Jagiellonian University

Bachelor of International Relations and Area Studies

International Relations and Area Studies program is an undergraduate interdisciplinary program that offers a rigorous international and comparative perspective on the contemporary global system and different regions of the world. Its aim is to foster creative thinking about complex global problems and to equip students with the analytical tools, language expertise, and cross-cultural understanding to guide them in that process. Our degree provides a solid grounding in international issues together with an opportunity to specialize in International Security or Area Studies.

Research and teaching span the full spectrum of topics in International Relations and Area Studies, including international politics and economics, development, global governance, ethics of international affairs, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, regional integration, cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue.

Solid grounding

During the first three semesters, you will: learn the fundamentals of the key subjects for studying international relations, such as international political economy, international history, theories and methods of IR, globalization, economic and political geography, human rights, and international ethics. With this solid foundation, you will be ready to choose your preferred specialization, and you will focus on either international security or two regions of the world offered as part of our Area Studies track.

Truly international

IRAS has attracted students from over 75 countries, which has allowed our graduates to master intercultural communication and develop a global or cosmopolitan mindset through interaction in class discussion and outside of the classroom. Exposed to different views and perspectives, our students learn how to value diversity and culturally-based approaches to social, political and economic developments.

Excellence & career-focus

Our Faculty of International and Political Studies is home to many specialists, excellent researchers, and practitioners such as former diplomats, experts, and politicians. You can learn from all of them. Our degree program combines intellectual rigor with an applied focus and develops a range of intellectual and practical skills that are relevant across a wide range of career opportunities. Our graduates have found work with a wide range of employers, including non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations, banking and accounting services, local and national governments, educational establishments, and media and publishing companies. Others have opted to continue studying international relations, or other disciplines, at the M.A. and Ph.D. levels.

Academic & administrative support

We care about the quality and learning experience of each student. Our first year tutorials provide an introduction to studying at the Jagiellonian University, help to enhance learning skills, and discuss academic and other matters during individual meetings with a tutor. This process is also facilitated by regular contact with second and third-year IRAS students acting as mentors and helping their fellow students navigate the program and their new life in Krakow.

The Faculty of International and Political Studies has the A category granted by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and was awarded for the quality of education by the Polish Accreditation Committee. The Faculty is the most international and interdisciplinary unit at the Jagiellonian University. It offers unique programs conducted in English, many of which are delivered under agreements with foreign universities. The Faculty provides students with an opportunity to study in a nationally and culturally diverse environment, both in Polish and foreign languages. This creates the space for getting to know each other and supports students' development during their studies and in their professional careers. The Faculty’s complex structure reflects the diversity of scientific research conducted in this unit. Therefore, students have an opportunity to study among specialists dealing with matters from almost every corner of the globe.

The Faculty of International and Political Studies headquarters is located in a modern building near the Jagiellonian Library, Błonia, and Jordan Parks. The Faculty has moved to a new building in 2021, providing students with comfortable conditions and surroundings for studying. The building has four large auditoriums on eight floors, several dozen lecture and seminar rooms, a student zone, and rooms for employees. There is also a Faculty library with a spacious reading room.