Enquire to study in the UK 
When Christina Tougias from the US decided to pursue her postgraduate studies abroad, she specifically sought an experience that would challenge her academically, culturally, and personally. She ended up setting her sights on the UK, drawn by its rich cultural heritage and the opportunity to complete a Master’s degree in just one year — an efficient, more cost-effective alternative to the longer programmes in the US.
Durham University, with its MSc Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding programme, quickly became her top choice. The programme’s academic rigour aligned perfectly with her passion for understanding and resolving global conflicts from an interdisciplinary and bottom up perspective. Plus, the university’s unique collegiate system and intimate campus atmosphere felt like it could become a home away from home — an important factor for someone preparing to move thousands of miles across the Atlantic.
True enough, her welcome was warm, and her coursework was rich in theory. “I appreciated the Humanitarian Intervention Simulation, which provided insight from Medicine Sans Frontiers professionals into what a job in the humanitarian sector might entail,” she shares. “Furthermore, my Conflict Mediation course stood out as we practised mediation through role play and collaborative activities.”
Real-world applications beyond campus perfectly complemented these sessions. A field trip to Armenia truly brought Tougias’s lessons to life. “We were exposed to meetings with the British Embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Europe, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and so many more important organisations, which were unforgettable experiences,” she shares.
Last year, the MSc Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding cohort even went to Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina to explore the complexities of post-conflict recovery and reconciliation. They deepened their understanding of the region’s turbulent history by visiting museums, engaging with NGO representatives, and witnessing the lingering impact of the 1992 violence during a visit to Srebrenica, where the scars of the not-so-distant past remain profoundly visible.
This is what an education at Durham’s School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) is all about. Ranked among the world’s top 100, according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, this division is committed to rigorous academic inquiry and cultivating socially responsible global citizens through once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and comprehensive degree programmes.
Apart from Tougias’s MSc Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding, the school offers an MSc Public Policy, MA International Relations, MA Politics and International Relations (Political Theory), MSc Defence, Development and Diplomacy, MA Politics and International Relations of the Middle East, and International Relations (East Asia).
This substantive breadth and range of programmes all under one roof has attracted students from over 50 countries to SGIA — each bringing with them diverse perspectives that enrich the SGIA experience and sets it apart from schools with similar academic offerings, says Professor David Andersen, an Associate Professor of US Politics in the School.
“When teaching politics in the US, students often are politically active and aware, which is great but they also come to class with strongly ingrained beliefs and preferences. This can lead to bitter discussions,” he explains. “At Durham, we consider various political positions with less personal involvement. Having students from around the globe helps us compare the American system to those of France, Germany, China, India, and of course the UK. Students bring much more to the table during discussions and can share novel ideas and experiences from their own backgrounds.”
Lessons at the SGIA often go beyond the classroom, transporting students to other nations, where they can apply and advance their knowledge. Source: Durham University
The school’s vibrant extracurricular scene, with groups like the Foreign Affairs Society, the Diplomatic Society, and the Women in Politics Society, further sparks lifelong connections while bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application.
This interactive environment does wonders in ensuring students are prepared for a global workforce. “An American PGT student is prepared for the American workforce, but a Durham PGT is prepared for the world,” says Professor Anderson.
Alongside its collaborative ethos, SGIA places a strong emphasis on independent learning to equip students for the challenges of political analysis and policy-making. SGIA faculty believe this approach nurtures critical thinking and self-reliance — essential skills for navigating complex professional landscapes. For Tougias, classes meeting only once a week for an hour was a stark contrast to the longer, more frequent sessions she had experienced in the US. However, she feels this method has nurtured a level of self-discipline and time management she’s never honed before.
“I think Durham’s emphasis on independent research and critical thinking has challenged me to dig deeper,” she says. “It has helped me grow in my researching capabilities, especially in relation to my dissertation in which I learned to trust myself with my newfound independence.”
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