Overview
International Relations (IR) is the study of how countries and other global actors interact with one another. It examines the causes of war and peace, the dynamics of international trade and economic cooperation, the role of international organisations like the United Nations and ASEAN, and the complex challenges of global governance—from climate change and nuclear proliferation to migration and cyber warfare.
The curriculum covers international relations theory (realism, liberalism, constructivism), international security, international political economy, foreign policy analysis, international law, regional studies, conflict resolution, and global governance. Students develop the ability to analyse complex geopolitical situations, evaluate policy options, and understand the historical forces that shape the current international order. Many programmes include model UN simulations, policy briefing exercises, and study trips to international institutions.
Graduates work in foreign ministries, international organisations, think tanks (RSIS, ISEAS), NGOs, journalism, management consulting, and corporate government affairs. The degree is also excellent preparation for graduate studies in diplomacy, security, or public policy.
Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service is widely regarded as the premier institution for international relations, with unmatched access to Washington DC's diplomatic and policy communities. The London School of Economics offers one of Europe's most rigorous IR programmes, with particular depth in international political economy and global governance. Sciences Po's international relations curriculum is distinguished by its multilingual approach and strong emphasis on European integration and diplomacy. King's College London's Department of War Studies provides a unique specialisation in security studies, conflict analysis, and strategic affairs that few other programmes can match. The Fletcher School at Tufts University offers an intimate, highly networked graduate environment that has produced generations of diplomats and international policy leaders.
In Singapore
While Singapore universities typically offer IR as a specialisation within political science or social science degrees rather than as a standalone programme, the field is highly relevant to Singapore's position as a small, trade-dependent city-state deeply integrated into global systems.
Career Outcomes & Salary
What jobs can I get and how much will I earn?
$45,000–$70,000 (US) / £27,000–£38,000 (UK) / A$50,000–$70,000 (AU)
$70,000–$130,000 (US) / £42,000–£80,000 (UK) / A$80,000–$130,000 (AU)
$110,000–$250,000+ (US, senior government, think tank, or consulting leadership)
Strong—geopolitical instability has increased demand for IR-trained professionals across government, defence, intelligence, consulting, and the private sector. Particular demand for regional expertise in China, Russia, Middle East, and emerging markets.
Industry Trends & Outlook
Where is this field heading?
International Relations is experiencing renewed relevance as the post-Cold War liberal international order faces serious challenges. The return of great power competition—the US-China strategic rivalry, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the potential fragmentation of the global trading system—has created urgent demand for IR-trained analysts in government, intelligence, defence, and the private sector. Think tanks and policy institutes on both sides of the Atlantic have expanded, and geopolitical risk consulting has become a growth industry as companies navigate sanctions, export controls, and shifting alliances. NATO expansion, Indo-Pacific strategy, and Middle East dynamics all require professionals who can apply IR theory to practical policy challenges.
The field is adapting to new domains of international competition. Cyber warfare, space security, AI governance, and climate diplomacy are emerging areas where traditional IR frameworks are being tested and extended. International institutions—the UN, WTO, WHO—are under strain, creating demand for researchers and practitioners who can propose reforms and navigate institutional complexity. Concurrently, non-state actors (tech companies, transnational criminal networks, international NGOs) play increasingly prominent roles in global affairs, challenging the state-centric assumptions of traditional IR theory. Digital diplomacy and open-source intelligence (OSINT) have changed how foreign affairs are conducted and analyzed.
For students entering IR, career prospects are strong across multiple sectors. Government foreign affairs departments, intelligence agencies, and defence ministries recruit IR graduates directly. The private sector values IR skills for political risk analysis, international government relations, and strategic consulting. Think tanks, international organizations, and NGOs provide policy-oriented career paths. The most competitive graduates combine theoretical sophistication with practical skills—language ability, quantitative methods, regional expertise, or professional experience. A graduate degree (MA in IR, Security Studies, or a related field) is often expected for senior policy roles, but the undergraduate degree provides an excellent foundation for entry-level positions and for identifying which area of specialization to pursue.
AI & This Major
AI is augmenting IR analysis through OSINT tools, satellite intelligence, and predictive conflict models. But the core IR skills—strategic judgment, diplomatic negotiation, cultural context understanding, and policy formulation—are fundamentally human. IR professionals who can integrate AI tools into their analysis are more valuable.
What You'll Learn
Core topics and skills covered in this degree
Is This Right For Me?
Honest self-assessment to help you decide
You'll thrive if...
- ✓You’re fascinated by why states behave the way they do—alliances, conflicts, negotiations, and the balance of power
- ✓You enjoy reading about diplomatic history and current geopolitical events and want to analyze them through rigorous theoretical frameworks
- ✓You’re drawn to debating big questions about war and peace, sovereignty and intervention, power and justice
- ✓You want a degree that connects abstract theory to real-world policy—and potentially to careers in government, diplomacy, or international organizations
- ✓You’re comfortable with intellectual disagreement—IR scholars genuinely disagree about fundamental questions, and navigating that is part of the discipline
Might not be for you if...
- ●You prefer quantitative analysis and data-driven answers—IR is more qualitative and theory-driven than economics or data science
- ●You find political theory and abstract conceptual debates tedious—they are central to the discipline
- ●You want an immediately vocational degree with clear career outcomes—IR opens doors but requires active career planning
- ●You’re uninterested in history—historical case studies are integral to understanding how international politics works
- ●You prefer working with concrete, technical problems rather than ambiguous geopolitical situations with no clear solutions
A Day in the Life
What a typical week actually looks like
A typical week in Year 2 of an International Relations programme is intellectually rigorous and debate-intensive. Monday starts with an IR theory lecture contrasting offensive realism with defensive realism—your professor uses China’s South China Sea strategy as a case study to test whether Mearsheimer or Jervis better explains Beijing’s behaviour. The assigned reading includes a chapter from The Tragedy of Great Power Politics alongside a constructivist critique arguing that identity, not just power, shapes state actions. After lunch, an international security seminar examines nuclear deterrence theory and why it both prevented and nearly caused catastrophe during the Cuban Missile Crisis. You’re writing a 2,500-word essay comparing Cold War deterrence dynamics with contemporary nuclear risks in South Asia.
Tuesday features a diplomatic history lecture covering the Congress of Vienna and its implications for modern multilateral diplomacy—your professor argues that the principles established in 1815 continue to shape how states negotiate today. Wednesday brings an international political economy module examining how the World Trade Organization manages (and fails to manage) trade disputes between the US and China. The case study—rare earth minerals and technology export controls—shows how trade policy, national security, and industrial strategy intertwine. Your group assignment is writing a policy memo recommending an EU response to US-China tech decoupling, which requires balancing economic theory with political reality.
Thursday has a human rights and humanitarian intervention seminar that examines the Responsibility to Protect doctrine through cases from Libya, Syria, and Myanmar—the discussion about when sovereignty should be overridden to prevent atrocities is the most heated debate of the week. Friday is a research methods session on process tracing and qualitative comparative analysis, followed by a guest lecture from a former diplomat who describes the gap between academic IR theory and the realities of negotiating in a crisis. Weekends involve considerable reading—two journal articles on alliance politics, a chapter from Wendt’s Social Theory of International Politics, and news analysis to keep current with the situations you’re studying academically.
High School Preparation
What to study and do before university
Skills to Develop
- •Follow international affairs closely through quality sources—Foreign Affairs, The Economist, War on the Rocks—and practice analyzing events through different theoretical lenses (realist, liberal, constructivist)
- •Read foundational IR texts—start with accessible works like Kissinger’s Diplomacy, Nye’s Understanding International Conflicts, or Mearsheimer’s The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
- •Develop strong essay-writing skills—IR requires the ability to construct multi-layered arguments with evidence from history, theory, and current events
- •Learn a strategically important language—Mandarin, Arabic, Russian, or French significantly enhances your profile and career prospects
Extracurriculars
- •Participate actively in Model United Nations—take leadership roles (chairing, organizing) rather than just attending
- •Write analytical pieces on international affairs for school publications, online platforms, or student think tanks
- •Join or create a foreign affairs discussion club focused on structured debate and policy analysis
- •Attend public lectures on international affairs at local universities or think tanks
- •Intern or volunteer with organizations involved in diplomacy, humanitarian aid, or international policy
QS World Ranking 2026
Politics & International Studies
| # | University |
|---|---|
| 1 | 🇺🇸Harvard University |
| 2 | 🇬🇧University of Oxford |
| 3 | 🇫🇷Sciences Po |
| 4 | 🇬🇧London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) |
| 5 | 🇺🇸Princeton University |
How This Compares to Similar Majors
Side-by-side with related fields
Getting In — Admissions Guide
How competitive is this major and how to stand out
IR programmes range from moderately to highly selective. LSE, Georgetown (School of Foreign Service), Sciences Po, Oxford (PPE), and King’s College London are among the most competitive. A-Level students typically need AAA–A*AA; IB students need 37–40+. Many universities offer IR within Political Science departments, where admissions may be slightly less competitive.
What Strengthens Your Application
- 1Demonstrated engagement with international affairs—Model UN leadership, writing on foreign policy, following global events with analytical depth
- 2Strong essay-writing ability showing the capacity for multi-layered argumentation
- 3Language skills beyond English—especially strategically important languages like Mandarin, Arabic, Russian, or French
- 4Reading beyond the curriculum—mentioning specific IR texts, Foreign Affairs articles, or think tank reports
- 5Evidence of analytical thinking about current events, not just knowledge of what’s happening but why
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ●Writing a personal statement that reads like a news summary rather than an analytical argument about international politics
- ●Focusing exclusively on one country or conflict without showing broader theoretical understanding
- ●Underestimating the academic rigour of IR—it involves political theory, research methods, and intellectual history, not just current events commentary
Interview & Admission Tests
Oxford PPE interviews test analytical reasoning about politics and economics. Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service may interview for scholarships. Be prepared to analyze an international situation from multiple theoretical perspectives, not just state your opinion.
General Preparation
These recommendations cover general preparation across Singapore universities. Specific programme requirements may differ—detailed per-programme requirements coming soon.
IB Diploma
- •History HL (strongly recommended)
- •Economics HL (recommended)
- •English A HL (helpful)
- •Global Politics HL (if available, very helpful)
A-Level
- •H2 History (strongly recommended)
- •H2 Economics (recommended)
- •H1 General Paper (excellent grade)
AP
- •AP Comparative Government (recommended)
- •AP World History (helpful)
- •AP Macroeconomics (useful)
IGCSE
- •History (essential)
- •English (A*/A)
- •Geography (helpful)
Skills & Aptitudes
NUS IB / A-Level admission requirements:NUS Admissions
Where to Study in Singapore
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Similar Majors
Considering this major beyond Singapore?
View the global university major guide →
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you study in International Relations?
International Relations (IR) is the study of how countries and other global actors interact with one another. It examines the causes of war and peace, the dynamics of international trade and economic cooperation, the role of international organisations like the United Nations and ASEAN, and the complex challenges of global governance—from climate change and…
What can you do after a International Relations degree?
Typical entry-level roles: Policy Analyst, Intelligence Analyst, Diplomatic Service Officer, Political Risk Associate, Programme Coordinator—International NGO (starting salary $45,000–$70,000 (US) / £27,000–£38,000 (UK) / A$50,000–$70,000 (AU)). Key industries: Government & Diplomacy, Defence & Intelligence, International Organizations, Consulting & Political Risk, Think Tanks & Research. Strong—geopolitical instability has increased demand for IR-trained professionals across government, defence, intelligence, consulting, and the private sector.…
Which high-school courses prepare you for International Relations?
Recommended IB courses: HL Global Politics, HL History, HL Economics; Recommended AP courses: AP Comparative Government & Politics, AP US Government & Politics, AP World History; Recommended A-Levels: Politics or Government, History, Economics.
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