phd in international studies

International Studies (Ph.D.)

The Ph.D. in International Studies is a highly customizable and interdisciplinary degree. The Graduate Program in International Studies (GPIS) offers advanced research opportunities and training in global problems and transnational issues. Students may choose two of  several concentrations  to focus their studies: Comparative Cultural and Political Studies, Conflict and Cooperation, International Political Economy & Development, Modeling & Simulation, Strategic Leadership or U.S. Foreign Policy & International Relations.

Program Highlights

Interdisciplinary approaches to global problems

Individual mentoring

Dedicated career development opportunities

Strong alumni community

Check out these ideas from ODU's Center for Career & Leadership Development and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) . A median salary is a midpoint of what people typically earn—half of those surveyed earned above the median salary, and half earned below.

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Requirements.

All candidates for admission into the Ph.D. must submit:

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (may be waived on a case-by-case basis for PhD applicants depending on prior qualifications at the master’s level).

Official transcripts of all undergraduate or prior graduate course work submitted directly by all universities attended.

An essay of not more than 500 words describing interest in and capacity for advanced training in global/transnational issues.

One example of writing or research (a paper submitted to a seminar, a publication or report, or another comparable example).

Three letters of recommendation addressing the candidate's capacity to undertake graduate work on international global issues.

Any prior graduate course work taken at Old Dominion University (e.g., in non-degree status) or at another institution can be counted toward the Ph.D. degree only in accordance with the provisions governing transfer of credit and the director’s approval.

Featured Courses

Interdisciplinary quantitative techniques applicable to the study of international phenomena.

This course deals with the adaptation of US foreign policies to the changing structure of the international system after WWII and in the Cold War, and since Reagan. It is designed to review, analyze, and discuss the global rise of the US role in the world. It will also assess the transformation of US interests since 1945, through the Cold War and since the events of September 11, 2001.

NON-GPIS STUDENTS MUST RECEIVE PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR.

Cost of Attendance

We believe in providing students with transparent and accessible information about the cost of attendance. 

Review the estimated tuition rates for the 2024-25 academic year (subject to change). Non-resident rates are charged for anyone who is not a current Virginia resident, including international students.

Ways to Fund Your Degree

There are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending Old Dominion University, including scholarships, assistantships, and student loans. For more details about financial aid at Old Dominion, visit the Financial Aid Office page .

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The Jackson School Ph.D. program advances problem-focused graduate education that combines a new cross-disciplinary approach with intensive area studies in the face of contemporary global and local challenges.

Regions & Themes

The Jackson School of International Studies (JSIS) Ph.D. in International Studies provides a unique opportunity for candidates who seek a highly individualized graduate program grounded in applied area and global studies. The program reflects the Jackson’s School’s scholarly commitment to the centrality of history, culture, and politics in advancing the understanding of and engagement in world issues.

The program is designed to provide students with the flexibility to apply, and build on, their existing field connections, area knowledge, research questions, and language skills. Working with faculty with expertise in international and area studies, students design their studies in ways that will best support their career plans. Toward this end, students will have the opportunity to select a broad set of possible final products, from dissertation to policy papers, that best allows them to engage and share their research questions and conclusions.

Is the JSIS Ph.D. Program right for you?

Ph.d. program news.

Jackson School of International Studies

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phd in international studies

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Q&a with greg guedel ph.d. ’16.

phd in international studies

Sharing our grief on the death of Hayim Katsman (Ph.D. ’21) in Israel

Doctoral candidate yasir zaiden pens article on recent us sanctions in sudan // foreign policy, student resources.

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International Studies, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Nitze school of advanced international studies.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program is for individuals who have already earned a Master's degree (or have other substantial research experience) and seek to further their expertise as scholars and practitioners of international relations. PhD students work closely with faculty advisors to develop an academic plan that best supports their dissertation research. Throughout the program students develop a comprehensive understanding of qualitative and quantitative analytical skills, international relations, economics, and regional studies.

PhD students begin their studies in Washington, DC. During the dissertation stage, students can explore opportunities to study at SAIS Europe, the Hopkins Nanjing Center, or at other prominent global institutions.

Johns Hopkins SAIS graduates are sought after by employers in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Their knowledge of economics, analytical abilities, regional expertise, diplomatic skills, international experience, language proficiency, as well as capacity to apply theory to real-world problems, give students a distinct professional advantage.

PhD Fields of Study

PhD students will have one of the following concentrations (either a policy or region):

International Policy Areas

  • American Foreign Policy
  • Energy, Resources and Environment
  • Global Theory and History
  • International Development
  • International Relations
  • International Political Economy
  • Strategic Studies

Regions of the World 

  • African Studies
  • Canadian Studies
  • China Studies
  • European and Eurasian Studies
  • Japan Studies
  • Korea Studies
  • Latin American Studies
  • Middle East Studies
  • South Asia Studies
  • Southeast Asia Studies

Faculty Advisors

Our faculty experts and scholars are internationally recognized for their scholarship, experience, and quality of teaching. They are award-winning scholars, authors, diplomats, thinkers, and senior ranking officials who are authorities on international economics and international relations and who have expertise in contemporary issues around the world.

All PhD students have a tenured, faculty advisor. The advisor has primary responsibility for coordinating the candidate’s research agenda. Another senior member of the dissertation committee or “second reader” monitors the student’s research throughout the dissertation project. Both the faculty advisor and the second reader are to be substantively involved in the student’s preparation of the prospectus and the dissertation.

While the student will work actively with the first and second readers to prepare a dissertation prospectus, the student should also consult with the three supporting committee members throughout the doctoral research.

Prospective and current PhD students are encouraged to use the Faculty Directory to identify individuals to approach about involvement in their research and dissertation.

Degree Requirements

Campus: Washington, DC

Duration: Four to nine academic years (average 5.5), Full-time

Course delivery: In-person

PhD Program Structure

The PhD is divided into pre-dissertation (resident) and dissertation (non-resident) stages.

In order to earn the degree, students must fulfill all degree requirements and earn a cumulative GPA of 3.33 or above.

Each PhD student is required to do all of the following:

  • Complete a minimum of two consecutive semesters of registration as a full-time, resident graduate student, meaning that the student is present on-campus and working towards fulfilling the requirements for the degree.
  • Register as an active student each fall and spring semester from matriculation to degree completion.
  • Maintain a B+ average for all courses and receive no grade below B-.
  • Submit a preliminary schedule of coursework and comprehensive examinations upon entering the program.
  • Complete coursework in research methodology (details below).
  • Complete coursework relevant to his or her chosen fields of study.
  • Submit annual progress reports.
  • Pass two written comprehensive examinations within the first five semesters.  See below for timeline details governing SAIS master’s alumni compared to those who previously studied elsewhere. Note:  The American Foreign Policy comprehensive exam is oral.
  • Complete a high-quality research paper prior to the end of their second year in the program.  The paper must be distinct from the dissertation, make an original scholarly contribution, and must be considered to have a strong potential of ultimately being publishable.  The papers must be approved by the student’s advisor and a second faculty member that is outside of the student’s main field.  (Details below.)
  • Demonstrate competence in two foreign languages, OR one language and Applied Econometrics.  Note:  Non-native English speakers can use English as a language for this requirement.
  • Write and defend a dissertation prospectus within three years that is approved by at least two readers (including the advisor).
  • Successfully defend the dissertation at an oral examination with a committee consisting of five examiners, a majority of whom determine it to be a significant contribution to knowledge and worthy of fulfilling the PhD.
  • Receive certification from the Vice Dean of Academic Affairs and the PhD Faculty Committee that all requirements have been fulfilled.
  • Receive dissertation-binding approval from the Homewood Library prior to the SAIS Faculty PhD Conferral Meeting.

Students who are not meeting any of the above requirements may be placed on academic probation and/or dismissed from the program.

Students receiving a SAIS stipend must work full-time on their PhD studies and may work no more than half time during the academic year.

Pre-dissertation status should last no more than two years for SAIS MAIRs and three years for non-SAIS MAs and is the time when students complete coursework, comprehensive exams, the second-year paper, and the dissertation prospectus, including the prospectus defense. Dissertation status usually begins in the third year for SAIS MAIRs and in the fourth year for others and is the time when a student completes the dissertation research, then writes and defends the dissertation.  A student may advance to the dissertation stage earlier upon completion of all pre-dissertation requirements.

Pre-dissertation students must be present on-campus and working full-time toward fulfilling the requirements of the degree. To be registered full-time, a pre-dissertation student must engage in a full-time program of courses, seminars, and/or independent study approved by the faculty advisor, while remaining on track with the timeline for completing the degree.

Deadlines for Pre-Dissertation and Dissertation Students

Students entering the PhD Program with a SAIS Master’s degree are expected to complete their comprehensive examinations within three semesters, their prospectus within six months after that, and their dissertation defense within five years after completing the prospectus defense.

Students entering from other schools are expected to complete their comprehensive examinations within five semesters, their prospectus defense within six months of that, and their dissertation defense within five years after completing the prospectus defense.

The maximum time from matriculation to degree completion allowed by the Johns Hopkins University for the PhD is nine years.  Students who exceed this limit are subject to dismissal from the program.

PRE-DISSERTATION, RESIDENT STAGE

Pre-dissertation status lasts up to two years for students who have completed the Master of Arts of International Relations (MAIR) degree at Johns Hopkins SAIS and up to three years for those without an MAIR degree from the school. Students complete coursework, comprehensive exams, and defend the dissertation prospectus.

Research Methodology

All incoming students must fulfill the following research methodology requirements within the first five semesters, totaling at least four courses.  Auditing is not allowed—these courses must be taken for graded credit.

  • Theories and Methods of Qualitative Political Research (SA.100.410)
  • Research Design and Causal Inference (SA.100.408, Stats and Econometrics prerequisites)
  • Two additional methods courses in a social science discipline relevant to the student’s research agenda (e.g., political science, history, economics, sociology, anthropology, public health, etc.) in consultation with the faculty advisor.

Comprehensive Examinations

All students must select two examination areas from among the following:

  • Comparative Politics
  • International Economics
  • One of the SAIS Regional Studies Areas.

With the exception of American Foreign Policy (oral), all of the comprehensive examinations are fulfilled via written examinations.  Students are not permitted to take both of their comprehensive examinations in regional studies area.

PhD students with a SAIS MAIR must take both comprehensive examinations by the end of the third semester in the PhD program, and those students with a master's degree from another university must take both comprehensives by the end of the fifth semester in the PhD program.

Within six months of passing the second comprehensive exam, students must prepare a written prospectus of the dissertation and present it in a formal defense that is open to members of the university faculty.

PhD Second-Year Paper Detailed Guidelines

Students must complete an original research paper prior to the end of their second year in the program.  The deadline for this paper to be submitted is the final day of classes in the spring semester.   The deadline for the two faculty graders to make a determination on whether the paper passes is the deadline for submitting spring-semester grades.  A passing grade indicates that the paper makes an original scholarly contribution that has the strong potential to be published, even if additional refinement would be required prior to publication.  Each paper is expected to develop an original argument and/or present novel evidence to support that argument.

Students must also submit an abstract to the two faculty graders by October 15, as well as a more detailed outline of their paper by the end of the fall semester.  Students must submit a draft of at least part of the paper, and ideally a complete draft, by March 1 st .  The lead advisor is expected to provide timely feedback, within a maximum of two weeks, on each of these interim assignments.  The second reader is strongly encouraged to provide feedback on all of these assignments, and is required to provide comments on the March 1 st draft within two weeks.  The feedback on these assignments is intended to ensure that students understand what is required for them to pass the 2 nd year paper requirement and to succeed in subsequently publishing their paper.

The purpose of these papers is to gain experience writing original research papers.  Accordingly, the papers must be single-authored research papers.  While the output from these papers might eventually be incorporated into coauthored projects in the future, the research underlying the paper and all writing must be completed by the student independently.

Each paper must be written as a stand-along piece of research, and should be modeled after a journal article within the student’s area of focus.  There is no minimum or maximum word or page length; rather, the paper should follow the typical length of a journal article in their field.  The second-year paper is not intended to be a brief preview of the student’s overall dissertation project, though it is possible that the second-year paper could turn into one of the chapters of a student’s dissertation.

Two members of the SAIS faculty will evaluate the final paper.  Students must create this two-person committee before the end of the fall semester.  A student’s main dissertation advisor will serve as one of the two graders.  The second grader must be a full-time member of the SAIS faculty.

Students that do not receive a passing grade at the end of the second year will be placed on academic probation.  If a student is unable to complete the 2 nd year requirement before the end of the fall semester of their third year they will be terminated from the program.

DISSERTATION, NON-RESIDENT STAGE

Students advance to the dissertation stage after completing all Pre-Dissertation Stage requirements, including successfully defending a prospectus.  They are no longer required to be on campus, however, are still considered full-time status. Students should defend the dissertation within five years of the prospectus defense.

PhD Dissertation

At the time of application, students will propose a research topic they would like to pursue for their doctoral dissertation. During their course of study, students will hone this topic in consultation with a faculty advisor and defend a prospectus that outlines the dissertation’s research questions, mission, and methodology.

The PhD dissertation must be an original and analytical treatment of a subject of conceptual importance that involves the creation of new knowledge and not simply the master of existing knowledge. To conduct the research for, write, and defend the dissertation, a candidate will have a maximum of five years from the prospectus defense.

Termination of Doctoral Candidacy

Students who fail to meet the program requirements and deadlines (including registration and payment deadlines) detailed in this manual are subject to termination of their doctoral candidacy by the Faculty PhD Committee. Before considering this step, the Committee notifies the candidate and provides an opportunity for the student and his or her advisor to provide any further relevant information, which will be considered when making a final decision. 

In cases where the PhD Committee has provided deadlines/extensions in writing, the failure of the student to meet those deadlines/extensions will result in a recommendation for dismissal. 

Students whose candidacy is terminated are offered appropriate personal and career counseling.

School of International Service

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SIS named a top international relations school (2024) by Foreign Policy. #8 for masters programs, #8 for undergraduate programs, #11 for PhD programs for policymakers

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  • BA in International Studies
  • PhD in International Relations
  • Development Management
  • Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights
  • Global Environmental Policy
  • Global Governance, Politics, and Security
  • Global Governance, Politics, and Security: Quantitative Economic Methods
  • Intercultural and International Communication
  • International Affairs Policy and Analysis
  • International Development
  • International Peace and Conflict Resolution
  • International Relations and Business Online
  • International Relations Online
  • International Service
  • International Service: International Studies Track
  • International Service Online
  • Natural Resources and Sustainable Development
  • United States Foreign Policy and National Security

Dual Degrees

  • JD/MA (International Affairs)
  • MAT/MA (International Peace and Conflict Resolution)
  • MTS/MA ( International Peace and Conflict Resolution or   International Development ) through the Wesley Theological Seminary.

International

  • AU/Korea University
  • AU/Ritsumeikan University
  • AU/University for Peace

Virtual Tour of the School of International Service

Take a virtual tour of the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC. 

Isabella Long

Student Reflection: Reimagining Community-Based Research

Rolls of international currency

Understanding Trump Tariffs 2.0

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol

Six Questions About South Korea and Martial Law

International Criminal Court Sign

What Do ICC Arrest Warrants Mean for Israel and the War in Gaza?

Cemetery in Halabja

The Real Impact of Chemical Warfare

Listen now to the latest episode: Lessons in Climate Resilience

Developing an Expertise in International Trade

phd in international studies

Rochelle Osei-Tutu, SIS/MA '16

Senior Policy Advisor, International Trade Administration

IER equipped me with knowledge of international trade theory and history.

I think the unique experience that's offered through the IER program is that you can focus on the niche that you want to develop. I realized that I was interested in international trade, so I was able to take courses on the political economy as well as digital trade and trade theory. That helped me form the foundation that I needed for my job at the International Trade Administration.

Learn more about Osei-Tutu’s time in the IER program.

SIS by the numbers

Ranked in the Top 10 for graduate and undergraduate programs in international relations

According to Foreign Policy magazine

number 1 ranked Model UN team in North America (2023-24)

According to Best Delegate

number 1 top Peace Corps Volunteer-producing institution among medium size universities (2023)

According to Peace Corps Rankings

Global Elections Tracker

We’ve established the SIS Global Elections Tracker as a resource for keeping apprised of politics at the national level—to promote active engagement and analysis. Individual results may help highlight trends in democratization and democratic backsliding.

View all upcoming elections

  • Burkina Faso
  • Democratic Republic Congo
  • Dominican Republic
  • El Salvador
  • European Union
  • New Zealand
  • North Macedonia
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Switzerland

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Discover Your Future with AU

The SIS PhD program prepares you for a career as a teacher and scholar at universities and research institutes in both the private and public sectors. The core curriculum covers the foundational fields of international studies: international relations, comparative and regional studies, and social theory. Our PhD graduates have received appointments at prestigious universities such as Virginia Tech and the University of Reading in Great Britain.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Public and International Affairs

Impactful policy research..

Our interdisciplinary PhD program will equip you with the skills, tools, and knowledge to assess and conduct cutting-edge academic research in public affairs, with a domestic or global lens. Working closely with faculty advisors, our PhD students conduct research on a wide variety of critical topics, ranging from protests and policing at the local level to nuclear deterrence and immigration policy at the global level. Our graduates have gone on to tenure-track jobs at excellent universities in the US and abroad, roles in the federal government, and high-level positions in nonprofit organizations.

phd in international studies

Program Information

To apply to the PhD program, you must have a bachelor’s degree; however, we strongly encourage that students complete a relevant master’s degree prior to joining our program – either in public and international affairs or in one of the social sciences. Once you’re accepted, you must complete 67 hours of coursework and a six-credit dissertation. If you have earned a master’s degree, as many as 30 credits from that degree may be applied to your total credit requirement for our program (or 36 credits if your master’s degree was earned at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at Pitt).

Program Structure

Embedded within an interdisciplinary school, our newly redesigned program structure is aimed at exposing students to multiple methods and offering the flexibility to conduct research from the perspectives that best fit the topic. We have also redesigned the program to facilitate a faster transition from coursework into dissertation research. To achieve these goals:

  • All students are trained in advanced Qualitative and Quantitative methods.
  • Some of our required courses are aimed at supporting PhD student development, including a professional development workshop, dedicated time for comprehensive exam preparation, and a research design workshop.
  • Students are encouraged to seek out electives in other academic units in the University of Pittsburgh to expand the set of available doctoral-level courses and gain exposure to ideas and faculty in other disciplines.
  • Our comprehensive examination is individualized to each student so that the exam prepares students for their own dissertation research and as experts in their field.
  • We limit the number of students we admit to ensure that virtually all admitted students will receive at least four years of financial support, contingent on their academic performance.

Alumni Success

Over the past five years, our doctoral graduates have received appointments at universities from coast to coast within the United States and at universities abroad, including Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Lebanon. 

Senior alumni of the program hold leadership positions in academia, government, and international organizations throughout the United States and around the world.

Area Studies Certificates

If you’re looking for an international career in a specific region of the world, you can enhance your master’s degree with a graduate certificate from the University Center for International Studies.

Specializations

  • Western Europe
  • Eastern Europe
  • European Union
  • Global Studies
  • Latin America

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PhD Funding

Most students who are accepted for our doctoral program are awarded four years of funding. This allows you to complete your required coursework and your doctoral dissertation. Typically, students receive graduate student assistantships (GSAs) or teaching assistantships (TAs), which provide salary, tuition, fees, and medical insurance. If you have an assistantship, you’re required to work 20 hours per week as assigned by the associate dean.

Assistantships will be renewed each academic year if you are in good academic standing and making normal progress in achieving your doctoral milestones. At the end of your first spring term, your academic record should indicate that you have earned a minimum of 24 credits with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and that you have completed your doctoral core courses.

If you have any questions about our financial aid policy for doctoral students, please contact [email protected] .

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Department of Global Studies - UC Santa Barbara

Phd program.

phd in international studies

The PhD Program is a stand-alone degree (approximately 5-6 years), the first of its kind at a Tier-1 Research University in the United States, and the first within the University of California system.

The PhD program in Global Studies provides a unique interdisciplinary degree for students who wish to study global issues such as conflict, immigration, human rights, environmental sustainability, global cultures, diasporas, and development from an interdisciplinary perspective. PhD research in Global Studies typically involves a field studies component. It requires mastery of a second language, and the completion of a PhD thesis. The PhD is an academic program designed to train scholars and future academics of Global Studies in academic research and university-level teaching as well as scholars targeting other research-based careers that require deeper academic training. An MA in Global Studies is not a required prerequisite of the PhD program, and admission to UCSB’s MA in Global Studies is not a pathway to the PhD program.

  • About the PhD
  • About the Emphasis
  • Funding & Awards
  • PhD Student Profiles

Global Studies Advising

Graduate Program Director Professor Javiera Barandiarán [email protected]

Graduate Program Advisor Vacant [email protected]

Location SSMS 2008 

Phone: (805) 893-4668 [msg phone] Fax: (805) 893-8003

PhD Resources

  • Online Application for Graduate Admissions
  • Graduate Division Admissions Information
  • General Catalog Requirements
  • Global Studies Graduate Degree Programs
  • 2015-2021 Cohorts PhD Requirements
  • 2022-2024 Cohort PhD Requirements
  • 2024-2025 Cohort PhD Requirements
  • 2024-25 Graduate Student Handbook
  • 2024-25 Offered Courses (subject to change)

About the PhD Program in Global Studies

Global Studies is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding globalization as a multidimensional, multi-level and historical process. Global Studies bridges social science and humanistic approaches to analyze the social, cultural, political, environmental, and economic consequences of global flows, institutions, and processes. Global Studies scholarship is motivated by engagement with contemporary transnational social problems across multiple theoretical perspectives and methodologies.

Our graduate students work closely with 17 core Global Studies faculty in conjunction with over 20 Affiliated Faculty members from across the campus, providing access to a wide variety of scholarship and expertise. The regional, disciplinary, and methodological background and research focus of our faculty provide a good guide to the areas of graduate study most suitable to pursue in Global Studies at UCSB. Prospective applicants should focus on full-time, tenure-stream faculty who will be in residence during your intended period of study as potential mentors and advisors.

Our programs share an academic core, and are distinguished by their relative emphases. The academic core of both programs combines multi-method research training with study in three related areas of specialization:

• Global Political Economy and Development • Global Cultures and Ideology • Global Governance

The online application for the upcoming academic year will be available to prospective applicants in early September. Please use the Admissions link for detailed information and useful application links.

Recent Awards

2024 Global Studies PhD Summer Field Research Grants:

Jahan Ahmed (Advisor: Distinguished Professor Mark Juergensmeyer)

• Project: Co-Constructing Islamic Glory: American Orientalism in Cold War Pakistan

Anam Mehta (Advisor: Professor Charmaine Chua)

• Project: Exploring the Political Economy of the Greenhouse

2023-24 Global Studies PhD Conference Attendance Grants:

Brett Aho (Advisor: Distinguished Professor Jan Nederveen Pieterse)

• Paper: “Delineated Data Dynamics: Emerging Economies and Ecologies” at 4S Conference, November 2023

• Paper: "Varieties of AI Capitalism: Data Governance and Institutional Advantage” at International Studies Association, April 2024

Christina Guirguis (Advisor: Professor Paul Amar)

• Panel: Spacial and Urban Development Panel at Middle East Studies Association, November 2023

Swaroopa Lahiri (Advisor: Professor Aashish Mehta)

• Abstract: “Erratic Rain, Exiting Men: Female Farm Operators and the Shifting Agricultural Landscape in Rural India” at CISA, May 2024

Vitória Sacramento Moreira (Advisor: Distinguished Professor Alison Brysk)

• Paper: “Gendering Populism: The Rise of Right-Wing Populism and Anti-Gender Politics in Brazil” at BRASA, April 2024

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DPhil in International Relations

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About the course

The DPhil in International Relations a programme of doctoral research in the academic study of International Relations. 

Doctoral students spend the first year of full-time study, or the first two years of part-time study, in the development of, and early work on, the thesis topic; in improving knowledge of research methods; in attendance at relevant lectures, seminars and classes; and in preparing to transfer from Probationer Research Student (PRS - the status with which you will normally be admitted - see Assessment ) to full DPhil status.

An academic supervisor will advise and guide you as you progress through the different stages of your doctoral research. In the first year, you will take the Research Design and Methods (RDM) in International Relations course, and you are also recommended to complete one other methods course (either a statistics course in Michaelmas term or one of the courses in Hilary term). You are expected to attend the International Relations DPhil Research Seminar throughout the year and eventually to present your work there. For part-time students, these obligations are distributed across six terms.

Subsequent years are largely devoted to the development of the thesis project.

Doctoral theses will normally require substantial original research, often involving archives, fieldwork, interviewing or other forms of data generation and collection. For the doctoral degree the most crucial requirement is that the thesis makes a ‘significant and substantial contribution to the field of knowledge within which it falls’. There are many ways of achieving this.

The department is committed to the rigorous use of a plurality of approaches and methods. There are many different ways of conducting research for a thesis. Any or all may be valid in a given case, depending on the subject of the research and the questions addressed. Some theses may involve an analytical-descriptive attempt at understanding different events, perspectives and traditions of thought. Others may have a strong historiographical element - exploring, for example, the relation between events and ideas, or involving an original and expert use of sources.

Others may involve advancing a hypothesis about a subject and then testing it with a range of qualitative and/or quantitative approaches. Apart from meeting the highest scholarly standards, there is no set template. There is also a strong and successful tradition of normative and critical work. The Oxford International Relations Network seeks to combine the best of North American political science with deep engagement with the international relations of different parts of the world and with the history of different traditions of thought on the subject.

As a DPhil student you will be a member of a distinguished academic community that is renowned for its cutting-edge research and its intensive and individualised teaching and supervision. The programme has received the highest level of recognition in UK national and global assessment exercises. It is a community from which you will draw support and guidance but which will also learn from your own contribution to its work.

You will have rich opportunities for connecting with fellow-students, postdoctoral fellows, and temporary and permanent academic staff involved in disciplinary and cross-disciplinary research programmes. The department attracts many of the world’s leading figures in International Relations (IR) - as visiting scholars, speakers in the regular IR Colloquium, and participants in research conferences and workshops.

The Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) works with a range of research centres and programmes, such as the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC), the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict (CRIC), and the Changing Character of War Centre (CCW).

Research centres actively seek to develop collaborative research activity via conferences, workshops and other academic events. They provide opportunities for you to present your own work in research seminar series. The research centres have an established and popular visitors’ programme which has allowed many scholars of international repute to participate in the DPIR’s research activities.

The course can be studied full-time or part-time with both modes requiring attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the  University's Residence requirements.  Part-time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.

Full-time and part-time students are required to attend classes, seminars, supervision meetings and other obligations in Oxford.

There will be limited flexibility in the dates and pattern of attendance. Attendance by part-time students will be required between one to three days a week during term-time throughout the first two years of your study on days determined by your class and seminar attendance and by your supervisor. Attendance may be required outside of term-time on dates to be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor.

It is therefore likely that this course may be better to suited to part-time students who are either already resident in Oxford or will live within commuting distance of the city.

Resources to support your study

As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.

The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.

The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.

As a doctoral student of the department, you will have access to outstanding library and computing resources within the Social Sciences Division (of which the Department of Politics and International Relations is a major part), elsewhere in the University and, in most cases, in your college. The division runs network events to enable DPhil students to meet and network with their colleagues not only within Politics and International Relations but with other Social Science disciplines. 

The  Bodleian Social Science Library  located on the ground floor of the Manor Road Building houses the main collection for Politics and International Relations alongside a wide range of other social sciences resources.

The  Politics and International Relations subject guide  provides up-to-date advice and the contact details of your Subject Librarian for further support.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Politics and International Relations and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Supervisors are usually selected from the  academic staff  within the Department of Politics and International Relations. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department of Politics and International Relations. 

You will conduct your own research under the guidance of your supervisor. You must be prepared to work on your own a good deal, and will need considerable personal motivation.

Most applicants are admitted to the DPhil with Probationer Research Student (PRS) status. As a PRS, you will develop your research proposal and skills, complete a programme of research methods training (and associated assessments), and produce a draft section or sections of the thesis, in order to apply for the Transfer of Status that will end your probationary period.

If you are entering the DPhil directly from the related MPhil at Oxford, you will normally be able to bypass the PRS stage and progress straight to DPhil status. Further guidance about transferring to DPhil status can be found under option two on the Readmission, transfer and confirmation of status page.

Once you have been admitted to full DPhil status, you must achieve confirmation of that status by the end of your ninth term as a full-time doctoral student, or by the end of your eighteenth term as a part-time student. Once you have completed your thesis, you will be examined orally ( viva voce ).

Graduate destinations

International Relations has an outstanding placement record. The largest group of DPhil students go on to careers in academia or research. Many move on to post-doctoral fellowships in the UK, continental Europe and North America. Our doctoral students have a distinguished history of winning thesis and other prizes and of publishing their work in leading journals and with major university presses. The universities at which IR graduates have gained academic positions over recent years include: ANU, McGill, Waterloo, Sciences Po, Amsterdam, Groningen, The Graduate Institute Geneva, SAIS/JHU, ETH Zürich, The New School, Swarthmore, LSE, Oxford, Cambridge, King’s College London, University College London, Queen Mary London, St Andrews, Exeter, Reading, Warwick, PUC Santiago, and FGV São Paulo. Oxford IR DPhils also work at all levels in many of world’s leading think-tanks and research institutes in Europe and North America but also in Brazil, South Africa, and Singapore. Others still have moved to achieve leading positions in the policy and political world. The department runs regular courses on professional training, including on interviews, research grant applications and academic publishing.

DPIR is committed to engaging with its alumni community , through its Inspires alumni email newsletter and Alumni Career Conversations series of online talks. 

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

We know that factors such as socio-economic circumstances and school performance can make it difficult for students to demonstrate their full potential. This course is taking part in an initiative to use contextual data to help us to better understand your achievements in the context of your individual background. For further details, please refer to the information about improving access to graduate study in the How to apply section of this page.

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. Contextual data may also be used in the assessment of studentships. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

  • a master’s degree at distinction level  in international relations, or in a closely related discipline that has prepared you to undertake advanced graduate research on your chosen thesis topic;  and
  • a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in politics or international relations, or in a related discipline such as economics, history, philosophy, sociology or law.

Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a record of academic performance at first-class and/or distinction level.

Applicants without a master’s qualification will not normally be admitted for doctoral study.

Each application will be assessed upon its own merits, and candidates with a degree in an unrelated discipline should demonstrate the relevance of their academic background to their proposed subject or topic of study. 

For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

  • Research or work experience that is relevant to your proposed study may provide further evidence of your academic potential.
  • Publications are not expected, but a peer-reviewed publication in international relations or an allied discipline may be taken as  prima facie  evidence of aptitude for research.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Evidence of ability to study for employed part-time applicants

If you are applying for part-time study and are currently employed, you may be asked to provide evidence that your employment will not affect your ability to study and that you can commit sufficient time to fulfil all elements outlined in the course description. You may be asked to provide details about your pattern of employment and provide evidence to show how you will fulfil your commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

  • the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
  • the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
  • minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Politics and International Relations

The Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) at Oxford is an internationally-renowned centre of excellence for teaching and research.

The study of these disciplines at Oxford has a long and distinguished history, and DPIR is one of the largest departments in the field globally. DPIR is ranked first overall in the 2024 Times Higher Education global university rankings for Politics and International Studies, and joint second in the 2024 QS World University Rankings, (first in the UK). Our Department is also ranked first in the UK by the Guardian's best university rankings 2024 in the Politics subject area.

The department's large community of academic staff work in research areas that extend in geographical scope across the globe, cover both historical and contemporary sources, and address technical, practical, and philosophical problems in networks that extend beyond the DPIR to other departments, universities, and global and local organisations.

Graduate students have access to an unrivalled range of expertise and activity in the fields of government and politics, political theory, and international studies. Teaching is based on the most rigorous contemporary scholarship and students are trained in the highest standards of critical analysis, and in the understanding and use of rigorous research methods and techniques.

The DPIR provides a stimulating research environment in which you can pursue your interests beyond the formal demands of the syllabus.

Many of the academic staff who teach on the graduate programmes also organise extracurricular research seminars for graduate students, such as the Nuffield Political Theory Workshop and the IR and Government research colloquia which take place weekly throughout term.

The DPIR graduate community currently numbers just over 300, with students split relatively equally between those studying on our taught courses and those undertaking doctoral research.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.

If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible,  use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool  to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including  a range of external funding ,  loan schemes for postgraduate study  and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on  our fees, funding and scholarship search tool .

Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:

Select from the list:

Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.

For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2025-26

Full-time study, part-time study, information about course fees.

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel and vaccination expenses, conference attendance, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel and vaccination expenses, conference attendance, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

Living costs for full-time study

For the 2025-26 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the  costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (assuming that dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).

Living costs for part-time study

Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford is between £1,425 and £2,035 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.

Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the  cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (assuming that visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).

Further information about living costs

The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs , which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . 

If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide. 

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

  • Balliol College
  • Blackfriars
  • Brasenose College
  • Campion Hall
  • Christ Church
  • Exeter College
  • Green Templeton College
  • Harris Manchester College
  • Hertford College
  • Jesus College
  • Keble College
  • Kellogg College
  • Lady Margaret Hall
  • Linacre College
  • Lincoln College
  • Magdalen College
  • Mansfield College
  • New College
  • Nuffield College
  • Oriel College
  • Pembroke College
  • Regent's Park College
  • Reuben College
  • St Anne's College
  • St Antony's College
  • St Catherine's College
  • St Cross College
  • St Edmund Hall
  • St Hilda's College
  • St Hugh's College
  • St John's College
  • St Peter's College
  • Somerville College
  • Trinity College
  • University College
  • Wadham College
  • Wolfson College
  • Worcester College
  • Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £20 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

  • applicants from low-income countries;
  • refugees and displaced persons; 
  • UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
  • applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You are advised to review the profiles of academic staff  before you apply as successful applications always depend on the DPIR's capacity to offer appropriate supervision. A supervisor should be a permanent member of the Department of Politics and International Relations. You may want to contact academic staff members before you apply and explore their willingness to supervise. 

Improving access to graduate study

This course is taking part in initiatives to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.

Socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used as part of an initiative to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

Under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) whom you would like to supervise your research. 

You can enter the names of up to two supervisors, either in order of preference or indicating equal preference.

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Your application must be supported by academic references, ie each referee should be able to testify to your academic abilities, achievements and motivation. In most cases, the academics who have taught you or who have known your academic work during earlier university-level study will be best placed to testify to these capabilities. When that is not possible, a professional reference from a colleague who has worked with you in a research capacity or is otherwise able to comment on your academic capabilities is acceptable in place of a tutor’s reference.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Research proposal: A minimum of 4,000 words to a maximum of 6,000 words

You should submit a detailed outline of your proposed research, written in English, covering areas such as the background to the research, methodology, expected results and the contribution to the field of learning.

The research proposal should be written in English.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.

Your proposal should focus on your research project rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations.

This will be assessed for:

  • your reasons for applying to the DPhil programme
  • the coherence of the proposal
  • the originality of the project
  • evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
  • the ability to present a reasoned case in English
  • the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the degree (a maximum of four years full-time or eight years part-time)
  • commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course
  • preliminary knowledge of research techniques
  • capacity for sustained and intense work
  • reasoning ability.

Written work: Two essays, a maximum of 2,000 words each

You may submit academic essays on any subject or theme within the discipline of international relations but preferably ones that relate to your proposed area of study.

The essays may be written specially for the application or may have been produced for other purposes, for instance as a coursework submission within a previous degree programme. Essays that comprise extracts or excerpted sections from longer pieces are acceptable but should be prefaced with a brief note that places them in context.

The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief references. All written work should be in English.

This will be assessed for understanding of the subject area; understanding of problems in the area; ability to construct and defend an argument; powers of analysis; and powers of expression. 

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice .

Apply - Full time Apply - Part time Continue application

After you've submitted your application

Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will  not  be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can  find out more about our shortlisting and selection process  in our detailed guide to what happens next.

Find out how to manage your application after submission , using our Applicant Self-Service tool.

Admission status

Open to applications for entry in 2025-26

12:00 midday UK time on:

Thursday 9 January 2025

Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2025-26

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2022-23 to 2024-25)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the  Department of Politics and International Relations

  • Course page on the department's website
  • Funding information from the department
  • Academic and research staff
  • Departmental research
  • Social Sciences Division
  • Residence requirements for full-time courses
  • Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 278727

Application-process enquiries

Application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

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