Program Overview

Introduction to the University of Kent

The University of Kent is a leading research university that offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The university is known for its academic excellence, innovative research, and strong industry connections.

About the School of Politics and International Relations

The School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent is one of the most dynamic places to study politics and international relations. The school combines high-quality teaching with cutting-edge research in a supportive environment that welcomes students from all over the world.

International Relations with International Law MA/PDip

The International Relations with International Law MA/PDip program is designed to provide students with a unique appreciation of 21st-century challenges by integrating political and legal perspectives. The program deepens students' understanding of critical issues, including the ethics and conduct of armed conflict, human rights under authoritarian regimes, and interstate negotiations on issues like trade, climate change, and peace.

Key Information

• Study mode: Full-time or part-time
• Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
• Start date: September
• Location: Canterbury

Overview

The program explores how international law shapes relations within and between states, focusing on key concepts and real-world issues. Students learn from leading experts using innovative teaching practices, such as mock negotiations, crisis simulations, and interactive seminars, to develop their capacity for independent thinking and incisive analysis.

Reasons to Study International Relations with International Law MA/PDip at Kent

• Join a vibrant, diverse, and international student community, bringing different perspectives into dialogue and facilitating a global network of close connections.
• Be taught by world-leading experts, including from one of the UK's top law schools, working at the cutting edge of research, actively engaged in advising government and shaping debates.
• Gain a robust understanding of political and legal fundamentals, combined with the flexibility to follow your interest through a broad range of optional modules.
• Engage with high-profile events through the Global Europe Centre and the Conflict Analysis Research Centre, which crystallize our research, policy, and practitioner networks into an annual schedule of events.
• Utilize state-of-the-art facilities at Kent Law School, including a purpose-built moot court where you can practice your advocacy skills in front of a bench comprised of local judges, barristers, solicitors, and lecturers.
• Enjoy the Canterbury campus's idyllic countryside setting on the edge of a lively student town, only an hour from London and a short train ride to Europe.

Entry Requirements

• A first or second-class honors degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.
• All applicants are considered on an individual basis, and additional qualifications, professional qualifications, and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
• International students: Please see the International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information.

Course Structure

The program is designed to give students advanced study skills, a deeper knowledge of the subject, and the confidence to achieve their ambitions. Postgraduate taught modules are designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

Modules

• Analysing World Politics: Engage with key theories, concepts, and debates in the discipline of international relations to develop an advanced understanding of key theoretical approaches.
• Public International Law: Examine the history, theory, and doctrine of international law, understanding and critically evaluating international law-making and dispute settlement mechanisms.
• Design of Social Research: Develop the tools to plan reliable and generalizable research, understanding the logic and methods of social research, including the central topics in research design.
• MA Dissertation: Prepare for and complete a dissertation, building upon the learning outcomes attained in other modules of the MA course.

Optional Modules

• Advanced Topics in Politics and International Relations: Explore an advanced topic at the cutting edge of research, working closely with academic staff and benefiting from individual feedback in a small group setting.
• Critical Social Research: Truth, Ethics, and Power: Engage directly with core ethical issues that you will meet in any job, be it in research or not, and develop the skills to answer questions about the nature of truth, power, and ethics in social research.
• Global Perspectives on Political Resistance: Examine specific instances of resistance to political authority, understanding the techniques of resistance employed, the assumptions that underpin these techniques, and the tensions and problems that arise as ideas are actualized in political reality.
• International Ethics and Human Rights: Critically examine the core themes of international ethics, including through the work of realist, communitarian, and cosmopolitan thinkers, as well as exploring the just war tradition.
• Middle Eastern Politics and Society: Engage with various social and economic themes, gaining a wide-ranging perspective from which to analyze the political and social life of the region.
• Pathways to Peace: Approaches to Conflict Resolution: Explore international conflict resolution methods such as mediation, negotiation, collaborative problem-solving, and alternative dispute resolution.
• Politics and Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa: Examine the legacies of colonialism, societal characteristics, and economic challenges that shape the politics of sub-Saharan African states until today.
• Qualitative Research: Focus on the theory and practice of qualitative research, giving you a chance to develop and apply state-of-the-art qualitative research methods skills.
• Quantitative Data Analysis: Teach you how to conduct quantitative research in the social sciences and how to interpret the findings of quantitative research.
• Security in a Changing World: Confront urgent questions about the changing nature of conflict, the rise of terrorism, arms proliferation, pandemics, environmental change, and the impact of emerging technologies.
• Terrorism and the Crimes of the State: Engage with the many challenges that surround the study of terrorism, including the interplay between knowledge and power that has shaped this vital area of academic inquiry.
• The Politics of Global Environmental Change: Look at the politics of global environmental change at the international, national, and individual level, understanding what motivates actors and how a combination of motivations, interests, and structure translate into environmental outcomes in various contexts and societies.

How You'll Study

• Teaching is spread over three teaching terms for undergraduates and four for postgraduates.
• You'll typically take two modules per term, so you can explore topics in depth.
• Assessments are within each term, and you'll receive frequent, ongoing feedback.

Research

The School of Politics and International Relations has a dedicated Employability Coordinator who organizes employability events within the school as well as providing students with assistance in securing graduate opportunities. The school's research interests span a broad spectrum of the discipline, with particular strengths in the fields of conflict analysis and resolution, political theory, and European politics.

Career Support

The University of Kent offers career support to help students plan for their future. The Careers and Employability Service can help you plan for your future by providing one-to-one advice at any stage of your postgraduate studies.

Fees and Funding

• The 2025/26 annual tuition fees for this course are:
  • Full-time: £10,000 (UK), £19,300 (EU and International)
  • Part-time: £5,000 (UK), £9,650 (EU and International)
• For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see the Student Finance Guide.
• Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course.

Additional Costs

• There are no compulsory additional costs associated with this course.
• All textbooks are available from the library, although some students prefer to purchase their own.
• You'll need regular access to a desktop computer/laptop with an internet connection to use the University of Kent's online resources and systems.

Funding

• Search the scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities.
• The University of Kent offers a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting, and musical achievement.
• International scholarships are available, with awards up to £5,000.