Program Overview

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Master of Arts in International Relations

Profile

The Master of Arts in International Relations (MA) enables students to analyze the complexities and processes involved in world politics and international affairs. The program prepares students for leadership and service in the international diplomatic, professional and academic communities and to compete for positions in a governmental agency, an intergovernmental organization, a non-governmental organization or a multinational corporation. This program is particularly suited for individuals seeking careers or advancement among the Vienna-based International Organizations (IAEA, UNOV, UNIDO, CTBTO, World Bank among others) and is also recommended for students planning to pursue a doctoral program or an academic career.

Learning Outcomes

Students who complete this program will be able to:

• Explain and apply theories of international relations, predominantly realism, liberalism, constructivism, feminism, critical theory, sub-theories and other IR-specific models such as the rational actor or bureaucratic behavior models.
• Apply qualitative and quantitative methods to answer cross-countries research questions based on scholarly literature reviews.
• Critically analyze international events and issues and identify causal relationships between variables that explain political, economic, security political, military and societal conflicts.
• Demonstrate working knowledge of several subfields of the international relations disciplines and neighboring disciplines.
• Analyze current political, diplomatic, economic and/or security crises of both global and regional scale and propose policy options from the perspective of various actors.
• Demonstrate strong research skills incorporating knowledge of state-of-the-art scholarly research in several of the following fields: U.S. Foreign Policy, European Integration, Asia-Pacific Studies, Energy Security, International Law, International Political Economy, Terrorism, International Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations, and more.
• Demonstrate effective written communication skills and produce publishable research papers at a professional or scholarly level.

Curriculum Overview

The Master of Arts in International Relations curriculum is organized into four modules:

• Module 1: Core Competencies (22.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5000 Introduction to International Relations (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5100 Research Methods and Perspectives (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5900 Advanced Research Methods (7.5 ECTS)
• Module 2: Clusters (45 ECTS)
  • Cluster 1: International Politics (30 ECTS)
    • INTL 5510 Theories of International Relations (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5530 International Law (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5400 International Political Economy (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5540 International Organizations (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5550 War and Diplomacy (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5590 International Security (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5560 U.S. Foreign Policy (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5860 Issues in International Politics: Energy and Environmental Security (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5860 Issues in International Politics: Monetary Relations (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5860 Issues in International Politics: The Emerging Field of Geoeconomics (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5870 International Law and Politics of Outer Space (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5890 Terrorism in World Politics (7.5 ECTS)
  • Cluster 2: Comparative Politics (15 ECTS)
    • INTL 5050 Comparative Politics (7.5 ECTS)
    • INTL 5580 Politics of Development (7.5 ECTS)
    • INTL 5625 Middle East Area Studies (7.5 ECTS)
    • INTL 5605 Topics in Comparative Politics: EU Foreign Policy (7.5 ECTS)
    • INTL 5605 Topics in Comparative Politics: The European Union and Asia Pacific (7.5 ECTS)
    • INTL 5605 Topics in Comparative Politics: The State and the Arts in the EU and the US (7.5 ECTS)
    • INTL 5635 Western European Area Studies (7.5 ECTS)
    • INTL 5645 Asian Area Studies (7.5 ECTS)
• Module 3: Electives (7.5 ECTS)
  • INGO 5000 Non-Governmental Organizations (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5500 Professional Seminars (1-7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5610 Non-Thesis Readings/Research (7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 5300 Field Work (1-7.5 ECTS)
  • INTL 6500 Internship (1-7.5 ECTS)
• Module 4: Thesis (15 ECTS)
  • INTL 6250 Master Thesis

Study Plan and Regulations

Purpose and Scope

This Study Plan and Regulations lays out the specifications of the program Master of International Relations (MA), including the profile and learning outcomes, the structure of the curricula, program development, and the criteria for admission and conferment of a degree.

Overview Table

Degree program name | International Relations (MA)
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Common form name | Master of Arts in International Relations
Type of study program | Master degree program
Academic degree | Master of Arts (MA or M.A.)
Cycle (Bologna) | 2
NQF-Level | VII
Organizational structure | International Relations Department
Workload (ECTS) | 90
Regular study period | 1.5 years, 3 semesters
Course weeks per semester | 12
Language of study | English
Maximum intake per year | 25
Study format | Full time
Entry points/dates | 2/begin winter/summer semesters
Beginning of the winter semester | August/September
Beginning of the summer semester | January/February
Internships | Encouraged, but not required
Study Abroad | Encouraged, but not required

Profile and Learning Outcomes

The Master of Arts in International Relations (MA) enables students to analyze the complexities and processes involved in world politics and international affairs. The program prepares students for leadership and service in the international diplomatic, professional and academic communities and to compete for positions in a governmental agency, an intergovernmental organization, a non-governmental organization or a multinational corporation. This program is particularly suited for individuals seeking careers or advancement among the Vienna-based International Organizations (IAEA, UNOV, UNIDO, CTBTO, World Bank among others) and is also recommended for students planning to pursue a doctoral program or an academic career.

Learning Outcomes

Students who complete this program will be able to:

1. Explain and apply theories of international relations, predominantly realism, liberalism, constructivism, feminism, critical theory, sub-theories and other IR-specific models such as the rational actor or bureaucratic behavior models.
2. Apply qualitative and quantitative methods to answer cross-countries research questions based on scholarly literature reviews.
3. Critically analyze international events and issues and identify causal relationships between variables that explain political, economic, security political, military and societal conflicts.
4. Demonstrate working knowledge of several subfields of the international relations disciplines and neighboring disciplines.
5. Analyze current political, diplomatic, economic and/or security crises of both global and regional scale and propose policy options from the perspective of various actors.
6. Demonstrate strong research skills incorporating knowledge of state-of-the-art scholarly research in several of the following fields: U.S. Foreign Policy, European Integration, Asia-Pacific Studies, Energy Security, International Law, International Political Economy, Terrorism, International Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations, and more.
7. Demonstrate effective written communication skills and produce publishable research papers at a professional or scholarly level.

Curriculum Overview and Workload

The Master of Arts in International Relations curriculum is organized into four modules: Core Competencies (22.5 ECTS), Clusters (45 ECTS), Electives (7.5 ECTS), and Thesis (15 ECTS). The total required workload is 90 ECTS in 10 courses plus the thesis.

Admission to the Study Program

Admission to the Master of Arts in International Relations program follows the General Admission Requirements for Graduate Programs.

Supplementary Requirements for Conferment of the Degree

WVPU confers the academic degree of Master of Arts in International following the successful completion of all modules as stated in the Curriculum Overview and in accordance with the following rules:

1. Candidates must complete all modules (90 ECTS) as stated in the Curriculum Overview.
2. Students must successfully earn 75 ECTS in residence including all courses in Modules and a master thesis.
3. All courses must be completed with a grade of B- or better.

WVPU Policies and Student Obligations

WVPU policies support and maintain the highest quality of education and service level for students. All students attending WVPU are obliged to adhere to university academic policies, including the Study and Examination Guidelines and the Code of Conduct.

Faculty — International Relations

Faculty and Staff

• Dr. Rolf Bauer - Current Problems In Human Rights
• Dr. Elina Brutschin - Methods of Political Inquiry and Advanced Research Methods
• Dr. Eric Frey - International Political Economy
• Univ.-Ass. Mag. Dr. Marcel Fink - Comparative Politics
• Dr. Monika Mokre - Politics of Development and Refugee and Migration Movements
• Dr. Michael Reiterer - International Affairs; geopolitics meets geo-economics
• Dr. Melanie Sindelar - Introduction to Political Argumentation and Debate
• Dr. Ingmar Versolmann - Introduction to Comparative Politics

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