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Global pandemics, the effects of climate change, cyber-attacks, the rise of the far right, international terrorism and the disintegration of our democratic systems; these are just some of the threats that this generation will have to meet in the 21st century.  How can we respond to these threats and security issues as individuals, organisations and societies?

Studying the part-time MA in International Relations, Conflict and Security will introduce you to the key concepts and theories necessary to understand the features of contemporary international relations, conflict studies and security issues.

You will be given the opportunity to explore responses to such challenges within a dynamic framework of politics, law and ethics . You will learn to consider what is possible. In order to discuss the questions of what can be done, versus what ought to be done.

We will give focus to the relationship between international and national interests. The programme will allow you to understand conflict and security as a policy challenge. You will be able to recognise the increasing degree of interdependence between states, international organisations and non-state actors in governing this area of international relations.

You will also analyse the ways in which security, development and humanitarian agents adapt to instability.

This programme gives you the opportunity to study regionally differentiated responses to international conflict, across different countries and nations.

This master's program is open to students from a wide range of undergraduate disciplines. The course will prepare you for a career in international relations. However you will also have the skills and knowledge appropriate to those looking for careers in international organisations, government, media or academia.

Course Information

Level of Study
Postgraduate

Mode of Study
2 years Part Time
2 other options available

Department
Social Sciences

Location
City Campus, Northumbria University

City
Newcastle

Start
September 2025

Fees
Fee Information

Modules
Module Information

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Entry Requirements Modules Overview Fees, Funding  and Scholarships Study Options

Entry Requirements 2025/26

Standard Entry

Applicants should normally have:

A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in any subject, or equivalent.

International qualifications:

If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English language requirements:

International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 6 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

 *The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS.  You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Fees and Funding 2025/26 Entry

Full UK Fee: £9,700

Full International Fee: £19,350



Scholarships and Discounts

Discover More about Fees, Scholarships and other Funding options for UK and International applicants.

ADDITIONAL COSTS

There are no Additional Costs

If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

Modules Overview 2025/26

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Year one Year two

Year one

IR7009 -

International Law and Global Justice (Core,30 Credits)

This module will engage with the political dilemmas we face in international relations today, and the concept, theories and practices that inform our decision-making in response. You will analyse a range of issues, such as the question of global solidarity in relation to issues such as under-development, natural catastrophes, conflict or human rights violations, the relative significance of culture, sovereignty and self-determination, and concepts such as consent, responsibility and autonomy.
You will investigate these dilemmas in light of international law, (power) politics and ethics, and how each inform, enable or constrain action. You will develop an appreciation of the problem of the indeterminateness of our knowledge of specific issues that despite their indeterminateness still require political action (including non-action).

More information

IR7012 -

Theorising International Relations, Conflict and Security (Core,30 Credits)

In this module, you will investigate how scholars have conceptualised international relations, as well as conflict and war as key phenomena within it. You will gain a firm grounding in the discipline by critically analysing the foundations of structural and post-structural/critical theories if you have not studied International Relations before. If you have prior knowledge of International Relations theory, you will deepen your knowledge and understanding of theories by approaching them in a way that focuses on conceptual similarities and differences, analysing themes, as well as ontological, epistemological and methodological differences.

You will study structural theories such as those of the Realist and Liberal schools, including variants such as the English School and Constructivism, as well as post-structural and critical theories, such as Critical Theory, postmodernism, feminism, post-colonialism, international political theory. You will engage with Waltz’ three images and gain an overview over theories of the causes of war.

More information

Year two

IR7010 -

Contemporary Challenges in Conflict and Security (Core,30 Credits)

You will learn about the most significant challenges to peace and order that we face today, recognising the changing nature of such challenges. Conflict and issues of security (or indeed insecurity) appear to go through phases, with some issues ebbing and rising over time. You will understand and conceptualise these through various lenses of security, for example nuclear security during the Cold War or ethnic conflict during the 1990s. This module aims to respond to broad trends in conflict and security, analysing their nature and impact on policy-making throughout the world. This may include (but is not limited to) issues such as global military interventions, migration, health security, gender, and cybersecurity.

More information

IR7013 -

European Internal Security Governance (Core,30 Credits)

The module aims to explore how insecurity and harm are been conceptualised by the EU and how such conceptualisation has shaped its responses, both at the institutional and policy levels. On this basis, the module proposes to understand what kind of actor the EU has become in the area of internal security, focusing on traditional forms of insecurity such as organised crime, trafficking of drugs, trafficking of human beings, and terrorism, as well as non-traditional forms of insecurity including cyber security, health insecurity and and socio-economic insecurity. For this purpose, the module considers how inernal security policies are designed and how they are perceived by different actors on the ground. The module is also designed to reflect the practical context of working with and for an EU organisation. The module begins with an overview of the EU's approaches to these forms of insecurity and then moves on to different policy areas. It also looks into the EU institutions and agencies that are active in this area. Having discussed the different initiatives and actors present in this field, the module then turns to the results achieved and the reactions to the EU's initiatives.

More information

IR7014 -

International Relations Postgraduate Dissertation (Core,60 Credits)

You will learn to apply your research skills to a major piece of independent research and investigation. The dissertation will have a series of taught workshops focussing on dissertation skills, and methods teaching for those without prior knowledge of social sciences methods.

More information

Modules Overview 2026/27

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Year one Year two

Year one

IR7009 -

International Law and Global Justice (Core,30 Credits)

This module will engage with the political dilemmas we face in international relations today, and the concept, theories and practices that inform our decision-making in response. You will analyse a range of issues, such as the question of global solidarity in relation to issues such as under-development, natural catastrophes, conflict or human rights violations, the relative significance of culture, sovereignty and self-determination, and concepts such as consent, responsibility and autonomy.
You will investigate these dilemmas in light of international law, (power) politics and ethics, and how each inform, enable or constrain action. You will develop an appreciation of the problem of the indeterminateness of our knowledge of specific issues that despite their indeterminateness still require political action (including non-action).

More information

IR7012 -

Theorising International Relations, Conflict and Security (Core,30 Credits)

In this module, you will investigate how scholars have conceptualised international relations, as well as conflict and war as key phenomena within it. You will gain a firm grounding in the discipline by critically analysing the foundations of structural and post-structural/critical theories if you have not studied International Relations before. If you have prior knowledge of International Relations theory, you will deepen your knowledge and understanding of theories by approaching them in a way that focuses on conceptual similarities and differences, analysing themes, as well as ontological, epistemological and methodological differences.

You will study structural theories such as those of the Realist and Liberal schools, including variants such as the English School and Constructivism, as well as post-structural and critical theories, such as Critical Theory, postmodernism, feminism, post-colonialism, international political theory. You will engage with Waltz’ three images and gain an overview over theories of the causes of war.

More information

Year two

IR7010 -

Contemporary Challenges in Conflict and Security (Core,30 Credits)

You will learn about the most significant challenges to peace and order that we face today, recognising the changing nature of such challenges. Conflict and issues of security (or indeed insecurity) appear to go through phases, with some issues ebbing and rising over time. You will understand and conceptualise these through various lenses of security, for example nuclear security during the Cold War or ethnic conflict during the 1990s. This module aims to respond to broad trends in conflict and security, analysing their nature and impact on policy-making throughout the world. This may include (but is not limited to) issues such as global military interventions, migration, health security, gender, and cybersecurity.

More information

IR7013 -

European Internal Security Governance (Core,30 Credits)

The module aims to explore how insecurity and harm are been conceptualised by the EU and how such conceptualisation has shaped its responses, both at the institutional and policy levels. On this basis, the module proposes to understand what kind of actor the EU has become in the area of internal security, focusing on traditional forms of insecurity such as organised crime, trafficking of drugs, trafficking of human beings, and terrorism, as well as non-traditional forms of insecurity including cyber security, health insecurity and and socio-economic insecurity. For this purpose, the module considers how inernal security policies are designed and how they are perceived by different actors on the ground. The module is also designed to reflect the practical context of working with and for an EU organisation. The module begins with an overview of the EU's approaches to these forms of insecurity and then moves on to different policy areas. It also looks into the EU institutions and agencies that are active in this area. Having discussed the different initiatives and actors present in this field, the module then turns to the results achieved and the reactions to the EU's initiatives.

More information

IR7014 -

International Relations Postgraduate Dissertation (Core,60 Credits)

You will learn to apply your research skills to a major piece of independent research and investigation. The dissertation will have a series of taught workshops focussing on dissertation skills, and methods teaching for those without prior knowledge of social sciences methods.

More information

Study Options

The following alternative study options are available for this course:

Any Questions?

Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help.  They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.

 

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

Accessibility and Student Inclusion

Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.

We are proud to work in partnership with AccessAble to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.

You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need. 

We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:

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