Program Requirements

The Master of International Relations requires the completion of 96 units, which must consist of:

24 units from completion of the following introductory compulsory courses:

INTR8069 Writing International Relations 12 Units
INTR8071 World Politics 12 Units

30 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

6 units from the completion of global political system courses from the following list:

POLS8043 Violence and Political Order
INTR8046 The Evolution of the International System
POLS8032 Globalisation: the Interaction of Economics and Politics

12 units from the completion of international politics, policy and security courses from the following list:

POLS8019 Democracy and its Discontents
ASIA8049 International History from Asia and the Pacific: Framing Critical Perspectives
DIPL8003 Case Studies in Diplomacy
DIPL8008 The United Nations and Peace
DIPL8009 Diplomacy in a Globalising World
INTR8017 Issues in Australian Foreign Policy
INTR8018 Special Topics in International Relations
INTR8020 The Responsibility to Protect
INTR8022 Asia Pacific Security
INTR8028 Global Environmental Politics
INTR8036 World Politics
INTR8040 Ethnicity and Conflict in Asia and the Pacific
INTR8043 The Post-Colonial Pacific and Global Change
INTR8045 Global Governance
INTR8046 The Evolution of the International System
INTR8053 Ethics of Peace and War
INTR8060 China: Global Engagement and Domestic Transformation
INTR8062 Humanitarianism in World Politics
INTR8064 Gender, War, and Justice in South and Southeast Asia
INTR8065 Writing International Relations
INTR8068 Making Foreign Policy
INTR8067 U.S. Security Policy in the Asia-Pacific
INTR8070 International Organization
INTR8072 Approaches and Methods in International Relations
INTR8073 Human Security
INTR8074 Chinese Thinking on International Relations
INTR8076 The History of International Thought
MEAS8111 Islam, the West and International Terrorism
MEAS8112 Dynamics of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
MEAS8115 Islam in World Politics
NSPO8006 National Security Policymaking
NSPO8010 Civil-Military Relations
NSPO8015 Asian Regionalism and Security: Implications for Australia
NSPO8017 Malicious Networks: Transnational Terrorism and Crime
POGO8045 International Policy Making in the Shadow of the Future
POLS8032 Globalisation: the Interaction of Economics and Politics
STST8051 Great and Powerful Friends: Strategic alliances and Australian security

24 units from completion of further Master of International Relations courses listed above.

Study Options

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 5.0/7.0

Cognate Disciplines

International relations and diplomacy; public policy and administration; strategic and security studies; political science; history; sociology; economics and development; social science; law; and regional studies

English Language Requirements

All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

Assessment of Qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met. Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au

ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

Applications for course credit

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 24 units (one semester) of credit. Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Bachelor degree with Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 48 units (one year) of credit. 

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

Ideal for careers in the foreign ministries and in the international sections of other ministries - for example Australia Awards, Defence, Prime Minister and Cabinet, Immigration, Trade, Environment; Multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, World Bank and regional organisations; Research, Journalism and NGOs such as the Red Cross.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of a Master of International Relations, graduates will be able to:

1. Discuss the dynamics of contemporary international relations, especially in the Asia-Pacific region;
2. Discuss the key theories for the analysis of contemporary international relations;
3. Use international relations theory to reflect upon contemporary problems in areas such as international security, global governance, international political economy or human rights;
4. Conduct high-level research and writing to undertake self-directed study in international relations;
5. Analyse new areas of concern in both scholarly and policy-relevant terms;
6. Communicate their findings in academic and practical contexts, justifying their approach and methods in appropriate.

Further Information

Applicants to the Master of International Relations (Advanced) degree are particularly encouraged to apply for the Hedley Bull scholarship which provides a full-fee waiver for the duration of the degree.