Bachelor in International Relations - Study Plan
Become an actor at a global level
A Unique Bachelor in International Relations
The Bachelor in International Relations aims to teach young ambitious individuals to build the proper skill set to become professionals capable of facing real-world challenges.
Through our hands-on teaching methodology, students from the Bachelor in International Relations will find the perfect ideal balance between what is studied throughout their degree and the projects that are applied based on real-world scenarios.
This will aid them to develop profiles that are able to adapt to new trends happening now in the 21st century.
Liquid Learning at IE University
In this new reality, we understand it’s not always possible to attend class in person. That’s why we developed our Liquid Learning approach, which seamlessly adapts to individual needs and provides equal access to world-class education—whether on campus or online wherever you are.
BACHELOR IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS STUDY PLAN
Year 1
1st semester
2nd semester
Year 2
1st semester
2nd semester
Year 3
1st semester
2nd semester
- Components
- Credits
- Basic Courses
- 60
- Core courses
- 126
- Elective courses
- 42
- Final Project
- 12
- Credits needed to graduate
- 240
LANGUAGES
Languages are essential to a career in international relations. As a Bachelor in International Relations student, you will participate in a mandatory language course that lasts for six full semesters, consisting of 18 ECTS credits. In addition, we provide further opportunities to widen your linguistic ability, and you will have the option to learn Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Arabic, or Chinese.
CHECK OUR LANGUAGE CENTERTHE BACHELOR IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS LEARNING JOURNEY
FIRST YEAR - GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
Your first year will begin with a broad introduction to international relations, history, and economics. You will become aware of the global challenges and acquainted with the main periods and events that have shaped its history since the 16th century. We will provide you with the practical and methodological tools needed to understand and evaluate arguments about contentious issues in international affairs. Alongside this, you will be given the opportunity to complete an internship, contribute in one of the many IE labs, or both.
In this year, you will also start language courses and hone your ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty.
By the end of the year you will be able to apply economic and IR theories to your daily work, and understand important social and political phenomena, as well as different forms of international governance and organizations. You will also learn to be accountable, self-disciplined, and diligent, with an increased capacity for self-reflection and improved writing and communication skills.
SECOND YEAR - IMPACT AND CHANGE
In your second year you will continue to deepen your understanding of international relations from the perspectives of international law, international political economics, and international development. You will be introduced to the most innovative trends on economics, social inclusion, and environmental politics in order to understand how global challenges can be approached in a sustainable way.
You will also acquire the analytical skills that will allow you to research and analyze how to change and impact global challenges while cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset with regard to ideas and initiatives. By the end of the year, you will be more confident with discussing scholarly articles and communicating your own points of view in order to become an impactful change-maker.
Also, we offer you the opportunity to put everything you have learned into practice during your first two years in an amazing two-week journey in which you will visit different countries with your classmates whilst making an impact and learning.
THIRD YEAR - LEADERSHIP
During your third year you will focus on advanced international relations topics such as international trade, global governance, public opinion, and the European Union. Your first year was concerned with developing awareness about the most relevant global issues, and the second more focused on identifying and analyzing the changes and the impact needed. Now, in your third year, it is time to learn how to lead those changes. Therefore, you will also acquire the knowledge and the skills to solve international conflict, to manage projects in multinational corporations or in international institutions, to design successful partnerships, and to lead and negotiate trade agreements and diplomatic initiatives.
This year, you will be required to choose an exchange program with one of the 160 available partner universities around the world. You will also have the chance to participate in a one-day mock debate, where you will discuss and negotiate a range of issues related to international trade between the EU and the US.
FOURTH YEAR - EXPERTISE
Your fourth and last year is mainly focused on developing your expertise. You will have a broad array of subjects from which to choose your elective courses, with an added option to focus on a particular field of specialization and obtain an additional certificate from the school. Four academic concentrations will be available for you: Global Affairs and Diplomacy; Peace, Conflict and Security; International Development; and International and Social Business.
In the second semester, you will carry out your final project, where you will apply all of the knowledge gained throughout your courses, internships, IE Labs, extracurricular activities, and exchange programs. You will have two options: either to complete an individual academic thesis, or to carry out a team consultancy type capstone project with a real client from the public or private sector. Each capstone project is unique and should be approached as a career-building exercise. The purpose is to test out your skills and knowledge in a realistic work environment, collaborating closely with your teammates to produce original and impactful research and strategic policy recommendations, and deliver these to your client.