International Relations and Diplomacy MA

This module analyses changes in the global security agenda both empirically and theoretically. The meaning of security is explored and competing theoretical perspectives in the discipline are compared. The transformation of military security threats is then analysed with particular emphasis on the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and the significance of global terrorism. The module then explores the rise of non-military issues of state and human security, including human rights abuses, environmental change, crime, disease, poverty, and disasters.

This course will draw on the advanced classical and critical theories of international relations and geopolitical perspectives applied to the study of the foreign policy traditions, risk assessment strategies and practices of the key actors and cases in global politics. It is designed to encourage those who may wish to further their specialised study of foreign analysis or employment in fields related to governmental and non-governmental sectors, including business, political risk, media, security and diplomacy.

The International Political Economy of Media module explores the media's role in global political and economic systems. It examines how media shapes and is shaped by globalisation, monopolies, power dynamics, and activism. The course delves into the influence of media on global power structures, drawing on frameworks like Marxism, media imperialism, and critiques of globalisation. Topics include social media's impact on politics, misinformation, media monopolies, and the privatisation of communication platforms. You will analyse the media's effects on democracy, policy, and governance, preparing you for careers in media analysis, policy, journalism, and international organisations.

The aim of the module is not only to equip you with critical skills in diplomacy and intelligence but actively encourage you to critically reflect on your own skills and competencies in understanding the role of diplomatic statecraft and intelligence in contemporary global politics. ‘Intelligence’ is used here in a broader, critical and inclusive sense. The module is designed particularly to meet the needs of students seeking jobs in governmental and non-governmental sectors in NGOs, international and regional organisations, political, business and political risk analysis, investigative journalism, diplomacy and communication.

This module is designed to support you in completing a substantial academic research project on a key issue related to your programme of study. You’ll gain a solid foundation in postgraduate-level research methods and develop both the practical and analytical skills needed to design and carry out your own independent research. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to enhance your learning by choosing from a range of optional, extra-curricular methods sessions delivered by specialist staff, allowing you to tailor your research skills to suit your interests and project focus.

This module provides you with an opportunity to apply to work in an organisation which offers an alternative or new experience relevant to your professional career aspirations for a period of 44 working days. It develops advanced professional practitioner skills in your specific field, to enhance your career prospects.

The module aims to develop professional practice through the application of relevant academic skills and concepts from the Masters Programmes to a practical work context. This may be through an in-situ placement or as projects conducted in a ‘consultancy’ type setting, which will support a professional approach to the contemporary world of work and make a tangible contribution to an organisation. The module intends to open possibilities in the field concerned by enabling the student to acquire reflective, generic and transferrable professional capabilities. 

This module aims to provide a critical understanding of the historical and contemporary geopolitics and globalisation of migration and the theories and approaches used to explain these processes in the 21st century.  The module critically reviews the increasingly complex frameworks that have been developed to explain the economic, social and political transformation brought about by migratory processes, such as transnationalism; social divisions such as gender, class and race; different levels (macro, meso, micro) and types of movement (mobility, circulation, migration).

This module aims to explore the nexus of Sustainable Development and Human Rights to better understand how these two contested notions interact at an international policy, national and local level. The module uses a combination of multimedia, scholarship and current issues in a hybrid learning format to critically examine key issues around inclusion/exclusion and reflects on how the rights and ‘development’ of ‘marginalised groups’ have been promoted (or not) and how this is further complicated by climate crisis. It aims overall to question if the current approaches to human rights are sufficient to operationalise sustainable development for all.

This combined MA module and Continuing Professional Development course, developed and delivered by Middlesex University and London Development Trust (LDT), provides you with skills and knowledge to understand and critique approaches to sustainable urban development. You will learn to develop and apply practical approaches to complex and diverse urban settings, to address challenges related to urban regeneration, social inequality, health and climate change. The module equips you with tools to explore how inclusive communities and a common sense of place are built and sustained, practically examining the role of social stewardship and community development in sites of urban development and regeneration. 

This module will examine the international legal framework and policies for international trade provided by the World Trade Organization (WTO). A core aim of the module is to equip you with a thorough understanding of global trade regimes, including an overview of globalisation, contemporary international economic relations, the regulation of international trade through the WTO, and the relationship between international trade, legal harmonisation, and trade-related issues. Additionally, you will participate in mooting activities, to gain practical experience in presenting and debating complex international trade cases. This hands-on experience is designed to reinforce your understanding of the origins, structure, rationale, and scope of the global trading system and to encourage the development of essential skills in this field.

The Bhopal disaster, Niger Delta tragedy, and Rana Plaza collapse all underscore the systemic issue of corporate human rights abuses, revealing victims' powerlessness in seeking remedies and the lack of transparency in global business. The "business and human rights" field addresses this accountability gap by promoting corporate responsibility for human rights. This module introduces you to the field's complexities, bridging international human rights law, criminal law, and trade law, and examines corporate liability, challenging traditional State-focused frameworks. You will explore international standards, including those from the UN, EU, OECD, and World Bank, gaining critical tools to assess the human rights impacts of global business practices.

This module addresses contemporary transformations of violent extremism and terrorism, together with policy and practice directions emerging in response.  The learning pathway is built around case studies and theoretical frameworks, with a focus on the UK and Europe, and is structured around the tension between transformations in violent extremism and theoretical, policy and practice frameworks attempting to understand and respond to these developments. This task will include mapping counter-extremism and prevention actors and stakeholders at local, national and European levels, and the role of social science graduates in this field.

This module aims to explore the social, cultural, political and economic issues related to intersectionality in action, particularly through the drive toward adopting an Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) approach in policy and practice. Taking an intersectional approach, it will explore a number of interconnected characteristics – such as gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexuality, and disability – considering how these can be incorporated into existing policy frameworks, including the monitoring and evaluation of outcomes. The module takes an intersectional, embodied and activist approach to sustainable social change, to enable students to develop not just transformative but inclusive solutions to social problems.

This module focuses on the societal drivers of climate change, who it impacts and how it is linked to global social inequalities, and interrogates the implications of colonialism, race, climate migration and climate refugees and hegemonic political and economic agendas in relation to climate. We examine critically a range of climate mitigation and adaptation solutions and social movements and develop an understanding of the necessary transformational change for an equitable, climate-resilient future.

At the heart of your learning experience are interactive workshops (featuring guest speakers), student-led seminars, and lively class discussions. These are complemented by videos and visits to international organisations, bringing real-world context into the classroom.
Independent study is supported through recommended readings and exercises, all reinforced with in-class activities that bring the material to life.

You can tailor your learning through a range of optional modules, and choose between completing a traditional research dissertation or a work-based learning project – both designed to prepare you for the next step in your career.

You'll be based in our Hendon campus, north London.

In a typical year, you’ll spend about 1200 hours on your course.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations.

A typical week looks like this:

Approximate number of hours on placement

• Full-time students: 30 hours per week over a maximum of 44 days over 24 weeks for a 60-credit placement
• Part-time students: 15 hours per week over a maximum of 22 days over 12 weeks for a 15 credit placement

Learning terms

FT: Full-time

PT: Part-time

On-campus: This includes tutor-led sessions such as seminars, lab sessions and demonstrations as well as student-led sessions for work in small groups.

Online learning: This is teaching that is delivered online using tools like MS Teams, as well as work that you do yourself using online teaching resources.

Independent study: This is the work you do in your own time including reading and research.

Part-time study

You can also study this course part-time.

You will acquire skills and knowledge through variety of innovative assessments undertaking analysis of policy, strategy, diplomatic discourse and position papers, risk, critical evaluation and review in single and comparative contexts. Skills in literature and data base search and systematic review will also be imparted in class with exercise support. Appropriate research skills in various methods are integrated in the Research and Dissertation module and the Work Integrated Learning module.