International Relations

Entry requirements

MPhil: Candidates must hold a BA or equivalent in a related subject area. PhD: Candidates should normally hold an MA or equivalent in a related subject area.

Months of entry

January, April, September

Course content

Explore international relations in theory and practice: our PhD programme will support you in discovering and creating new knowledge about global politics and international relations.

Our PhD research programme will allow you to explore your own interests in international relations and international politics, supported by the expertise of our staff.

You’ll be allocated two supervisors, with additional staff members available if necessary. Our supervisors are experienced in most areas of international relations, with particular strengths in international political theory, security studies, military studies, development, political philosophy, human rights and (counter) terrorism studies. The International Relations degree also links in closely with Criminology at Anglia Ruskin, so that you can benefit from a rich and broad environment for specialised research.

We’ll provide you with a rich and stimulating research environment with strong links to research networks in Anglia Ruskin and the wider community, including the University of Cambridge's Centre for Research into Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities (CRASSH), and links to Citizens Advice Bureau, the National Probation Service, the Crown Court and Crown Prosecution Service, as well as Cambridgeshire Police. We host the Labour History Research Unit (LHRU), which covers aspects of national and international political history, and we contribute to many of our Faculty’s other research groups, including the StoryLab Research Institute.

We also host and take part in many research events, including Faculty and departmental research seminars and symposia, which will allow you to engage and present your research in a safe and supportive setting. These events, along with our online environment, will help you connect with other research students from a range of disciplines.

All your subject-specific studies will be enhanced and supported by our University-wide training sessions, where you’ll gain important research expertise in areas like ethics, presentations, intellectual property and digital scholarship.

Department specialisms

security and strategy, military ethics; air and space power; the media; civil-military relations, transitional countries; serious crime; corruption; drug abuse, the treatment of victims in the criminal justice system; violence, sexual violence and exploitation; 'Justice'; identities and judgement; conflict resolution; terrorism, cultures of war, criminological profiling systems; profiling serial offenders, criminological research methods.

Information for international students

If English is not your first language, you will need a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent.

Fees and funding