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Requisite map

Overview

Our world is being shaped by big questions about global justice, war, peace, social movements, and inter-state relations. These questions help define what this Master of International Relations is all about. In short, this course offers students a window into the diverse and dynamic world of politics in the 21st century.

The course offers a range of topics such as global security, economics and human rights with four specialisations, focusing on:

gender, peace and security
foreign policy and security
international diplomacy and trade
political violence and counter-terrorism.

Students may also choose to complete advanced international relations.

This course provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of international affairs, grounded in the key debates framing global politics and driven by in-depth empirical analysis. Through this, students will be able to cut through the complexity of global politics by acquiring the analytical perspectives and skills needed to see both the 'bigger picture' and comprehend detailed aspects of specific issues.

Subject to conditions, students have the opportunity to study abroad, and to develop research interests in a number of areas, providing you with a potential pathway into a higher degree by research. Our graduates have gone on to a broad range of occupations and have been employed by the likes of the United Nations, the Australian Government, and non-governmental organisations such as the International Red Cross.

SPECIALISATIONS

Gender, peace and security

This specialisation focuses on the role that gender politics plays in the causes, conduct and resolution of conflict, along with the search for peace and security in international relations. It equips you with the gender-sensitive, gender-responsive and gender-inclusive knowledge to navigate contemporary peace and security issues including violent extremism, humanitarian crisis response and designing and implementing peace processes. This specialisation is relevant to students pursuing careers in foreign policy, aid and development sectors and gender advising as well as defence policy and security sector reform.

Foreign policy and security

This specialisation critically explores the theory and practice of foreign policy in an insecure world. Understood in the broadest sense, security includes both people and states, and encompasses issues from nuclear warfare to hunger to human rights violations. The specialisation focuses in particular on the causes and consequences of inter and intra-state conflict, and how state policies and non-state actors’ behaviour exacerbate and mitigate insecurity. It is designed to support careers in government, defence and intelligence, inter-governmental organisations, NGOs, and the private sector.

International diplomacy and trade

This specialisation advances your knowledge across international trade, diplomacy, business and law. It is designed for people at the start of their careers as well as people working in the field who want to develop their careers in international public policy, NGOs, global business and government departments such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Political violence and counter-terrorism

This specialisation engages critically with manifestations of political violence, as well as the ideologies and conditions that give rise to political violence. It focuses on understanding terrorism and political extremism, the conditions associated with preventing and combating political violence, and the impacts of these activities on democratic and civil liberties. This specialisation supports a variety of careers in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Advanced international relations

This enables you to tailor your unit choices to suit your own interests or needs while addressing the fundamental debates framing global politics. By selecting across the range of specialisations, you will be able to examine key issues in foreign policy, global governance and political economy, security, human rights, crisis management, gender, diplomacy and trade, political violence or terrorism. It offers maximum flexibility to customise your course to your intended career path.

Course structure

Part A. Foundations for advanced international relations studies24 credit points

Core

18 credit points

You must complete the following units

Additional international relations unit

6 credit points

You must complete 6 credit points from the following units

Part B. Core master's study48 credit points

Core unit

12 credit points

You must complete the following unit

APG5154Researching international relationsNo reviews yet12 cp

Capstone units

12 credit points

You must complete 12 credit points from the following units. Note: If you elect to take APG5856 Research project, you should consult with the Course Coordinator.

Core master's electives

24 credit points

You must complete 24 credit points of core master's electives from those listed below under your chosen specialisation or Advanced international relations.

Gender, peace and security

24 credit points

This specialisation focuses on the role that gender politics plays in the causes, conduct and resolution of conflict, along with the search for peace and security in international relations. It equips you with the gender-sensitive, gender-responsive and gender-inclusive knowledge to navigate contemporary peace and security issues including violent extremism, humanitarian crisis response and designing and implementing peace processes. This specialisation is relevant to students pursuing careers in foreign policy, aid and development sectors and gender advising as well as defence policy and security sector reform. You must complete 24 credit points from the following units.

Foreign policy and security

24 credit points

This specialisation critically explores the theory and practice of foreign policy in an insecure world. Understood in the broadest sense, security includes both people and states, and encompasses issues from nuclear warfare to hunger to human rights violations. The specialisation focuses in particular on the causes and consequences of inter and intra-state conflict, and how state policies and non-state actors’ behaviour exacerbate and mitigate insecurity. It is designed to support careers in government, defence and intelligence, inter-governmental organisations, NGOs, and the private sector. You must complete 24 credit points from the following units.

International diplomacy and trade

24 credit points

This specialisation advances your knowledge across international trade, diplomacy, business and law. It is designed for people at the start of their careers as well as people working in the field who want to develop their careers in international public policy, NGOs, global business and government departments such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You must complete 24 credit points from the following units.

Political violence and counter-terrorism

24 credit points

This specialisation engages critically with manifestations of political violence, as well as the ideologies and conditions that give rise to political violence. It focuses on understanding terrorism and political extremism, the conditions associated with preventing and combating political violence, and the impacts of these activities on democratic and civil liberties. This specialisation supports a variety of careers in the public, private and non-profit sectors. You must complete 24 credit points from the following units.

Advanced international relations

24 credit points

This enables you to tailor your unit choices to suit your own interests or needs while addressing the fundamental debates framing global politics. By selecting units across the range of specialisations, you will be able to examine key issues in foreign policy, global governance and political economy, security, human rights, crisis management, gender, diplomacy and trade, political violence or terrorism. It offers maximum flexibility to customise your course to your intended career path. You must complete 24 credit points of units from any specialisation in Part B above.

Part C. Advanced expertise24 credit points

You must complete either a research option or discipline electives

Research option

24 credit points

You must complete the following units. Note: If you elect to take the 24 point research pathway you should consult with the Course Coordinator.

Discipline electives

24 credit points

You must complete 24 credit points from one or more of the following elective clusters and/or from the units in Part B not already completed.

Global development and commerce

24 credit points

Public policy and management

24 credit points

Strategic and political communications

24 credit points

Language and intercultural competence

24 credit points

Communications, journalism and media studies

24 credit points

Ethics and law

24 credit points

Complementary electives

24 credit points

You may complete up to 24 credit points of approved units from the following Arts Graduate coursework programs. These units must be selected from Core Master's study and/or Advanced expertise.

The handbook's description of this structure

The course is structured in three parts: Part A. Foundations for advanced international relations studies, Part B. Core master's study and Part C. Advanced expertise. All students complete Part B. Depending upon prior qualifications, you may receive credit for Part A or Part C or a combination of the two.

Note that if you are eligible for credit for prior studies you may elect not to receive the credit.

Part A. Foundations for advanced international relations studies

These studies will introduce you to the field of international relations at the graduate level. They are intended for students whose previous qualification is not in a cognate field.

Part B. Core master's study

These studies draw on best practices within the broad realm of international relations practice and research exploring the ethical, economic and security dimensions of international relations. You will have opportunities to examine key issues in foreign policy, global governance, peace and conflict, political violence and terrorism.

Part C. Advanced expertise

The focus of these studies is professional or scholarly work that can contribute to a portfolio of professional development. You have two options:

a program of coursework study where you select the units to suit your own interests. This option includes the opportunity to undertake an internship in the field.
a 24 credit point research thesis. Students wishing to use this master's course as a pathway to a higher degree by research should take this second option.

Students admitted to the course, who have a recognised honours degree in a cognate discipline including humanities or social sciences, will receive credit for Part C, however, should they wish to complete a 24 point research project as part of the course they should consult with the course coordinator.

Master's entry points

Depending on prior qualifications you may receive entry level credit (a form of block credit) which determines your point of entry to the course.

If you are admitted at entry level 1 you complete 96 credit points, comprising Part A, Part B and Part C. You must complete Part A before progressing onto Part B and C.
If you are admitted at entry level 2 you complete 72 credit points, comprising Part B and Part C Option 1 (Research pathway) or Option 2 (Discipline electives)
If you are admitted at entry level 3 you complete 48 credit points, comprising Part B.

Note: Students eligible for credit for prior studies may elect not to receive the credit and complete one of the higher credit-point options.

The course progression map provides guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

Students who are eligible to enrol in the 1.5-year entry point, have the option of completing this course intensively over a 12-month period by following the intensive course progression map.

The course comprises 96 points structured into three parts: Part A. Foundations for advanced international relations studies (24 points), Part B. Core master's study (48 points) and Part C. Advanced expertise (24 points).

Depending on prior qualifications you may receive entry level credit (a form of block credit) which determines your point of entry to the course.

If you are admitted at entry level 1 you complete 96 points, comprising Part A, Part B and Part C. You must complete Part A before progressing onto Part B and C.
If you are admitted at entry level 2 you complete 72 points, comprising Part B and Part C Option 1 (Research pathway) or Option 2 (Discipline electives)
If you are admitted at entry level 3 you complete 48 points, comprising Part B.

Note: Students eligible for credit for prior studies may elect not to receive the credit and complete one of the higher credit-point options.

You are required to complete the requirements for your chosen specialisation.

Unless otherwise stated, units are 12 points.

Students who are eligible to enrol in the 1.5-year entry point, have the option of completing this course intensively over a 12-month period by following the intensive course progression map.

Part A. Foundations for advanced international relations studies (24 points)

You must complete:

a. The following units:

APG5746 Reading and writing international relations
MGF5911 Geo-politics and business globalisation (6 points)

b. One unit (6 points) from the units listed below:

APG5470 Managing multicultural teams (6 points)
APG5471 Leadership in intercultural environments (6 points)

Part B. Core master's study (48 points)

You must complete:

a. The following unit (12 points):

APG5154 Researching international relations

b. 24 points of core master's electives from those listed below under the chosen specialisation or advanced international relations

c. Capstone unit/s (12 points) from:

APG5044 Professional internship
APG5091 International relations in theory and practice
APG5093 International relations field unit: Governing peace and security
APG5856 Research project

Core master's electives

Gender, peace and security

APG5045 Gender and development
APG5064 Gender, security and conflict
APG5078 Gender based policy and planning

Foreign policy and security

APG5092 Human rights in global politics
APG5105 Foreign policy of emerging powers
APG5332 Contemporary security topics

International diplomacy and trade

APG5229 Prosperity, poverty and sustainability in a globalised world
APG5324 International political economy
BTF5114 Regulatory issues for transnational business (6 points)
BTF5905 Global trade governance and law (6 points)
MGF5730 International trade policy (6 points)
MGF5760 International institutions and organisations (6 points)

Political violence and counter-terrorism

APG5327 Political violence
APG5590 Political Islam
APG5666 Terrorism, counter-terrorism and technology
APG5667 Terrorism, fringe politics and extremist violence

Advanced international relations

24 points of units from any specialisation in Part B (b) above

Part C. Advanced expertise (24 points)

You must complete either Option 1 or Option 2 below.

Option 1

Research Option

The following thesis unit/s:

APG5849 Research thesis A (6 points) and APG5084 Designing research (6 points)
APG5850 Research thesis B (12 points)

Notes:

Students who wish to complete the 24 point research thesis should consult with the course coordinator.

Students electing to take the research thesis option and APG5856 should consult with the course coordinator.

Option 2

Discipline Electives

Elective units (24 points) from the following, or any units from Part B not already completed:

Global development and commerce

APG5054 Research methods for development practice and change
APG5073 Conflict, security and development*
APG5100 Colab M: Mentoring for development practice and professional development*
APG5628 Deconstructing development
MGF5911 Geo-politics and business globalisation (6 points)

Public policy and management

APG5101 Foundations of public policy*
APG5102 Governance*
APG5103 Policy analysis and evaluation*
APG5104 Public sector reform *
APG5181 Intergovernmental relations*

Strategic and political communications:

APG5180 Strategic political leadership and communication
APG5365 Principles of global communications (6 points)
APG5366 Strategic communications in a digital era (6 points)*
APG5367 Campaigns, advocacy and change (6 points)

Language and intercultural competence

APG5069 Australia and Asia in the Asian century: Politics, business, media
APG5470 Managing multicultural teams (6 points)
APG5471 Leadership in intercultural environments (6 points)
APG5481 Language for professional purposes - Part 1 (6 points)
APG5482 Language for professional purposes - Part 2 (6 points)
APG5483 Language for professional purposes - Part 3 (6 points)

Communications, journalism and media studies

APG5066 Shanghai city lab*
APG5067 Cultural economy and sustainable development*
APG5397 Media, technologies and social change
APG5400 Issues in international communications

Ethics and law:

APG5081 Public health ethics
APG5617 Human research ethics
LAW5304 Overview of international human rights law

Option 2

Complementary Electives (Entry point 1-96 points)

Up to 24 points of approved units from the following Arts Graduate coursework programs. All units are available unless marked with an asterisk (*)

These units must be selected from Core Master's study and/or Advanced expertise

A6001 Master of Applied Linguistics
A6002 Master of Bioethics
A6003 Master of Communications and Media Studies
A6004 Master of Cultural and Creative Industries
A6006 Master of International Development Practice
A6008 Master of Journalism
A6012 Master of International Sustainable Tourism Management
A6028 Master of Public Policy
A6030 Master of Strategic Communications Management

Learning outcomes

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework and Monash Graduate Attributes.

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that you will be able to:

1
Understand, apply and critique key IR themes, methods and theories through both independent and collaborative activities, presentations and written assessments
2
Utilise advanced research skills to examine, analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of international relations policies, programs and institutions
3
Apply theory in complex areas of practice
4
Communicate multifaceted ideas and arguments in international relations to specialists and lay persons
5
Develop interpersonal and intercultural skills and demonstrate a knowledge on the diversity of world views and their impact on international issues and decisions.

Entry requirements

English language

Monash minimum: Level A, that is: IELTS: 6.5 overall (no band lower than 6.0); or TOEFL Paper-based test: 550 with a TWE of 4.5; or TOEFL Internet-based test: score of 79 overall with minimum scores: Writing: 21, Listening: 12, Reading: 13 and Speaking: 18; or Equivalent approved English test

Pathways

Bachelor of Arts – Masters accelerated pathway

A4006 - Graduate Certificate of International Relations

More information

Progression to further studies

Students entering at entry levels 1 and 2 can complete a research thesis (24 credit points) that will provide a pathway to a graduate research degree. Students entering at entry level 3 will normally already have an honours degree, however, students in this group who wish to complete a research thesis in international relations should discuss the options with the course coordinator.

Other information

Our world is being shaped by big questions about global justice, war, peace, social movements, and inter-state relations. These questions help define what this Master of International Relations is all about. In short, this course offers students a window into the diverse and dynamic world of politics in the 21st century.

The course offers a range of topics such as global security, economics and human rights with four specialisations, focusing on:

gender, peace and security
foreign policy and security
international diplomacy and trade
political violence and counter-terrorism.

Students may also choose to complete advanced international relations.

This course provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of international affairs, grounded in the key debates framing global politics and driven by in-depth empirical analysis. Through this, students will be able to cut through the complexity of global politics by acquiring the analytical perspectives and skills needed to see both the 'bigger picture' and comprehend detailed aspects of specific issues.

Subject to conditions, students have the opportunity to study abroad, and to develop research interests in a number of areas, providing you with a potential pathway into a higher degree by research. Our graduates have gone on to a broad range of occupations and have been employed by the likes of the United Nations, the Australian Government, and non-governmental organisations such as the International Red Cross.

SPECIALISATIONS

Gender, peace and security

This specialisation focuses on the role that gender politics plays in the causes, conduct and resolution of conflict, along with the search for peace and security in international relations. It equips you with the gender-sensitive, gender-responsive and gender-inclusive knowledge to navigate contemporary peace and security issues including violent extremism, humanitarian crisis response and designing and implementing peace processes. This specialisation is relevant to students pursuing careers in foreign policy, aid and development sectors and gender advising as well as defence policy and security sector reform.

Foreign policy and security

This specialisation critically explores the theory and practice of foreign policy in an insecure world. Understood in the broadest sense, security includes both people and states, and encompasses issues from nuclear warfare to hunger to human rights violations. The specialisation focuses in particular on the causes and consequences of inter and intra-state conflict, and how state policies and non-state actors’ behaviour exacerbate and mitigate insecurity. It is designed to support careers in government, defence and intelligence, inter-governmental organisations, NGOs, and the private sector.

International diplomacy and trade

This specialisation advances your knowledge across international trade, diplomacy, business and law. It is designed for people at the start of their careers as well as people working in the field who want to develop their careers in international public policy, NGOs, global business and government departments such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Political violence and counter-terrorism

This specialisation engages critically with manifestations of political violence, as well as the ideologies and conditions that give rise to political violence. It focuses on understanding terrorism and political extremism, the conditions associated with preventing and combating political violence, and the impacts of these activities on democratic and civil liberties. This specialisation supports a variety of careers in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Advanced international relations

This enables you to tailor your unit choices to suit your own interests or needs while addressing the fundamental debates framing global politics. By selecting across the range of specialisations, you will be able to examine key issues in foreign policy, global governance and political economy, security, human rights, crisis management, gender, diplomacy and trade, political violence or terrorism. It offers maximum flexibility to customise your course to your intended career path.

Common questions

How long is Master of International Relations?

2 years full time, 96 credit points. At 24 credit points a semester, that is 4 semesters of full-time study.

Where can I study Master of International Relations?

At Clayton and Caulfield.

How do I plan my Master of International Relations units?

Open the course in the MonMap planner. It lays out your semesters, checks prerequisites as you drag units in, and tracks the credit points each requirement still needs.

Course details

Qualification: Master's Degree (Coursework)
AQF level: Level 9
Credit points: 96
Full time: 2 Years
Part time: 4 Years
Maximum time: 6 years

Faculty: Faculty of Arts
CRICOS code: 082659M
Abbreviation: MInternatRel
Award title: Master of International Relations
Handbook years: 20202021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027