International Relations with European Politics MSc

### Program Overview
The MSc International Relations with European Politics at the University of Bath is a one-year full-time (or two-year part-time) program that dives deep into Europe's pivotal role in global affairs, focusing on the EU's foreign policy, integration, security, and institutional dynamics—perfect if you're passionate about how Europe shapes world politics and have a background in social sciences like politics, history, or international relations. It's designed for graduates with a high 2:2 bachelor's degree or equivalent who want to build expertise for careers in policy, diplomacy, or international organizations, and we'll consider your application even if grades are slightly lower with strong professional experience.

### Curriculum Structure
This MSc is structured as a intensive one-year full-time program (or spread over two years part-time), blending core research skills, specialized Europe-focused modules, and a substantial dissertation to give you hands-on analytical tools for real-world global challenges. You'll start with foundational units that sharpen your research abilities and theoretical lens, then specialize in European politics before culminating in independent research.

In the early phase, you'll build essential skills through Research Methods in Political Science and International Relations, where you'll master key techniques for analyzing political data and EU decision-making processes, gaining an overview of the EU's global role through theoretical and empirical case studies. This pairs perfectly with Theoretical Approaches of International Politics and Foreign Policy, introducing you to frameworks like neorealism, liberal institutionalism, social constructivism, and non-Western perspectives, applied to current conflicts, cooperation, and multilateralism for a well-rounded view of foreign policy dynamics. These units equip you to dissect complex international issues right from the start, setting a strong base for deeper European exploration.

Moving into specialized content, you'll tackle Europe-centric topics like those hinted in the program's emphasis on EU foreign policy and security, drawing from related units such as Contemporary Comparative Russian Politics to understand post-Soviet influences on European affairs, covering autocracy, nationalism, civil society, and economic ties. You'll also engage with integration and institutional priorities, building skills to evaluate how the EU generates and applies rules beyond its borders. This phase sharpens your ability to connect European politics to broader global security and policy challenges.

The program caps with the Contemporary European Studies Dissertation (Politics, Policy and Society), a 30-credit project where you craft your own research question on a European topic of interest, supported by an academic supervisor to apply everything you've learned in a sophisticated, original piece of work. This independent study not only hones your expertise but showcases your readiness for advanced research or professional roles.

### Focus Areas
Europe's role as a global actor, EU foreign policy, integration processes, security issues, and institutional decision-making—exploring how the EU influences international affairs alongside key states.

### Learning Outcomes
Develop advanced analytical skills to assess Europe's place in the world order, evaluate foreign policy strategies, and produce independent research on EU politics, preparing you to tackle global challenges with confidence.

### Professional Alignment (Accreditation)
This program aligns directly with careers in politics, policymaking, consulting, policy advocacy, and foreign affairs, offered by the Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies with pathways linked to doctoral training like the South West Doctoral Training Partnership.

### Reputation (Employability Rankings)
Bath's politics and international relations programs are renowned for launching graduates into high-impact roles—alumni include UN translators and international affairs podcasters—bolstered by the university's strong standing in global talent attraction and research funding.

Find out more and apply here: https://www.bath.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-2026/taught-postgraduate-courses/msc-international-relations-with-european-politics-full-time/