Programme details

Master of International Relations – MIR

Strengthen your capacity to analyze intricate geopolitical matters through a specialized one-year International Relations program, propelling your career onto the global stage.

Course description

Accelerate your career trajectory with a 12-month Master of International Relations program, offering Master’s-level expertise without requiring an Honours degree.

This program not only serves as a gateway to global career opportunities but also provides professionals worldwide a platform to enhance their analytical skills and deepen their understanding of international relations.

Foundational learning begins with the core course, Approaches to International Relations, enriching your theoretical base.

Develop critical and creative thinking skills on pivotal geopolitical issues such as post-war transitions, international migration, identity in global politics, global political economy, and challenges to international order.

Augment your International Relations studies with approved courses in Political Science and Strategic Studies.

Immigration benefits

This course qualifies for 5 points if applying for residency under the Skilled Migrant Category.

This course may qualify for the following visa rights:
In-study work rights
Partner visitor rights
Partner work rights
Post-study work rights

Career Prospects

Graduates of a Master of International Relations program can pursue a wide range of career paths across global sectors. Opportunities include roles such as diplomats, policy analysts, and international development officers, where their expertise in global affairs and policy formulation are highly valued. They may also thrive as political risk analysts, providing insights into geopolitical trends and potential impacts on business and governance. Careers in international consulting, foreign service, and intelligence analysis are also viable, leveraging their deep understanding of international relations and strategic foresight. Within NGOs and advocacy groups, graduates may work as program managers or human rights advocates, championing social justice and humanitarian causes on the global stage. Additionally, they can contribute to international trade and conflict resolution efforts, serve as security analysts, or pursue research and teaching positions in academia, fostering the next generation of international relations scholars and practitioners.

Entry requirements

– A Bachelor’s degree or a Graduate diploma in International Relations or a relevant area, with at least a B grade average in 60 points of 300-level courses in the majoring subject or or relevant area of study
– To be accepted by the programme director as capable of proceeding with the proposed course of study

EL requirement (any one of the following)
– IELTS (Academic): Minimum overall score of 6.5, with no sub-score below 6.0
– TOEFL (Internet-based test): Minimum score of 90, with at least 20 in writing
– Pearson Test of English: Minimum score of 58, with a ‘Communicative’ score of no less than 50
– EAP: Minimum final scores of 4, 4, 5, 5
– Cambridge English Qualifications: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 176 or higher, with each skill score no less than 169
– New Zealand Certificates in English Language (NZCEL): Level 5 (Academic)
– NZAPA: English New Zealand Accredited Pathway Assessment Level 3, with no skill lower than Level 2