Course details

Summary

Enhance your ability to analyse complex geopolitical issues. Study a one-year specialist International Relations programme and take your career global.

Fast-track your career with a 12-month Master of International Relations. This gives you Master’s-level expertise without needing an Honours degree. You can also do the shorter, coursework-only Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations.

As well as giving graduates a path into a career with a global scope, the programme gives professionals from around the world an opportunity to enhance their analytical skills and knowledge of international relations.

International connections

Learn from staff known worldwide for their research and expertise. The programme has close connections with internationally-focused government agencies in Wellington, and prestigious institutions around the world. These contacts give you the opportunity to learn from visiting researchers, politicians and policy makers and to build your own networks.

The programme attracts working professionals and graduates from around the world, giving you the chance to network with and learn from peers who bring a range of international perspectives.

What you’ll study

Enhance your theoretical foundation with the core course, Approaches to International Relations.

Hone your ability to think critically and creatively about pressing geopolitical issues, including war and its aftermath, international migration, China and the world, identity in world politics, global political economy and the challenges to international order.

You can complement your International Relations courses with approved Political Science and Strategic Studies courses. These include the China Field Study and the Japan Field Study, which run every second year.

The MIR is in two parts a taught and a research component.

The taught component starts with the core course and a range of approved courses.

For the research component you can choose between a 60-point dissertation and a combination of a 30-point research project and a taught course.

You may get permission from the MIR coordinator to do a 90-point thesis, in place of the part two research component and some part one courses.

Entry criteria

Applicants must satisfy the following:

• An appropriate Bachelor's degree
• Acceptance by the programme coordinator as capable of proceeding with the proposed course of study

Other English Language requirements:

• IELTS overall band of 6.5, no sub-score below 6.0; or
• TOEFL 90 on the internet-based test with at least 20 in writing; or
• A minimum of two ratings of 5 and two ratings of 4 in the Victoria University English Proficiency Programme test
• Pearson Test of English: A score of 65 (with a ‘Communicative’ score of not less than 58).