Master of International Relations

What you will study

To earn the Master of International Relations, you must successfully complete units totalling 8 or 12 credit points, depending on your entry point and approved admission credit, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 1 credit point.

All students complete:

• 2 credit points of core units
• One pathway option
• Remaining credit points from approved course electives, which may be used to form a specialisation

Entry Requirements

Academic requirements

1 year full-time (or equivalent part-time) – 8 credit points

To be eligible for the 8-credit-point pathway with 4 credit points of admission credit, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and have at least two years of relevant work experience, or part-time equivalent.
• Hold a bachelor’s honours degree in a related discipline.
• Hold a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or higher qualification in a related discipline.

1.5 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) – 12 credit points

To be eligible for the 12-credit-point pathway without admission credit, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline.
• Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in any discipline and have at least two years of relevant work experience, or part-time equivalent.

Related disciplines may include international relations, international studies, politics, political science, policy studies, security studies, strategic studies, international law, political economy, conflict analysis, conflict resolution and regional studies.

Relevant professional experience may include work in defence, security, government emergency services, international affairs, international non-government organisations or the United Nations.

Academic history, work and life experience and individual circumstances may also be considered. Meeting the minimum academic and English language requirements does not guarantee admission.

Mandatory student checks

Students selecting the Professional Experience pathway or an elective involving work-integrated learning, community placement or interaction with the community may be required to complete a police check, Working with Children Check or other mandatory checks. Requirements will be confirmed in the relevant unit information.

English language requirements

Applicants must provide evidence of at least one of the following:

• A bachelor’s degree completed in a recognised English-speaking country.
• An IELTS overall score of 6.5, with no individual band score below 6.0, or an accepted equivalent.
• Other accepted evidence of English language proficiency.

Contact the university for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

• Review and analyse major theoretical, conceptual and policy debates and disputes in International Relations pertaining to foreign policy, conflict and security, international and regional politics, globalisation, and international law with reference to empirical cases.
• Effectively communicate the findings and analyses of International Relations theories, concepts and their application to real-world contexts, in a selection of written, oral and digital formats, to a range of audiences.
• Employ a range of digital communication technologies and platforms appropriately to conduct research, engage in debate, communicate findings, and deliver reports and presentations to a diverse range of audiences.
• Analyse, critically evaluate and synthesise theoretical conceptualisations of international politics and policy responses by a range of actors in the context of the changing international political system.
• Employ initiative and creativity in conjunction with appropriate Social Science methods of research and analysis to investigate complex real-world problems in a systematic manner and generate and evaluate potential responses to issues in the areas of conflict and security, globalization, international crises and risks, foreign policy and international law.
• Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility, accountability and a continued commitment to learning and skill development personally, academically and professionally in the field of International Relations.
• Work and learn collaboratively with others in the field of International Relations and from other backgrounds while still maintaining responsibility for their own learning.
• Analyse and respond to issues in global politics in domestic, regional and international contexts as a reflective scholar and practitioner, taking into account cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and adherence to professional and academic ethical standards.

Career Outcomes

Graduates may pursue opportunities across government, international and non-government organisations, defence, private sector organisations, management consulting, media, multicultural associations, education, health and research.

Fees and FEE-HELP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $27,400(Full-fee paying place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• The number of units studied.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.