Posted by We’ve curated a list of the best universities to study international relations to keep up with the interests of students willing to study International Relations at a top university. Keep reading to get more information.
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International Relations Overview
The scientific study of how nations interact and view one another, particularly in the context of political, economic, and cultural connections, is known as international relations, also referred to as international studies or international affairs.
It is a versatile sector that covers everything from cross-border trade to calamities in the world of health, like the Covid-19 outbreak we are presently dealing with.
The idea of international interactions is more important as the world gets more connected. The demand for experts in the area has risen as a result.
For people who are curious about the interactions between other nations, the study of international relations, a subfield of the social sciences, is the best option.
The top international relations universities are examined in the following article, along with the range of degrees they provide, typical earnings, and career options.
Duties Performed by International Relations Specialists
As a branch of social science, international relations connects a wide range of disciplines, including economics, politics, philosophy, history, business, linguistics, religious studies, and law.
Experts in international relations are commonly engaged in interdisciplinary research to find solutions to global problems like poverty, world hunger, human rights, and ethics.
The basic duties of those who specialize in international relations include:
- Developing global strategies and identifying trends
- Analyzing and interpreting foreign policies
- Engaging in international cooperation
- Communication with public figures, governmental and non-governmental international organizations, and the general public
- Giving expert guidance on foreign policies
- Communicating with journalists and the media about international affairs
- Executing global collaborative programs and projects
- Research dissemination via publications and reports
- Being up to date on recent international relations developments
Popular Degrees for Pursuing A Career in International Relations
International relations can be studied for an undergraduate, graduate, or doctorate degree. Other degree options, including associate degrees, dual degrees, and online degrees, may be available depending on the university.
Students who choose to major in history, sociology, political science, or cultural anthropology as undergraduates can also pursue international relations as a postgraduate area of specialty.
Bachelor’s programs
Both bachelor of science (B.S./B.Sc.) and bachelor of arts (B.A.) degrees are available in the field of international relations.
Below are available Bachelor’s degrees for international relations
- B.A. in International Relations
- B.S. in International Studies
- B.Sc. in Politics and International Relations
- B.A. in International Studies
- B.A. in Diplomacy and International Relations
- B.Sc. in International Relations and Law
- B.A. in International Relations with Languages
- B.Sc. in International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies
- L.L.B. in Law with International Relations
Master’s programs
Universities all over the world offer master’s degrees in international relations as either master of arts (M.A.) or master of science (M.S./M.Sc.) degrees.
Below are available Master’s degrees for international relations:
- M.A. in International Relations
- M.S. in Political Science: International Relations/Comparative Government
- M.Sc. in Global Studies and International Relations
- M.Sc. in International Trade Relations
- Global History and International Relations
- International Relations & International Organization
- International Affairs
- Intercultural Conflict Management
- MSc in International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response
Doctoral programs
A doctoral degree is typically chosen by students who want to get more in-depth expertise in a particular field of international relations. To work as a professor or lecturer, you also need a Ph.D.
Below are available Doctoral degrees for international relations:
- P.h.D in International Economics
- P.h.D in Political Science
- P.h.D in International Conflict Analysis
- P.h.D in International Affairs
- P.h.D in Globalization and Development
- P.h.D in International and Diplomatic Studies
Specializations in International Relations
It is not surprising that graduates in the field of international relations are in greater demand because political links, communications, and collaborations are becoming increasingly important. Top institutions all over the world are providing numerous specializations in this field of study in light of this demand.
The following are typical international relations themes and specializations:
- Foreign policy
- Conflict and peace-making
- Environmental policy
- Human rights
- Trade and financial regulations
- International law
- Global History
- International security
- Diplomacy
- Migration and refugees
Career Opportunities in International Relations
Students who specialize in international relations will have a wide range of professional opportunities outside of politics, including jobs in economics, social systems, and community culture. However, a master’s or a doctorate in international relations are strongly advised to land a significant job in the sector.
Popular career options in international relations include the following:
- Diplomat
- Intelligence analyst
- Policy officer
- Political analyst
- Lobbyist
- Communication Specialist
- Risk manager
- Solicitor
- International lawyer
- Immigration specialist
- International marketing manager
Reason for this Ranking
The top colleges in the world listed here are ranked according to how well they do in the fields of international relations and diplomacy. The ratings of publications, which were then corrected for release dates and added to final scores, were calculated using a graph of citations received by academic articles produced by the 652 universities around the world.
105 Best Universities To Study International Relations
Below is a table containing the best universities to study international relations:
| Rank | Name of School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | Cambridge, United States |
| 2 | London School of Economics and Political Science | London, United Kingdom |
| 3 | University of Oxford | Oxford, United Kingdom |
| 4 | Australian National University | Canberra, Australia |
| 5 | Ohio State University | Columbus, United States |
| 6 | University of Warwick | Coventry, United Kingdom |
| 7 | University of Chicago | Chicago, United States |
| 8 | University of Cambridge | Cambridge, United Kingdom |
| 9 | George Washington University | Ashburn, United States |
| 10 | University of California | Berkeley, United States |
| 11 | Columbia University | New York City, United States |
| 12 | Princeton University | Princeton, United States |
| 13 | King’s College London | London, United Kingdom |
| 14 | University of Copenhagen | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| 15 | Georgetown University | Washington D.C., United States |
| 16 | University of Birmingham | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
| 17 | University of Sussex | Brighton, United Kingdom |
| 18 | American University in Washington | Washington D.C., United States |
| 19 | University of Queensland | Brisbane City, Australia |
| 20 | University of Minnesota | Minneapolis, United States |
| 21 | Aberystwyth University | Aberystwyth, United Kingdom |
| 22 | Stanford University | Stanford, United States |
| 23 | University of Toronto | Toronto, Canada |
| 24 | University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, United States |
| 25 | University of Oslo | Oslo, Norway |
| 26 | University of British Columbia | Vancouver, Canada |
| 27 | University of Southern California | California, United States |
| 28 | Indiana University – Bloomington | Bloomington, United States |
| 29 | Hebrew University of Jerusalem | Jerusalem, Israel |
| 30 | University of Nottingham | Nottingham, United Kingdom |
| 31 | University College London | London, United Kingdom |
| 32 | Yale University | New Haven, United States |
| 33 | Cornell University | Ithaca, United States |
| 34 | University of Leeds | Leeds, United Kingdom |
| 35 | Nanyang Technological University | Singapore, Singapore |
| 36 | Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, United States |
| 37 | Griffith University | Nathan, Nathan Australia |
| 38 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, United States |
| 39 | University of Melbourne | Parkville, Australia |
| 40 | McGill University | Main campus, Montreal Canada |
| 41 | Arizona State University | Tempe Campus, Tempe United States |
| 42 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, United States |
| 43 | University of Ottawa | Ottawa, Canada |
| 44 | University of Bristol | Clifton Campus, Bristol United Kingdom |
| 45 | University of St Andrews | St. Andrews, United Kingdom |
| 46 | University of California-San Diego | San Diego, United States |
| 47 | University of Washington | Seattle Campus, Seattle United States |
| 48 | University of New South Wales | Sydney, Australia |
| 49 | University of California – Los Angeles | Los Angeles, United States |
| 50 | University of Sydney | Sydney, Australia |
| 51 | Queen Mary University of London | London, United Kingdom |
| 52 | University of Texas at Austin | Austin, United States |
| 53 | Texas A&M University | College Station, United States |
| 54 | New York University | New York City, United States |
| 55 | Duke University | Durham, United States |
| 56 | Carleton University | Main Campus, Ottawa Canada |
| 57 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, United States |
| 58 | Lancaster University | Main campus, Lancaster, United Kingdom |
| 59 | University of Amsterdam | City Centre Campus, Amsterdam Netherlands |
| 60 | University of Wisconsin | United States, United States |
| 61 | SOAS, University of London | Russell Square Campus, London United Kingdom |
| 62 | University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, United States |
| 63 | Dartmouth College | Hanover, United States |
| 64 | The University of Manchester | Manchester, United Kingdom |
| 65 | University of Virginia | Charlottesville, United States |
| 66 | Rutgers University – New Brunswick | College Avenue Campus, New Brunswick United States |
| 67 | Catholic University of Leuven | Leuven, Belgium |
| 68 | National University of Singapore | Kent Ridge Campus, Singapore Singapore |
| 69 | University of Sheffield | Western Bank, Sheffield, GB, Sheffield United Kingdom |
| 70 | Durham University | Durham, Durham United Kingdom |
| 71 | Tufts University | Medford, United States |
| 72 | University of Helsinki | City Centre Campus, Helsinki Finland |
| 73 | Bilkent University | Ankara Campus, Ankara Turkey |
| 74 | Northwestern University | Evanston Campus, Evanston United States |
| 75 | University of Edinburgh | Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
| 76 | University of London | London, United Kingdom |
| 77 | Leiden University | Leiden University, Leiden Netherlands |
| 78 | University of Exeter | Exeter, United Kingdom |
| 79 | Free University of Berlin | Berlin, Germany |
| 80 | Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies | Geneva, Switzerland |
| 81 | University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, United States |
| 82 | York University | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
| 83 | George Mason University | Fairfax Campus, Fairfax United States |
| 84 | University of Kent | Canterbury campus, Canterbury United Kingdom |
| 85 | University of Glasgow | Glasgow, United Kingdom |
| 86 | University of Maryland | College Park, United States |
| 87 | University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, United States |
| 88 | Emory University | Atlanta, United States |
| 89 | Vanderbilt University | Nashville, United States |
| 90 | Syracuse University | Syracuse, United States |
| 91 | Pennsylvania State University | Pennsylvania, US, State College United States |
| 92 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, United States |
| 93 | Cardiff University | Cardiff, United Kingdom |
| 94 | University of Brasilia | Curitiba, Brazil |
| 95 | Brown University | Providence, United States |
| 96 | University of California – Davis | Davis, United States |
| 97 | University of York | York, United Kingdom |
| 98 | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, United States |
| 99 | Free University Amsterdam | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| 100 | Bar-Ilan University | Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv District, Israel |
| 101 | Boston University | Boston, United States |
| 102 | Charles University | Prague, Czechia |
| 103 | City University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong SAR |
| 104 | Copenhagen Business School | Frederiksberg, Denmark |
| 105 | Victoria University of Wellington | Kelburn, Wellington, New Zealand |
List of the Top 5 Universities to Study International Relations
- Harvard University
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- University of Oxford
- Australian National University
- Ohio State University.
Top 5 Universities to Study International Relations
1. Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, United States
Private Ivy League research institution Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. When Harvard College was founded in 1636, it was named after John Harvard, a Puritan clergyman who served as its first benefactor.
Thanks to its stature, wealth, and influence, it is currently one of the most esteemed universities in the entire globe.
2. London School of Economics and Political Science
Location: London, United Kingdom
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a federal member institution of the University of London and a public research university with headquarters in London, England. LSE was created in 1895 by members of the Fabian Society Sidney Webb, Beatrice Webb, Graham Wallas, and George Bernard Shaw.
LSE joined the University of London in 1900, and under the university’s administration, it introduced its first degree programs in 1901. Prior to 2008, LSE conferred degrees from the University of London. In 2008, LSE started giving degrees under its own name. In 2022, it separated from the University of London to become a separate university.
3. University of Oxford
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
The University of Oxford is a coed research university located in Oxford, England. With evidence of instruction dating back to 1096, it is the second-oldest institution still in existence and the oldest university in the English-speaking world.
It has rapidly grown ever since Henry II barred English students from studying there in 1167.
Following conflicts between students and townspeople of Oxford Town in 1209, some scholars relocated to Cambridge in the northeast, where they established what would become the University of Cambridge. The two ancient English universities collectively known as Oxbridge have a lot of characteristics.
4. Australian National University
Location: Canberra, Australia
Located in Canberra, Australia’s capital city, the Australian National Institution (ANU) is a public research institution and a member of the Group of Eight.
On the main action, campus are seven teaching and research colleges together with several national academies and organizations.
According to the 2022 QS World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education rankings, ANU is the best university in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.
It is ranked equal to 54th by the 2022 Times Higher Education and 27th by the 2022 QS World University Rankings when compared to other universities worldwide. According to the Global Employability University Ranking and Survey for 2021, ANU is placed 20th.
5. Ohio State University
Location: Columbus, United States
The Ohio State institution, usually referred to as Ohio State or OSU, is a public research institution with land grants in Columbus, Ohio.
With the passage of the Morrill Act of 1862, Ohio State, a part of the University System of Ohio, was established in 1870 as the ninth university in Ohio and the state’s land-grant institution.
Under the leadership of then-Gov. and later President of the United States Rutherford B. Hayes, Ohio State began as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, which concentrated on a variety of agricultural and mechanical disciplines.
In 1878, the Ohio General Assembly passed a law changing the name to “the Ohio State University” and expanding the university’s purview. The admittance standards tightened and became much more exclusive between the years 2000 and 2010.
As of 2021, Ohio State has the most students among the public universities in the US who obtained test scores in the 95th percentile or higher. The “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity” category designates it as a member. The institution will have one of the largest endowments in the world in 2022 with a $7.0 billion endowment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Best Universities to Study International Relations
Under what faculty is international relations?
The focus of IR studies, a branch of political science, is on relationships between nations in terms of politics, diplomacy, and security as well as the study of contemporary political history. Studies of IR are thus located in the department of politics and social sciences in many university institutions.
How many years is International Relations?
A Master’s degree in international relations typically lasts one to two years. Some colleges also offer part-time programs that let you spread out the education over four years and continue working.
What are the types of International Relations?
International interactions come in a variety of forms. They include trade agreements, conflicts, multistate human rights group activities, multinational corporations, and other kinds.
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Conclusion
This ground-breaking program combines theory and practice-based courses in international law and international relations. You’ll acquire a distinctive multidisciplinary perspective on a variety of current problems associated with the altered character of global governance. This curriculum gives students the chance to take a wide variety of political science and law courses.
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