Master of International Relations (MC-IR) // Course structure

Course structure

Students are required to complete the program requirements/structure from the year that they commenced their program. All compulsory, core and capstone subjects must be completed to be eligible to graduate from the program.

200 point program

Duration: 2 years full-time / 4 years part-time

Coursework Option

• three compulsory subjects (37.5 points)
• core subjects (minimum 12.5 points)
• elective subjects (maximum 150 points)

or

Minor Thesis Option

• three compulsory subjects (37.5 points)
• core subjects (minimum 12.5 points)
• International Relations Thesis parts 1 and 2 (37.5 points total)
• POLS40013 Social Sciences Research Seminar (12.5 points)
• elective subjects (maximum 100 points)

Languages:

Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas:

• Arabic
• Chinese
• French
• German
• Hebrew
• Indonesian
• Italian
• Japanese
• Russian
• Spanish

150 Point Program

Duration: 1.5 years full-time / 3 years part-time

Coursework Option

• core subjects (minimum 50 points)
• elective subjects (maximum 100 points)

or

Minor Thesis Option

• core subjects (minimum 50 points)
• minor thesis parts 1 and 2 (37.5 points total)
• POLS40013 Social Sciences Research Seminar (12.5 points)
• elective subjects (maximum 50 points)

Languages:

Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas:

• Arabic
• Chinese
• French
• German
• Hebrew
• Indonesian
• Italian
• Japanese
• Russian
• Spanish
• Swedish

100 point program

Duration: 1 year full-time / 2 years part-time

Coursework Option

• core subjects (minimum 37.5 points)
• elective subjects (maximum 62.5 points)

Languages:

Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas:

• Arabic
• Chinese
• French
• German
• Hebrew
• Indonesian
• Italian
• Japanese
• Russian
• Spanish

Capstone Requirement:

Capstone subject options must be completed in the final hundred points of the program. All students are required to complete one Capstone subject option (at least 25 points). This requirement cannot be waived or replaced in any circumstances:

Capstone Stream 1: POLS90009 International Relations Internship:

Purpose: An opportunity to apply knowledge and skills in international policy and practice to solve problems that arise in professional contexts and develop an integrated understanding of research and practice

Capstone Stream 2: POLS90022 International Security and one of the following subjects:

• CRIM90015 Terror, Law and War
• HIST90026 History, Memory and Violence in Asia
• HIST90027 Middle Eastern Wars: Jihad & Resistance
• POLS90007 US Foreign Policy
• POLS90016 International Organisations
• POLS90030 Nuclear Weapons and Disarmament
• POLS90034 International Policymaking in Practice
• POLS90035 Great Power Rivalry: Peace & War in 21C
• POLS90060 Sex and Power in Global Politics

Purpose: An opportunity to deepen understanding in one of three central fields of disciplinary specialization (International Security). Students will be required to tailor an assessed piece of work in the elective subject in ways that reflect their personal interests and draws on the subject matter of the core and linked international security-related elective subjects.

Capstone Stream 3: POLS90023 International Governance and Law and one of the following subjects:

• ASIA90001 Human Rights in Southeast Asia
• CRIM90015 Terror, Law and War
• POLS90012 Trade Policy Politics & Governance
• POLS90016 International Organisations
• POLS90017 Europe and Asia: Competing Hegemons?
• POLS90034 International Policymaking in Practice
• POLS90038 Human Rights
• POLS90043 Comparative Regional Governance

Purpose: An opportunity to deepen understanding in one of three central fields of disciplinary specialization (International Governance and Law). Students will be required to tailor an assessed piece of work in the elective subject in ways that reflect their personal interests and draws on the subject matter of the core and linked international governance-related elective subjects.

Capstone Stream 4: POLS90026 International Political Economy and one of the following subjects:

• INTS90007 Rising China in the Globalised World
• POLS90012 Trade Policy Politics & Governance
• POLS90013 Politics and Business in post-Mao China
• POLS90017 Europe and Asia: Competing Hegemons?
• POLS90034 International Policymaking in Practice
• POLS90043 Comparative Regional Governance
• POLS90060 Sex and Power in Global Politics
  

Purpose: An opportunity to deepen understanding in one of three central fields of disciplinary specialization (International Political Economy). Students will be required to tailor an assessed piece of work in the elective subject in ways that reflect their personal interests and draws on the subject matter of the core and linked political economy-related elective subjects.

External Subject Rule

Student may undertake an external subject (not listed within the program structure) with the permission of the program and subject coordinator. All external subject requests must be for the elective subject requirement, not as a compulsory, core or capstone subject. The maximum external subjects allowed are as follows:

• 200 point program undertaken at University of Melbourne (2 years): maximum 25 points.
• 150 point program undertaken at University of Melbourne (1.5 years): maximum 12.5 points.
• 100* point program undertaken at University of Melbourne (1 year): 12.5 points
• 50*^ point program undertaken at University of Melbourne (0.5 years): 0 points.

* GC-ARTS, GD-ARTS, GCA-ARTS and GDA-ARTS students are not normally granted permission to undertake external subjects towards their degree.

^ Exception: Students admitted to 50 point programs may apply to take LING90002, Presenting Academic Discourse, as an external subject.

Please note that advanced standing contributes to a student’s remaining points undertaken at University of Melbourne, and may affect how many points the student can undertake outside the enrolled program.

For policies that govern this degree, see the Courses, Subjects, Awards and Programs Policy in the University Melbourne Policy Library. Students also should also refer to information in the Enrolment and Timetabling Policy.

Last updated: 12 September 2024