This specialisation is available only to students undertaking the Bachelor of International Relations degree program.

What are the foundational ideas that drive the behaviour of people, nation-states, organisations and institutions in international relations?  Why is it that some people believe that war is an eternal feature of international life while others believe that perpetual peace is possible and worth striving for? This specialised minor looks at the theories and ideas that are behind policy-makers decisions in global politics.  It traces the history of these theories, the debates between competing theories, and the most recent challenges to many of the traditional ideas about how international politics should be conducted.

Learning outcomes

Students who complete this specialisation will have the skills and knowledge to:

• Explain the role that theory plays in shaping policy and behaviour in the international system
• Understand the history, evolution and details of major theoretical traditions in international relations, as well as their critiques
• Be capable of debating the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical streams in IR
• Understand how international relations scholars, analysts and policy makers acquire knowledge about themselves and the world