St Mary's University Twickenham, London
MA Diplomacy and International Relations
Twickenham, United Kingdom
MA
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 11,070 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* home students; 18,780 GBP - international students
Key Summary
Effective international engagement is built on excellent diplomacy. Our master's degree in Diplomacy and International Relations will prepare you for a career on the frontline of global affairs.
- Located near international organisations, embassies and think tanks in the capital
- You will be taught by academics with hands-on experience of diplomacy and international affairs
Why St Mary's?
This postgraduate degree builds on our proven expertise in the fields of diplomacy and international relations.
Prof John Charmley is one of Britain’s leading diplomatic historians and has written extensively on Churchill and the End of Empire. Prof Glenn Richardson is an authority on England’s relations with Europe in the Tudor period and Dr Claire Norton has written on Ottoman diplomacy.
The course is designed and delivered by senior figures with hands-on experience in diplomacy at the very highest levels. Prof Francis Campbell, Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University, served as a policy advisor and private secretary to the Prime Minister and has worked as an ambassador and head of the policy unit at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Visiting professors include Sir Ivor Roberts and Ambassador Noel Fahey. Sir Ivor Roberts served as British Ambassador to Italy, Yugoslavia and Ireland and is also the editor of recent editions of Satow’s Diplomatic Practice (widely regarded as the most authoritative diplomatic handbook). Ambassador Noel Fahey served as Ireland’s ambassador to Germany, the United States and the Holy See.
The course also includes contributions from other senior diplomats and figures from the worlds of foreign policy and international politics.
Why study Diplomacy and International Relations?
Diplomacy has traditionally been understood as the way in which officials pursue their country’s foreign policy. However, in the contemporary fast-changing world in which the current international rulebook and institutions are under intense pressure, diplomacy has come to have a far broader application.
Officials working for the United Nations and other international bodies, such as the European Union, conduct diplomacy. So too do staff at major non-governmental bodies and charities, and unconventional forms of diplomacy by groups such as Independent Diplomat are on the rise. Even businesses now use diplomacy to advance their goals on the international stage.
As well as learning about diplomatic history and theory, you will also develop practical diplomatic skills, such as preparing briefing papers, policy documents and speeches. This will be complemented with the intellectual rigour associated with a study of International Relations, and its different tools for understanding the changing world of international affairs.
You will also have the chance to interact with senior diplomats and benefit from the excellent range of diplomatic missions and international organisations located in the British capital.
Modules
- History, Theory, and Practice of Diplomacy
- International Relations Theory
- Human Rights and Migration
- Security Studies
- Global Governance
- Researching Diplomacy, International Relations, and Development Management Techniques
- Dissertation
- Dissertation with Professional Connection
Diplomacy and International Relations has been designed to prepare you for a career in diplomacy and other associated roles within international affairs, whether working for a national foreign ministry, an international organisation, an NGO, or any other body or organisation that works globally.
Funding
Government-funded loans of over £11,000 are available to many Home postgraduate students.
Home and International students may also be eligible for external sources of funding.
International Students should check their eligibility for our International Scholarship.
Alumni discount
A 20% tuition fee discount is available for our alumni (undergraduate and PGCE) planning to study for this Master's degree.