MSc International Relations

1 Year On Campus Masters Program

University of Edinburgh

Program Overview

The MSc International Relations at Edinburgh gives you a rigorous grounding in theories and practices shaping world politics — from diplomacy, conflict and security to globalisation, governance, migration and development. It’s perfect for students who want to understand global challenges deeply, and prepare for careers in policy, research, international institutions or further academic study.

Curriculum Structure

The course runs over one year full-time (or part-time if eligible), enabling a focused yet comprehensive learning path.

In the first semesters, you study a mix of core and elective modules — on topics like international relations theory, global governance, security and conflict, international political economy, global issues such as migration or environment. These modules give you both the theoretical backbone and the opportunity to explore real-world issues such as war, diplomacy, global inequality, climate change, development and foreign policy.

Then, the programme culminates in a 60-credit dissertation, which you carry out under supervision. This independent research lets you dive deep into a topic of your choice — whether it’s conflict analysis, global governance, diplomacy, migration, global development, human rights or another area of IR — blending theory, empirical analysis and critical thinking.

Focus areas

“International Relations Theory, Global Governance & Institutions, Security & Conflict, International Political Economy, Global Issues (Migration, Development, Environment, Global Health), Diplomacy & Foreign Policy, Research Methods in IR, Global Governance & International Organisations, Conflict & War Studies, Globalisation & Global Justice.”

Learning outcomes

“You will develop a deep understanding of global political dynamics; the ability to critically analyse and interpret international issues; competence in both theoretical and empirical research; capability to formulate policy-relevant analysis; skills in academic writing, argumentation and research design; and readiness for careers in diplomacy, policy-making, international organisations, NGOs, research, or further postgraduate studies.”

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The MSc is offered by the University of Edinburgh’s School of Social and Political Science (SPS) — a globally respected institution for politics and international relations — which adds strong academic credibility and recognition internationally.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

When you join this MSc you get more than just lectures and textbooks — you access a broad ecosystem of archives, libraries and digital tools that let you explore historical and contemporary global issues deeply. This will help you build strong research skills, work with primary sources, and produce work (essays, dissertation) grounded in real-world data and academic rigour.

Here’s how Edinburgh supports that hands-on learning and research:

Rich library & archive access including special collections: The University library system — including the Main Library and the Centre for Research Collections (CRC) — offers access to rare books, manuscripts, historical documents and institutional archives. This is extremely useful for IR topics like diplomacy, historical international relations, colonial/post-colonial studies, and archival research.
Extensive access to digital databases & historical primary-source repositories: Students get access to databases such as Archives Unbound — which includes digitised collections from national archives, colonial office papers, diplomatic letters, cabinet documents and more — giving you tools to do deep historical and political research even from campus or remotely.
Subject-specific support for global politics / International Relations research: The University maintains a dedicated “International Relations” subject guide in its library system, providing tailored access to books, journals, news databases, archival documents, historical sources, newspapers and other resources that are crucial for research in IR.
Flexibility to combine interdisciplinary perspectives — culture, history, language, social science: The degree’s structure allows students to draw on resources and modules across disciplines (social sciences, humanities, history, global studies), which expands analytical framing — useful if you want to examine global issues with lenses such as history, cultural politics, human rights, development, etc. ([University of Edinburgh “MSc International Relations” programme + library resources])
Support for dissertation / independent research with access to archives, primary sources and digital tools: When you write your MSc dissertation, you’ll be able to draw on both physical archives (CRC, libraries, manuscripts) and digital archives/databases — giving you a robust foundation for empirical research, historical analysis, policy analysis or comparative global studies.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from this MSc often go on to careers in policy, diplomacy, international organisations, research, or global-affairs roles — setting them up for impactful, globally-oriented work. Typical roles include: Policy Analyst, Diplomat / Foreign-Affairs Officer, International Organisation Officer, Researcher or Analyst at Think-Tanks / NGOs.

And here’s how Edinburgh supports and improves those possibilities:

Dedicated career support via the University’s Careers Service: Students and even recent graduates get access to guidance on job search, CV and interview preparation, employer engagement, and volunteering or part-time roles to build experience early.
Strong employability ranking for the University overall: The University of Edinburgh is ranked among the UK’s top universities for graduate employability — a signal that its degree-holders are attractive to employers across sectors.
Good employment outcomes for Politics/IR-related graduates: According to public data for Politics-type courses at Edinburgh, graduates 15 months after finishing earn on average £30,000/year, with a typical range of £24,500–£36,000.
Flexibility to enter many sectors: Thanks to the broad international-relations training — diplomacy, global governance, security, policy analysis, research — graduates can work in government, civil service, NGOs/charities, think-tanks, media, consultancy, international organisations, or public affairs.
Long-term value & wide recognition: The MSc draws on Edinburgh’s globally-respected Social & Political Science school, making the degree credible for both domestic (UK/Europe) and international employers, institutions and academia.