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International relations shape global politics, economics, and security, influencing everything from trade agreements to military alliances. They impact individuals through diplomacy, trade policies, immigration, and cultural exchanges. As the world becomes more connected, the need to understand international development is more pressing than ever.
The Department of International Relations at Central European University’s Vienna campus offers three master’s in International Relations programmes to help you understand and address global challenges. Ranked #26 for Politics and International Studies in QS World University Rankings 2023, the CEU IR Department offers one-year and two-year options, providing a “big picture, close focus” view of the field.
Here, the “big picture” is shown through an interdisciplinary lens questioning what makes up the global political order. The question comprises several historically shaped, socially diverse, and unevenly developed entities and practices — each of which is given a “close focus” too. This is most obvious in the structure of the programme, with courses categorised into three specialisations: Global Order and Politics (GOP), International Political Economy and Development (IPE), and Conflict and Security (CONSEC).
Interdisciplinary programmes prepare students for careers in think tanks, NGOs, international organisations, and private businesses. Source: Central European University.
An education spanning multiple disciplines opens the doors to a range of potential careers for graduates. The programme ensures that students have the knowledge and skills to navigate their future jobs, whether in academia or professional positions. It’s how CEU IR Department’s students record high employment rates within six months of graduation.
“The focus on research design and the possibility to choose courses that reflect my individual research interests has uniquely prepared me for my career goals in an international, interdisciplinary environment,” says student Liese-Lotte Wieprecht.
One-year master’s programmes
The department offers two one-year MA in International Relations programmes: Vienna and New York City tracks.
Both tracks begin with a pre-session for orientation, a preface to all courses, and introductory sessions to international relations. Besides a choice of elective courses, in the fall term students take the mandatory Research Design: Tools and Techniques and Academic Writing for International Relations courses, both of which are designed to enable students to conduct research and produce high-quality output in a discipline-specific context.
The Vienna track is a short and intensive programme which allows students to explore a relevant issue in IR as part of an academic thesis. Depending on individual interests, this may be linked to entities and processes that play out on the global stage (GOP), the interaction between economics and politics in an international context (IPE), or issues such as political violence, peacebuilding and conflict management (CONSEC) – leading to one of the three specialisations within the programme.
While students remain in Austria throughout their programme, the MA is accredited in both Austria and the US. There’s no fear about missing out either – the CEU IR Department is an active member of a strong international academic and professional network with both faculty and students coming from a range of different backgrounds with over 20 countries represented in the student body.
“My time at CEU has been characterised by the interdisciplinary programme and a diverse student cohort, which has fostered a rich exchange of perspectives in small, interactive classes,” adds Liese-Lotte, a Vienna-track student.
The New York City track has students continue their winter and spring terms in Bard College’s MA in Global Studies programme in New York City. There, they complete coursework, a mandatory internship with an organisation working on global affairs and submit a capstone project at the end of the programme. The track highlights theoretical and conceptual tools and practical experiences with a more professional focus in comparison with the other track.
Student Khiradmand Sheraliev is currently completing his internship as a Government Contracts Intern at the Business Council for International Understanding in New York. “The programme has offered an exceptional range of courses tailored to my specific interests, particularly in political economy and development,” he says. “This flexibility in course selection not only deepened my understanding but also facilitated my journey towards securing this invaluable internship.”
Two-year master’s programme
Similar to the Vienna track, the two-year MA in International Relations programme has a primarily academic focus and students produce a research-based thesis at the end of their studies. Another shared feature of the two programmes is the opportunity that students have to select one of the three specialisations: GOP, IPE or CONSEC. Thanks to its more extensive nature, the two-year MA also allows students to complete the Advanced Certificate in International Political Economy and engage in the study of the global political economy from a variety of disciplinary perspectives and addressing a range of different issues.
CEU IR Department holds small seminar groups to facilitate an interactive discussion-based approach to learning. Source: Central European University.
Going abroad is often a mind-broadening and life-changing event — something that CEU aims to foster through various initiatives.
Apart from the widely known Erasmus+ programme, mobility opportunities are available through the CIVICA network, a group of 10 leading European higher education institutions in the social sciences, including CEU, which aims to mobilise and share knowledge as a public good to facilitate civic responsibility in Europe and beyond. As part of the department’s cooperation with Bard College, students can also apply to spend a semester doing an internship in New York. Public guest lectures by distinguished academics and professionals are common as well, providing insight into important issues in international relations and giving students invaluable opportunities to interact with well-established experts in their chosen field.
“Studying at CEU is one of the best international student experiences I have ever had. The biggest asset one has here is an opportunity to network with leaders in academic and professional fields who are always open to help and guide,” says student Temirlan Bekturganov. “This helped to create a network of professionals and practitioners in the field of my interest and helped me understand what career path I should undertake.”
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