Questions

Hi, I would like to know more about the career prospects of this course? and also if there were any books that you could recommend for me to read before my course starts?

Hi, many thanks for your question. As I have mentioned in my previous response, I would suggest the following two, ‘The Oxford Handbook of International Relations’ and ‘The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations’ (Baylis et al, 2008) but there are many more to recommend. I hope this helps.

Hi Bircan, I have just completed my undergraduate degree in Economics and Political Science, and was looking into potentially applying for International Relations. I wanted to ask if you know about what sort of jobs or areas people went into after studying this course?

Hi, many thanks for your question. Depending on your focus during your studies and interests generally, there is a broad field covered by IR, in companies, think tanks, research centres etc. I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
B

Hi there, I am an offer holder for MSc Political Psychology of International Relations, I was wondering if you had any insight into this course/recommendations of how to connect with classmates in advance? I will be coming from Canada and was wondering how you felt about campus vs city life and if you had any advice for living off campus, finding housing and roommates? Thank you.

Hi,

I believe connecting prior can be a bit difficult, however, we do have a fresher week where you will get to know the campus/city. This is a great opportunity for connecting with people and getting to know the environment.

I have lived in a studio flat right next to the university on Bristol Road before moving back to Germany. I believe it makes it much easier living close to campus, especially if you are coming from abroad. I really enjoyed my time in Birmingham and especially the campus. Living close to campus also makes it much easier to connect with people.

Feel free to get in touch if you have any further questions.

Best wishes,
B

Hi, I am looking forward to doing my Masters in International relations and wanted to ask what is the overall experience of studying at the University of Birmingham like? How does this course equip us to actively take part in global civil service? Is IR too vast of a topic or should I be more specific while choosing my masters (eg: International security and terrorism or MSc Global cooperation and security) to get a much deeper insight into subjects taught and also increase my potential to end up in a progressive career path?

Hi, my experience has been very positive. The university, campus and the city all together hosted me very well. I have enjoyed my Masters degree and I am now continuing being a student at the University of Birmingham as a PhD student. I believe you can choose your modules according to your interest which will help you with being more “specific”.
I hope this helps.
With best wishes,
B

Hello there! I'm interested in pursuing the International Relations course for a Masters. I'm an undergraduate in English majors and I have been interested in this field for some time. I would like to know about what is required to apply, and how I need to prepare for getting admitted into the university? Would it be difficult for me to pursue a course like this?

Hi,

many thanks for your question. Firstly, I would recommend to check the following link: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/govsoc/international-relations.aspx
It offers various information for example course details, entry requirements, teaching and assessment and more.

According to your home country, you will find different information on requirements which is why I would suggest that you first check the provided link and if you should have any further question, please don’t hesitate to contact me again. I hope this will be a help.

Best wishes
B

Hello, I would like to ask if there is a possibility for a person to double major in MA International Relations and Political Psychology of International Relations (MSc)? I am really interested in both.

Hey, many thanks for your question.
I am not sure as I have not heard about such an option before. I suggest contacting the university via phone. I hope they will be able to provide you with more information.

Best wishes

How are you moving on as a student? What are processes towards gaining employment?

Hi, many thanks for your question. Currently, I am a third year PhD student at the University of Birmingham. It is going well, as long as you have good time management skills and great discipline there isn’t much to worry about. The degree in International Relations is offering a wide range of different paths, which are crucial for your career. Here you will need to figure out, what your interests are and decide accordingly. You can contact the careers network at the University of Birmingham for example, who will be then able to help you further with employment opportunities.

What, for you, are the best things about the course?

The great variety of courses with different emphasis is particularly beneficial and I would argue that it makes the study course International Relations at the University of Birmingham special.

What was your motivation for undertaking postgraduate study? Why did you choose the University of Birmingham?

After my Bachelors degree in Political Science, I decided to earn a Masters degree in International Relations, but at the same time I was particularly interested in the International Political Economy. After my research, I have come across the University of Birmingham, which has turned my ideas into reality. It was particularly important to study international relations abroad and to connect with international students.

Can you describe your journey from school to where you are now?

With a primary school recommendation from the elementary school I worked myself up and earned my Abitur. First I studied Mechanical Engineering and after a semester switched to Political Science. It was the turning point in my academic career. After my Bachelors degree, I have started my Masters degree at the University of Birmingham and applied for PhD and got accepted. It was the best decision I made.

Hello Bircan, I have a bachelor degree in English literature and Civilization, can I complete my Masters degree in International Relations and Diplomacy? What motivated you to undertake courses in International Relations? And why did you choose the University of Birmingham?

Hi,

According to the web page information of the University, there shouldn’t be any reason why you wouldn’t be able to complete your Masters degree in International Relations and Diplomacy.

For further information please check this link if you haven’t yet: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/govsoc/international-relations.aspx#CourseDetailsTab

I have a Bachelors degree in Political Science and during my undergraduate I really enjoyed the core module International Relations due to the fact that it was more focused on “today’s issues”.

I decided the University of Birmingham because I really find it useful to have a huge variety of course which you can take once you’re enrolled at the University as well as the ranking and research capacity, these all convinced me to apply at the University or Birmingham and not elsewhere.

Now I am doing my PhD here as well and I definitely don’t regret being part of the many University of Birmingham students.

I hope my response helped you. Get in touch if further information is needed.

All the best.