International Relations

Why International Relations at University of Essex

The only Regius Professorship in the UK granted by the British Crown, second place for research quality — and graduates holding key positions in international organizations and government structures worldwide.

• Top-20 global universities for political science (QS 2025)
• 2nd place in UK for research (REF 2021)
• Only Regius Professorship in political sciences in the country — royal recognition of research excellence
• Michael Nicholson Centre for Conflict and Cooperation — one of the world’s leading centers for conflict studies

BA in International Relations

Ranked 9th in the country (Guardian 2026), this program takes students from classical negotiation theory and emotional models of state behavior to the actual mechanics of the UN and NATO. Beyond core coursework, it offers a paid year-long placement and study abroad at partner institutions, with graduates going on to work at NATO, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Civil Aviation Authority.

BA in Politics and International Relations

This program connects the analysis of power, democracy, and institutions with the study of diplomacy, conflicts, and international cooperation — from Machiavelli to contemporary negotiation theory. ESSEXLab serves as the base for experimental research, while placements have sent students to the Cabinet Office, House of Commons, Ministry of Defence, and Sky News editorial team.

BA in Politics

The defining feature here is named specializations that appear directly on diplomas. Students choose one of three tracks:

• Data Science (Q-Step)
• Justice and Human Rights
• Political Economy and Development

All three emphasize hands-on work — from analyzing conflict data and creating political maps to co-publishing with faculty — while placements offer up to £300 per week.

MA in International Relations

The department’s most popular program uses theoretical models to explain real-world events, from global environmental challenges to forecasting geopolitical trends. A dual award option delivers two degrees in two years through partnerships with leading universities, and 91% of graduates work or continue their studies — among them staff at the World Bank, UN, NATO, and YouGov.

MSc in Conflict Resolution

This research-focused program poses sharp questions: how to end armed conflicts, whether immigration and terrorism are linked, how climate affects migration. Students work with conflict datasets, participate in negotiation simulations, and access expertise from the Michael Nicholson Centre, with recent graduates now teaching at Oxford, UCL, Mannheim, and Rice.