The Master in International Relations is designed to fit each student’s individual preferred area of study. Built around four core areas—Management and Analytical Skills, Geopolitics and Diplomacy, International Economics and Business, and Global Governance and International Cooperation—the program allows you to specialize in one area as well as one geographical region.
The Master in International Relations allows you to personalize your program content even further, giving you a deeper understanding of a particular region. In addition to the opportunity to customize your program with one of three specialization tracks, you’ll explore your chosen region’s culture, history, and role in international relations. Choose from: China and East Asia; Europe and North America; Africa; the Middle East and North Africa; or Latin America.
*Providing an enriching learning environment is one of our priorities. With this in mind, if only a small number of students choose a specific region, that region will not run that academic year.
The core courses are divided into four areas: Management and Analytical Skills; Geopolitics and Diplomacy; International Economics and Business; and Global Governance and International Cooperation. The latter three are also the three options for your area of specialization, which you will choose towards the end of your degree.
You’ll also complete a final project in the program: either a master’s thesis or a Capstone Consulting Project. The program is complemented by a week-long fieldwork visit to Brussels and an optional international exchange semester at one of our prestigious partner universities.
The pre-program is a mandatory introductory period, unless you pass an exam beforehand. During this module, you will explore key themes on the dynamics of global affairs, including economics, quantitative skills and statistics and the broad foundations of international studies.
The program begins by laying the groundwork for what’s to follow. Fundamental concepts of all the core courses are introduced, as you begin to gain a broad vision of global affairs and objective analysis. This foundational period mixes experiential and empirical study, debates and case studies.
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This specialization focuses on the skills and knowledge you’ll need to work with confidence in the geopolitical and diplomatic arena. Familiarize yourself with the current global security outlook and challenges, explore international negotiation techniques and foreign policy tools, and look at modern conflict-resolution methods. You’ll also analyze how foreign policy works and how inter-state relations are affected by global trends.
In this specialization, you will deep dive into international trade, finance and global markets. Contemporary economic themes, investment theory, policy-making, and the impact of digitalization on the global economy and global supply chains will all feature. You’ll also examine the international institutional frameworks within which global economic policies are constructed and implemented and businesses operate.
This specialization focuses on international organizations and cooperation, human rights and sustainability. Subject areas will center on collaborative efforts, examining a range of partnership models including inter-governmental and public-private partnerships. It will also examine the impact of technological development on international cooperation, and recent developments in global governance arrangements. The UN’s 2030 Agenda and the SDGs are a key focus of this specialization.
In between the second and third terms, you’ll take a fieldwork trip to Brussels, where you’ll visit and learn from regional and global players in the space of international relations. Our partners in these trips include the European Commission, the European Parliament and NATO, as well as private-sector and civil-society organizations.
This week-long trip also includes visits to European institutions, think tanks, companies and international organizations such as NATO and the OECD, among others*. These are outstanding opportunities to come face to face with these institutions’ world-shaping work.
* Visits to organizations may vary from one year to another.
You can customize your program by spending an additional semester at one of our partner universities around the globe. This will come after the third and final semester in Madrid.
We have now finalized agreements with even more partner universities, offering you the choice of 11 world-leading institutions of higher learning to spend your optional semester learning in another country.
NOTE: Spots are limited in all exchange programs. Upon acceptance into an exchange program, there is a fee for reserving your place, but tuition at the partner institution is free of charge. You'll only need to cover your living expenses while there.
For their final project, students of the Master in International Relations can choose between an individual, research-oriented thesis or a practical team-based Capstone Consulting Project. Underneath you can find capstone partners for the Master in International Relations.
NOTE: The partners listed here are from previous intakes. Partnering institutions may vary from year to year.
At IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs, we are committed to training professionals who are prepared to address today’s complex global issues. Together with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Master in International Relations is designed to address key global challenges. The program will teach you how to develop policies that respond to society’s most pressing issues, including weak economic growth, rising inequalities, the future of work, the SDGs, climate change and responding to the digital revolution.
The Master in International Relations also closely collaborates with many other partner institutions. Thanks to these collaborations, you’ll benefit from enhanced courses, capstone project opportunities and electives, alongside career-enhancing internship opportunities. Furthermore, thanks to the increasing recognition of our outstanding faculty, IE University is now a full member of the most prestigious organizations and networks in its academic space: the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR).
The Master in International Relations has been carefully curated to lead you to a rewarding career in which you can make a lasting impact in a variety of roles and sectors. The program opens the door to a myriad of possibilities.
92% of all International Relations graduates received a job offer in a wide range of roles and sectors within three months of graduation. Salaries vary depending on the area, from the public & institutional sector and intergovernmental organizations to NGOs, think tanks and lobbying firms.
As a top school for international relations programs, IE University requires online assessments, placement exams and in-person or virtual meetings to assess candidates. Make sure you have your forms ready and feel comfortable with answering questions about your professional skills and background. The final decision comes after a personal interview.
International Relations students at IE University choose one of four focus areas. These include Management and Analytical Skills, Geopolitics and Diplomacy, International Economics and Business, and Global Governance and International Cooperation. Students also designate a geographic specialization to accompany their studies.
Instructed in English, the IE Master in International Relations is a 10-month, in-person program based in Madrid with a one-week trip to Brussels with the option of an additional semester abroad. Students experience hands-on learning in leading organizations, making it one of the best master’s in international relations available
