A political epicentre

    In Oxford, you’ll be at the heart of modern political discourse – there are active discussions on racism and colonialism, and refugee action.

  • Focus on you

    You’ll be taught in small classes, always getting the attention and support you need. Your tutors are active researchers in their fields of study, and they’ll share their expertise with you.

  • An accessible programme

    You can join this course without having studied our international relations undergraduate degree.

  • Study trips

    Students have previously visited The Hague and the European Parliament in Brussels to enhance their learning.

  • More than essays

    Assessment methods also include presentations, projects, reports and a dissertation, and you’ll receive feedback throughout the year.

Course details

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Study modules

The modules listed below are for the master's award. For the PGDip and PGCert awards your module choices may be different. Please contact us for more details.

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Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Research

Our vibrant research culture is driven by a thriving and collaborative community of academic staff and doctoral students. from across the globe.

83% of International Relations and Politics research was recognised internationally, and rated as either excellent or world leading in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.

Our research is organised within the Centre for Global Politics, Economy and Society.

Within the Centre we run four dedicated research groups:

  • Critical Security Studies
  • International Political Theory
  • Cultures and Identities
  • State and Society.

As well as meeting to discuss and analyse central texts in the field each group undertakes a number of activities including:

  • organising work-in-progress seminars
  • offering support and feedback for external grant applications
  • hosting visiting fellows
  • sponsoring seminars and symposia.

Find out more by visiting our web pages and browsing our staff profiles.

Male student working

Careers

After completing the course, you’ll have picked up sought-after transferable skills including project management, critical analysis, problem-solving, and communication. You’ll have developed a good intercultural awareness and be ready for a career in a field like international development, corporate social responsibility, or with NGOs.

Our graduates now have roles including:

  • Research Analyst at Africa Risk Consulting
  • Senior Consultant at the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency
  • Communications Officer at Save the Children
  • Parliamentary Assistant to a Westminster MP
  • Commercial Manager in the net zero energy sector.

You could also progress further in academia and research.

Student profiles

Our Staff

Dr Lucy Ford

Lucy helped set up the Green think tank Green House and is on their advisory board. She is also a research fellow at Schumacher Institute, an interdisciplinary systems think tank on environmental, social and economic issues.

Read more about Lucy

Dr Stephen Hurt

Stephen lectures on international development and South African politics.

Read more about Stephen

Entry requirements

International qualifications and equivalences

How to apply

Application process

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
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Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

Tuition fees

2024 / 25
Home (UK) full time
Masters £9,350; Diploma £8,350; Certificate £4,675

Home (UK) part time
£4,675

International full time
£16,950

2025 / 26
Home (UK) full time
Masters £9,950; Diploma £8,950; Certificate £4,975

Home (UK) part time
£4,975

International full time
£17,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences believes strongly in the importance of making a difference to the world of our students, and in the ability and potential of our students to make a difference in the world. The Dean's Scholarship is one small way in which we make that belief tangible.

International students can apply for our International Students Scholarship.

 

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.