Course summary

Effective international engagement is built on excellent diplomacy. Our Master's degree in Diplomacy and International Relations will prepare you for a career on the frontline of global affairs. Why study Diplomacy and International Relations? Diplomacy has traditionally been understood as the way in which officials pursue their country’s foreign policy. However, in the contemporary fast-changing world in which the current international rulebook and institutions are under intense pressure, diplomacy has come to have a far broader application. Officials working for the United Nations and other international bodies, such as the European Union, conduct diplomacy. So too do staff at major non-governmental bodies and charities, and unconventional forms of diplomacy by groups such as Independent Diplomat are on the rise. Even businesses now use diplomacy to advance their goals on the international stage. As well as learning about diplomatic history and theory, you will also develop practical diplomatic skills, such as preparing briefing papers, policy documents and speeches. This will be complemented with the intellectual rigour associated with a study of International Relations, and its different tools for understanding the changing world of international affairs. You will also have the chance to interact with senior diplomats and benefit from the excellent range of diplomatic missions and international organisations located in the British capital.