International Relations and International Organization

One world, 8 billion people, 193 UN member states, over 6,000 (Non-)Governmental Organizations, 1,000s of multinationals, all tied up in complex processes of dis/integration, cooperation and conflict.

International Relations as a discipline has a long history that involves questions of war, peace, power politics, colonialism, empire, race, and identity. IR in Europe started as an interdisciplinary project, and IR in Groningen still follows this tradition.

International Relations and International Organization, a track of the Master's in International Relations, offers a comprehensive study in theory and practice. Theretofore, IRIO uses a 'self-service' model. Besides the mandatory course on advanced theory, capita IRIO and the master thesis, you can select from specialized research seminars in five essential areas of Internationals Relations: International Security, International Political Economy, European Politics in a Global Perspective, Geopolitics & Connectivity and East Asian Studies . Moreover, to prepare for an international career you can organize a placement at a public or private organization in the field of international relations, where you can apply your knowledge and skills in a 'real-time' environment.

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Facts & Figures

Degree: MA in International Relations
Course type: Master
Duration: 12 months (60 ECTS)
Croho code: 60734
Language of instruction: English
Start: February, September
Faculty: Arts

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Why study this programme in Groningen?

The Master's track IRIO offers: (a) flexibility in the selection of courses, enabling students to design a study programme tailored to their needs and interests; (b) a research-led and policy-oriented curriculum taught by a committed staff; (c) reserves room for a career-oriented placement that excellently prepares graduates for the labour market and (d) provides an excellent preparation for a variety of positions related to the broad field of international relations.

Programme

The Master's degree programme International Relations is 60 ECTS. During your first semester, you take the module Advanced Theory and Research Practice in International Relations. This module must be followed by all students. In addition, you choose two Research Seminars (from five essential areas of IR: East Asian Studies, Int. Security, IPE, Eur. Politics in a Global Perspective, and Geopolitics & Connectivity) and you complete the specialization course Capita IRIO.

During your second semester, you will write a Master Thesis (in the field of International Relations) and you will choose between doing a Placement or professionalization electives.

If you choose the Placement option, you must find and apply for your Placement yourself, on the basis of your interests and skills. The Placement should last at least 7 weeks full-time. If you choose to do a Placement that takes longer than 7 weeks, it might be difficult to finish the programme within one year, and you will have to register for the extra months.

For examples of Research Seminar topics, please go to the Course Catalogue (link below). If you start the Master programme in September, you choose Research Seminars from semester I. If you start in February, you choose Research Seminars from semester II.

Because the programme starts in September as well as in February, all elements of the programme are offered both in the first and in the second semester. Please note: because the topics of the Research Seminars depend on the expertise of the lecturers, the list may be subject to change and differs each semester/year.

	Semesters
CoursesCourse Catalog >	1a	1b	2a	2b
Advanced Theory and Research Practice in International Relations (5 EC)
Capita IRIO (5 EC)
Research Seminar 1 (10 EC) Example: - Politics of Natural Resources - Race, Class and Gender Internsectionality
Research Seminar 2 (10 EC) Example: - Medical Humanitarianism in Global Politics - Human Rights, Democracy and Peace
Master's thesis IRIO (20 EC)
Master's Placement (10 EC, optional)
Professionalization Electives (10 EC, optional) Example: - Career Seminar: Working in and on Governance; - Project Proposal Writing

Programme options
Master's placement (specialization) A placement is a recognised component of this Master's track. It is your responsibility to find a placement yourself, but the Office for Student Affairs can offer help with this where necessary.

Study abroad

Study abroad is unaccommodated

Entry requirements

Transfer options

Transferring from...

All Universities of applied sciences

University of Groningen

All Research universities

Study programme	Organization	Transition
	All Universities of applied sciences	Via a pre-master More information: with a HBO Bachelor's degree certificate with an international profile and/or knowledge of social sciences, for example Political Sciences, American Studies, History, European/International Law or International Economics and an IRIO pre-master

Study programme	Organization	Transition
International Relations and International Organization	University of Groningen	No additional requirements
Liberal Arts and Sciences	University of Groningen	Additional requirements Additional requirements: additional subject More information: with a specialization International Relations and International Law, and a number of required courses (see below)
American Studies	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: with an IRIO faculty minor or pre-master
Communication and Information Studies	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: with an IRIO faculty minor or pre-master
History	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: with an IRIO faculty minor or pre-master
Media Studies	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: with an IRIO faculty minor or pre-master
Minorities & Multilingualism	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: with an IRIO faculty minor or pre-master
Middle Eastern Studies	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: with an IRIO faculty minor or pre-master
European Languages and Cultures	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: If you started the BA programme in 2016 or later, with the profile Politics and Society OR with an IRIO faculty minor/ pre-master
International Business	University of Groningen	Via a pre-master More information: with an IRIO pre-master
Psychology (NL)	University of Groningen	Via a pre-master More information: with an IRIO pre-master
Psychology (EN)	University of Groningen	Via a pre-master More information: with an IRIO pre-master
Sociology	University of Groningen	Via a pre-master More information: with an IRIO pre-master

Study programme	Organization	Transition
International Relations and International Organization	All Research universities	No additional requirements
American Studies	All Research universities	Via a pre-master More information: with an IRIO pre-master
History (part-time)	All Research universities	Via a pre-master More information: with an IRIO pre-master
International and European Law	All Research universities	Via a pre-master More information: with an IRIO pre-master
Political Science	All Research universities	Via a pre-master More information: with an IRIO pre-master

Admission requirements

Specific requirements	More information
previous education	Students with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations and International Organization from the University of Groningen or from another Dutch university, students with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Groningen in European Languages and Cultures (Profile Politics & Society) who started in 2016 or later, and students with a BA in International Relations and International Law (IRIL) from University College Groningen (if they have completed the following set of courses: International Relations Theories (and Practice) (5 ECTS), International Politics (5 ECTS), Statistics 1 (5 ECTS), Two of the following three qualitative methods courses: Qualitative Data Collection & Analysis (5 ECTS); Interpretive Methods (5 ECTS); Advanced Argumentation and Critical Thinking (5 ECTS)) have direct access to this track through the IR Admissions Board. Please use this application guide for your specific application procedure: https://www.rug.nl/let/how-to-apply-MA Students with a University of Groningen Bachelor's degree in: American Studies Communication and Information Studies European Languages and Cultures (profiles Culture & Literature and Language & Society) History Media Studies Middle Eastern Studies Minorities and Multilingualism who have completed a Faculty Minor in International Relations will also be admitted to this Master's track on that basis. Students from a similar field (which is not mentioned above) or those with a different educational background, for example Political Sciences, American Studies, History, European/International Law or International Economics, must submit a request for admission to the Master's degree in International Relations to the Admissions Board. The Board may decide to decline the request due to an insufficiently internationally orientated Bachelor's degree, or to admit the applicant to (parts of the pre-)Master programme. Please use this application guide for your specific application procedure: https://www.rug.nl/let/how-to-apply-MA After you complete your application, the IR Admissions Board will assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, and will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. The Admissions Board will then determine whether: direct admission is possible a student has to complete the pre-Master's programme first: https://www.rug.nl/let/premaster-IR a student cannot be admitted
language test	Additional requirements English: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 180. If you have a VWO diploma a language test is not required.

Specific requirements

More information

previous education

Students with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations and International Organization from the University of Groningen or from another Dutch university, students with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Groningen in European Languages and Cultures (Profile Politics & Society) who started in 2016 or later, and students with a BA in International Relations and International Law (IRIL) from University College Groningen (if they have completed the following set of courses: International Relations Theories (and Practice) (5 ECTS), International Politics (5 ECTS), Statistics 1 (5 ECTS), Two of the following three qualitative methods courses: Qualitative Data Collection & Analysis (5 ECTS); Interpretive Methods (5 ECTS); Advanced Argumentation and Critical Thinking (5 ECTS)) have direct access to this track through the IR Admissions Board. Please use this application guide for your specific application procedure: https://www.rug.nl/let/how-to-apply-MA

Students with a University of Groningen Bachelor's degree in:

American Studies
Communication and Information Studies
European Languages and Cultures (profiles Culture & Literature and Language & Society)
History
Media Studies
Middle Eastern Studies
Minorities and Multilingualism

who have completed a Faculty Minor in International Relations will also be admitted to this Master's track on that basis.

Students from a similar field (which is not mentioned above) or those with a different educational background, for example Political Sciences, American Studies, History, European/International Law or International Economics, must submit a request for admission to the Master's degree in International Relations to the Admissions Board. The Board may decide to decline the request due to an insufficiently internationally orientated Bachelor's degree, or to admit the applicant to (parts of the pre-)Master programme. Please use this application guide for your specific application procedure: https://www.rug.nl/let/how-to-apply-MA

After you complete your application, the IR Admissions Board will assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, and will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies.

The Admissions Board will then determine whether:

direct admission is possible
a student has to complete the pre-Master's programme first: https://www.rug.nl/let/premaster-IR
a student cannot be admitted

language test

Additional requirements English: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 180. If you have a VWO diploma a language test is not required.

Application deadlines

Type of student	Deadline	Start course
Dutch students	15 January 2025	01 February 2025
Dutch students	15 August 2025	01 September 2025
EU/EEA students	01 May 2025	01 September 2025
EU/EEA students	15 October 2025	01 February 2026
non-EU/EEA students	01 May 2025	01 September 2025
non-EU/EEA students	15 October 2025	01 February 2026

Admission requirements

Specific requirements	More information
previous education	Students with either a Bachelor's Degree in Social Sciences (including - but not limited to - Economics, Political Science, Development Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Social Geography), or an internationally oriented Bachelor's degree such as International Relations, Regional Studies, European/International Law, or (Modern) History can submit an application to the IR Admissions Board. Please use this application guide for more information regarding your eligibility and your specific application procedure: http://www.rug.nl/let/how-to-apply-MA After you complete your application, the IR Admissions Board will assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, and will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. The Admissions Board will then determine whether: direct admission is possible a student has to complete the pre-Master's programme first: http://www.rug.nl/let/premaster-IR a student cannot be admitted
language test	Additional requirements English: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 180.

Specific requirements

More information

previous education

Students with either a Bachelor's Degree in Social Sciences (including - but not limited to - Economics, Political Science, Development Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Social Geography), or an internationally oriented Bachelor's degree such as International Relations, Regional Studies, European/International Law, or (Modern) History can submit an application to the IR Admissions Board.

Please use this application guide for more information regarding your eligibility and your specific application procedure: http://www.rug.nl/let/how-to-apply-MA

After you complete your application, the IR Admissions Board will assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, and will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies.

The Admissions Board will then determine whether:

direct admission is possible
a student has to complete the pre-Master's programme first: http://www.rug.nl/let/premaster-IR
a student cannot be admitted

language test

Additional requirements English: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 180.

Application deadlines

Type of student	Deadline	Start course
Dutch students	15 January 2025	01 February 2025
Dutch students	15 August 2025	01 September 2025
EU/EEA students	01 May 2025	01 September 2025
EU/EEA students	15 October 2025	01 February 2026
non-EU/EEA students	01 May 2025	01 September 2025
non-EU/EEA students	15 October 2025	01 February 2026

Tuition fees

Nationality	Year	Fee	Programme form
EU/EEA	2024-2025	€ 2530	full-time
non-EU/EEA	2024-2025	€ 18700	full-time

Practical information for:

Dutch students International students

After your studies

Job prospects

Upon graduation students hold a (60 ECTS) MA degree in International Relations with a track in International Relations and International Organization from the University of Groningen. The Master programme in International Relations prepares its students for professions and research careers where knowledge of international-political developments and the ability to analyze and assess complex issues and to form grounded judgements are relevant.

During the programme you will complete an internship: this will provide you not only with an insight into the job-market, but also further develop your professional skills as well as expand your network.

Many graduates become policy advisors for national governments, NGOs, and international organizations in international politics. An increasing number of graduates also use their analytical skills to advise international businesses, or work as lobbyists, international executives, press officers, journalists, and researchers.

Alumni of the International Relations and International Organization track work at:

Government:

Project Officer Elections - Municipality The Hague (The Hague)

Business:

Young Information Professional - PBLQ (Den Haag)
Operations Specialist - HP España (Barcelona)
Due Diligence Analyst - Fraud Investigations and Compliance Services (Amsterdam)
Investment Promotion & Aftercare Executive - CINDE (Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency) (Costa Rica)

Communication:

Communications Officer - International Business School Hanzehogeschool (Groningen)
Online Marketing – Dutch Railways (The Hague)

Lobby:

Fundraising and Partnerships Officer - Consumers International (London)

Research:

Lecturer and PhD - University of Groningen

Research

Research International Relations and International Organization

Research conducted within the Department of International Relations and International Organization takes mostly place within the context of one of the four other specializations: Global Governance, International Security, European Integration and International Political Economy. We kindly direct you to those sites to get an impression of the research activities of the Department. In addition, you are invited to click on the link below to access an article published by staff of the Department.

Link: https://www.rug.nl/let/studeren-bij-ons/irio/research-article-irio-2012.pdf

For more information about the IR department, please visit: https://www.rug.nl/let/onze-faculteit/organisatie/vakgebieden/irio/staff

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Contact

Ask Your Question Here (please fill in this contact form, we will answer you as soon as possible.)
Renate Huttinga MA (Study adviser)
Email: study.advice.irio rug.nl
Dieneke Zomer MA (Study Adviser)
Email: study.advice.irio rug.nl
Drs. Hidde de Haas (Study Adviser)
Email: study.advice.irio rug.nl
Admission Office (Contact form) (For questions on the admission requirements and application procedure)

NL Scholarships

The University of Groningen offers NL Scholarships to international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who want to do their master’s in the Netherlands. Read more on the NL Scholarships and on how to apply.

Project Manager and Online Marketer at INTK

After finalizing her Master's in International Relations, UG alumna Elisa Ahovuori-Motta moved to Utrecht and now works as a Project Manager and Online Marketer at INTK. She talks about her work and how her studies and time at the University of Groningen contributed to her current position.

Research Master

Are you interested in a research oriented career? Please also check our Research Master's Programme of International Relations.

Study associations

Clio

Clio is the study association of International Relations and International Organization at the University of Groningen.

It has around 1000 members and is one of the largest study associations in Groningen and the largest study association at a Dutch Faculty of Arts. Clio organises numerous events including parties, workshops, excursions and offers services like high-quality summaries, the internship database and various discounts around Groningen.

https://www.clio.nl/

Study support

If you have any questions or doubts about your studies, you can always contact the study advisor. He or she knows all the ins and outs of the program and personal planning. Study advisors are impartial and everything that is discussed is treated confidentially. They can also help you find the right institutions and student desks for your problems.