Program Overview
The Political Science - International Relations at University of Amsterdam is a MSc programme in Social Sciences over 12 months, delivered On-campus. This programme equips graduates with advanced knowledge and practical skills for professional and academic careers in the field.
Students gain a rigorous grounding in both the theoretical foundations and applied dimensions of social sciences. The programme combines coursework, research components, and practical projects that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and specialist expertise relevant to industry and research needs.
Graduates of the Political Science - International Relations programme are well-prepared for careers in academia, industry, government, and the private sector across Netherlands and internationally. The programme provides an internationally recognised qualification within the Bologna higher education framework.
Key Program Features
- Duration: 12 months
- Language of instruction: English
- Study mode: On-campus
- English requirement: IELTS 7
- Tuition: EUR 14,700 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; EUR 1,984 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
- Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Political Science - International Relations programme are prepared for diverse careers in social sciences:
- Policy Analyst
- NGO Programme Manager
- Researcher
- Social Worker
- Diplomat
- Development Consultant
Program Curriculum
Course Structure
- Duration: one year of full-time study.
- Each year is composed of two semesters, each covering 20 weeks of courses and worth 60 ECTS.
- The first semester runs from the beginning of September until the end of January. The second semester ends at the end of June.
- Study load per week: approximaterly 40 hours.
- Examples of elective courses in Political Science
- In Part I (Thesis Seminars) students focus on core theory and common substantive literature and on research design within a programme that exposes them to a range of research methods.
- In Part II students concentrate on writing their thesis.
Admission Requirements
Academic Requirements
Grade average: Study results obtained in previous education should demonstrate that a student is able to attain and maintain a good to excellent level, especially in the field of Political Science / International Relations.
\nGrade list: All applicants are required to submit official transcripts of each higher education institute attended, listing all courses and examinations already completed and currently enrolled in, and grades and credits obtained.
\nKnowledge minimum: Applicants should have a solid basis in both qualitative and quantitative social sciences research methodology reflected by the completion of at least (an equivalent of) 20 ECTS during previous study.\nPromising candidates with less than 20 ECTS of social sciences research methodology may be admitted provided that they complete an intensive research methodology module (in the four weeks prior to the Master\'s programme) offered by the Graduate School of Social Sciences.
\nLanguage test: All students must be able to read textbooks, understand lectures, take part in classroom discussions and undertake written work in English. All non-native speakers of English are required to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Students with a Dutch degree in social sciences are exempted from this condition, on the assumption that they followed a substantial amount of English taught courses during their bachelor\'s programme. These students are still advised to do an English language skills test or take the Bachelor\'s course Academic English, but this is not a necessity to be admitted into the programme.
\nPrevious education: The MSc in International Relations seeks students with an academic Bachelor\'s degree (or equivalent) in Political Science or in a closely related discipline, such as other social sciences, history, law and economics. All applicants are expected to have a solid basis in the field of Political Science / International Relations, with a minimum of 60 ECTS credits earned during previous studies (including 20 ECTS on social sciences research method \xc3\xa2\xc2\x80\xc2\x93 see below \xc3\xa2\xc2\x80\xc2\x93 and preferably with a clear focus on International Relations).
\nWritten request: All applicants are required to submit a statement of motivation.
\nAdditional language requirements:
- Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English: C1
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English: C1
- IELTS overall band: 7
- IELTS listening: 6.5
- IELTS reading: 6.5
- IELTS writing: 6.5
- IELTS speaking: 6.5
- TOEFL paper based: 600
- TOEFL internet based: 95
English Proficiency: IELTS 7 or equivalent.
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
EUR 14,700 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; EUR 1,984 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
Tuition fees: EUR 14,700 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; EUR 1,984 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
IELTS requirement: 7
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Contact University of Amsterdam directly for scholarship, grant, and financial aid information for this programme. Many European universities offer merit-based and need-based funding for international and domestic students.
About University of Amsterdam
University of Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
University of Amsterdam is a distinguished institution of higher education committed to academic excellence, innovative research, and preparing students for leadership in their chosen fields. The...
University Profile- Application Deadline 2004-03-18
- Start Date 2018-09-01
- Language English
- Duration 12 months