MA International Relations with International Law

1 Year On Campus Masters Program

University of Kent

Program Overview

The University of Kent’s MA International Relations with International Law blends sharp political analysis with legal expertise, letting you unpack how rules govern wars, trade deals, human rights, and global crises like migration or climate pacts. It’s tailored for grads in politics, law, or social sciences keen to bridge theory and practice for careers in diplomacy, NGOs, or policy advising .
Curriculum Structure
You’ll kick off in autumn with core modules like International Relations Theory and Public International Law, diving into realism vs constructivism alongside treaty formation and state responsibility—using cases from Ukraine to the South China Sea to see law in action. Seminars blend flipped learning with debates, building your knack for linking politics to legal obligations right away .
Spring ramps up with options such as International Humanitarian Law or Human Rights Law in International Relations, where you’ll dissect Geneva Conventions in modern conflicts or accountability in authoritarian states, honing essay-writing and critical skills through 4-5,000 word assessments .
Summer brings your dissertation, a 15,000-word independent project on topics like intervention ethics or trade disputes, supervised by CeCIL experts for research that could influence real policy .
Focus areas: IR theory, public international law, humanitarian law, human rights, global governance, conflict ethics .
Learning outcomes: Dual political-legal analysis, trend forecasting, case evaluation, research independence, argumentative writing .

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At the University of Kent’s MA International Relations with International Law, you’ll gain hands-on skills through seminar-based teaching that blends political debates with legal case analysis, plus activities at the Centre for Critical International Law (CeCIL) like workshops and guest lectures from practitioners. Dedicated postgraduate facilities, including computing rooms, study spaces, and common areas with Wi-Fi access to legal databases, support your essay writing and group discussions on topics like armed conflict ethics . This interactive style, with 4-5,000 word assessments per module, builds real analytical and argumentative prowess: key elements include.

• CeCIL workshops and guest lectures expose you to international court experts and real-world legal-political dilemmas through discussions and events .

• Seminar discussions and essay assessments foster group analysis of cases like state interventions or human rights, developing research and presentation skills .

• Postgraduate facilities such as dedicated computing rooms and common areas enable collaborative work on public international law topics—no specific software, internships, field trips, or labs listed for this program

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from Kent’s MA International Relations with International Law are well positioned for careers where global politics and legal frameworks intersect, from diplomacy and foreign ministries to NGOs and international organisations. Typical roles include diplomatic service officer, policy analyst, NGO legal or advocacy officer, and international organisation officer (for example at the UN or EU) .

• You’ll be supported by both the University’s central Careers and Employability Service and Kent Law School’s dedicated Employability and Career Development Officer, who provide tailored careers advice, work placement information, graduate internship schemes with NGOs and charities, and an employability blog highlighting opportunities in law, government and international organisations .

• Kent Law School notes that postgraduates on related international law pathways have gone into careers in finance, international commerce, government and law, or have joined/founded NGOs and charities; specific employment rates and salary figures for this particular MA are not published, so this is N/A .

• The programme is closely linked to the Centre for Critical International Law (CeCIL), which runs workshops, trips to international courts and tribunals, and guest lecture series, giving you direct exposure to practitioners and potential employer networks in international law and governance .

• In terms of long‑term value, this MA sits within Kent Law School, described by the university as the UK’s leading critical law school and a cosmopolitan centre of world‑class critical legal research, which strengthens the degree’s standing for careers in legal practice, policy and international organisations even though there is no separate external professional accreditation listed for this specific programme .