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Master of International Relations (MC-IR) // Course structure
About this course
Contact
Coordinator:
Associate Professor Daniel McCarthy
Email: daniel.mccarthy@unimelb.edu.au
Currently enrolled students:
Future students:
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
- Three compulsory subjects (37.5 points)
- Core subjects (minimum 12.5 points)
- Capstone subjects (25 to 50 points)
- Elective subjects (100 to 125 points)
150 Point Program
Duration: 1.5 years full-time / 3 years part-time
- Core subjects (minimum 50 points)
- Capstone subjects (25 to 50 points)
- Elective subjects (25 to 75 points)
100 point program
Duration: 1 year full-time / 2 years part-time
- Core subjects (37.5 points)
- Capstone subjects (25-50 points)
- Elective subjects (12.5 to 37.5 points)
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: Internship
POLS90009 International Relations Internship
Capstone Stream 2: Project
POLS90034 International Policymaking in Practice
Capstone Stream 3: Minor thesis
POLS40013 Social Science Research Seminar
And one of the following Thesis options:
- ASIA90012 International Relations Thesis Part 1
- ASIA90013 International Relations Thesis Part 2
or
- HIST90034 International Relations Thesis Part 1
- HIST90035 International Relations Thesis Part 2
or
- POLS90054 International Relations Thesis Part 1
- POLS90055 International Relations Thesis Part 2
Languages
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas:
- Arabic
- Chinese
- French
- German
- Hebrew
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Russian
- Spanish
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: 17 February 2025