Are you a talented student and interested in modern history and international relations? Is a career in research something you aspire to? Then this degree programme is exactly what you are looking for.
The Research Master's degree in International Relations consists of the two-year Master's track in Modern History and International Relations. You can also take this track as a specialisation of the Master's degree programme in History (research).
This programme teaches you to carry out independent academic
research and to explore recent developments in the field of modern
history and international relations. You will study relevant
theoretical and methodological backgrounds as well. In addition,
the programme includes subjects such as international political
economy, the history of cultural identity and European cooperation
and integration.
As a student of this programme you will work in small groups and
are supervised by highly qualified researchers. The programme is
closely related to the research carried out at the Groningen
Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG) and the N.W.
Posthumus Institute.
| Programme options |
|---|
| Modern History and International Relations (track) Are you a talented student and interested in modern history and international relations? Is a career in research something you aspire to? Then this track is exactly what you are looking for. You can take the Master's track in Modern History and International Relations as a specialization within the Research Master's degree in History or the Research Master's degree in International Relations. The two-year Master's track in Modern History and International Relations teaches you to carry out independent academic research in the fields of modern and contemporary history and international relations. You will explore recent developments in these fields and study relevant theoretical and methodological backgrounds. You will learn about subjects such as international political economy, the history of cultural identity and European cooperation and integration. As a student of this programme you work in small groups and are supervised by highly qualified researchers. The programme is closely related to the research carried out at the Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG) and the N.W. Posthumus Institute. |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
Prospective students are required to have knowledge at Bachelor's level of modern history and/ or international relations. Examples of these types of Bachelor's programmes are:
|
| grade list |
An excellent academic record: An overview of the results achieved so far within the Bachelor's degree programme and/or other university degree programmes is required. |
| Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
| language test |
Additional English language requirement: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 100 (with a minimum score for speaking and writing of 25 (each)), or an IELTS score of 7 (with a minimum of 6.5 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 185. |
| reference letter |
Two personal letters of recommendation from staff members who can comment on the students' affinity with and capacities for research. |
| (motivation-) letter |
A letter outlining the prospective student's motivation for selecting the programme and Research Master's track, including their expectations and interests. |
| other admission requirements |
Furthermore, the selection procedure is also based on an evaluation of degree certificates, individual results and the thesis or paper. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| American Studies | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| History (part-time) | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| International Studies | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| International Relations and International Organization | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| International Development Studies | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| Political Science | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics | All Research universities |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| American Studies | University of Groningen |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| History (part-time) | University of Groningen |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
| International Relations and International Organization | University of Groningen |
No additional requirements More information:This programme has a selection procedure. |
A fixed number of places is available for quota programmes. For the IRIO Bachelor degree programme this number is 260. For these places a selection procedure takes place.
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
Prospective students are required to have knowledge at Bachelor's level of modern history and/ or international relations. Examples of these types of Bachelor's programmes are:
|
| grade list |
An excellent academic record: An overview of the results achieved so far within the Bachelor's degree programme and/or other university degree programmes is required. |
| Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
| language test |
Additional English language requirement: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 100 (with a minimum score for speaking and writing of 25 (each)), or an IELTS score of 7 (with a minimum of 6.5 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 185. |
| reference letter |
Two personal letters of recommendation from staff members who can comment on the students' affinity with and capacities for research. |
| (motivation-) letter |
A letter outlining the prospective student's motivation for selecting the programme and Research Master's track, including their expectations and interests. |
| other admission requirements |
Furthermore, the selection procedure is also based on an evaluation of degree certificates, individual results and the thesis or paper. |
A fixed number of places is available for quota programmes. For the IRIO Bachelor degree programme this number is 260. For these places a selection procedure takes place.
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 | |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 15 October 2025 | 01 February 2026 |
| Nationality | Year | Fee | Programme form |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA | 2024-2025 | € 2530 | full-time |
| non-EU/EEA | 2024-2025 | € 18700 | full-time |
| EU/EEA | 2025-2026 | € 2601 | full-time |
| non-EU/EEA | 2025-2026 | € 19200 | full-time |
Practical information for:
After graduation you are well prepared for a career in research at a university or a private or governmental research institute. You can pursue jobs at international organizations and government institutions as well. You may also find work as a journalist.
Students in the Research Master Modern History and International Relations (MHIR) have started analysing journals relevant to their disciplines in 2010, and their successors continue to do so each year. This website aims to collect their reviews, and offer interested scholars access to our research, while at the same time showcasing the quality of the work of the students in the Research Master MHIR .
Students have analysed journals both qualitatively and quantitatively, delving into several issues of academic journals dealing with the subjects of History and International Relations. Reviews generally offer an introduction of the journal’s history, followed by an analysis of the themes and topics dealt with by the journal, and also an analysis of the background of the authors.
This project also offers interested parties and prospective students an example of the extent to which the University of Groningen succeeds in making research results easily available, showcasing that the work done by students does not need to gather dust in the archives of our professors.
The overview below lists all the analysed journals alphabetically.
Clicking on the name of the journal will take you to the individual review. Please take note of the different volumes analysed.
Interested parties are invited to first read two introductory articles.
The Faculty of Arts also offers a one year master’s degree programme in International Relations .
Each Master's degree programme has a study advisor whom you can contact if you have questions or need advice about your degree programme and other study-related matters. Everything you discuss will be treated confidentially. If you have a more complex problem, for example study delay, a performance disability or if you are ill for a long time, you should contact a student counsellor.
In addition, you can also follow various courses at the Study Support section of the Student Service Centre (SSC), for example on study stress and holding presentations.
