Programme outline

The International Relations programme offers students insight into the rapidly changing world of global politics. Those politics involve fundamental questions about war and peace, but also about justice, efficiency and identity throughout the world. They involve the rise and fall, conflict and cooperation, of sovereign nation-states, but also of non-governmental actors and international and regional organisations. The Master’s programme in International Relations examines such global politics. Students will learn to criticise and develop theoretical insights based on a range of scholarly traditions within political science and other social sciences. This programme also teaches students to analyse those insights through original empirical research using a variety of methodologies.

In addition to the quality of its curriculum and instruction, the programme takes full advantage of its Amsterdam location, not only a diverse and lively cosmopolitan world city but also one with a long and extraordinary history in international politics, global commerce and finance, and international law.

For students interested in this field of study, we also offer a two- year Research Master’s.

Studying International Relations at the University of Amsterdam

In addition to the quality of its curriculum and instruction, a distinct advantage of the Master's programme in International Relations is its location in the city of Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a city with a long and important history in the development of international relations, commerce and law. Today it is among the most lively, diverse and cosmopolitan cities in the world. The University of Amsterdam's location in this city manifests what the IR programme explores: the history and diversity of global politics. The faculty of the UvA's Political Science department include researchers who have published internationally on a range of topics relating to International Relations.