Program Overview

The Master of International Relations is a professionally oriented postgraduate course studied over three or four semesters (full-time equivalent). It offers you the opportunity to gain deep expertise in international relations, with a particular focus on our dynamic Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

The course provides you with knowledge, skills and networks to prepare you for a rewarding career in foreign affairs and diplomacy, government, international and non-governmental organisations, the media and education. The program is structured by a core component, where you will gain knowledge of the major sub-fields including International Relations Theory and Practice, International Security, International Political Economy, the Evolution of International Society, and Governance in the International System.

Elective units include a focus on important cross-cutting themes such as human rights, democracy, religion and non-governmental organisations, as well as on key global regions and powers. Our capstone unit options put you in the shoes of policymakers and diplomats responding to international crises and enable you to ‘practice international relations while studying International Relations’ through collaborative study with students, academics and diplomats from our Indian Ocean regional partners.

The course offers a credited internship unit which can be undertaken with local, national and international organisations, such as government departments, embassies, think tanks, NGOs or regional institutions. High achieving students can undertake research design training and produce a supervised research dissertation on a topic of their choice.

Students can also engage directly with our UWA and affiliated research and policy centres, including the Public Policy Institute, the Centre for Muslim States and Societies, the Africa Research & Engagement Centre, the Korea Research Centre, the Australia India Institute, the Australia Indonesia Institute, the Perth USAsia Centre and the Australian Institute of International Affairs, as well as our international networks including the Worldwide Universities Network and the Matariki Network.