About this program
International Relations
In the winter semester 2023/24, a thoroughgoing reform of the MA International Relations (MAIR) will take effect. The resulting “New MAIR” will not immediately replace the current program, but applications for the latter program are no longer possible. (Students who joined the program before 2023 will not be affected by the changes.)
Like its predecessor, the “New MAIR” is an all-English International Relations program that sources the insights of modern social and political theory to gain a deeper understanding of contemporary world politics. Problem-solving through global governance remains on the agenda and in the curriculum, but forms of non institutionalized, conflictual politics and their underlying social dynamics will receive more attention, as expressed in the new sub-title of the program: Global Politics and Social Theory.
As before, the MAIR is a two-year program, where students attend, interact in, and actively contribute to seminars rather than listen to lectures. Group sizes of 20-30 students per cohort are conducive to collaboration and exchange and make for a good student-instructor ratio. Students earn credits through active participation in seminars (based on required readings) and by passing variable and combined types of “exams” in the broadest sense, ranging from presentations and short essays to take-home exams and research papers.
Unlike its predecessor, the “New MAIR” includes electives and gives students the option to earn credits by doing a research internship or studying a semester abroad.
Another major difference from the previous program is that the “New MAIR” will be offered by just one university, viz. the University of Bremen. (Constructor University decided to phase out its participation in the program as part of a broader re-orientation in the wake of a change of ownership that took place in 2021. This decision will not affect students who joined the program before 2023.)
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Admission requirements
- A proof of a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in International Relations, Political Science, Sociology, or a similar area of study worth 180 credit points (CP) according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) (or equivalent). Students whose degree is pending may apply nonetheless if they have completed a large part of their studies (corresponding to at least 120 CP).
- A transcript of undergraduate courses and grades with a GPA equivalent to 2.3 or better in the German grading system.
- A proof of proficiency in English at the level of C1 (Common European Framework) or higher (for details see . A minimum score of 95 (TOEFL internet-based), 575 (TOEFL paper-based), 230 (TOEFL computer-based), 945/180/180 (TOEIC), or 7.0 (IELTS) is accepted as equivalent, and so are the Cambridge Certificates in Advanced English (CAE) or of Proficiency in English (CPE) (Grade C). Students who earned their university entrance qualification (“A levels”) in English or their bachelor’s or master’s degree in an all-English program are exempt from this requirement (assuming they provide the corresponding document as evidence).
- An English essay explaining why they are choosing this program and what their research interests are (“letter of motivation”).
- An English summary (1,000 words) of their bachelor’s or master’s thesis. If the thesis is not yet finished (or none is/was required in the program), an English exposé of the thesis or an English (summary of a) term paper on a topic related to the program may be provided instead. If you submit a (summary of a) term paper, include information on the course and the instructor. (Upload just one document, i.e. the requested summary or paper. Flooding the selection committee with papers will not improve your chances of being accepted.)
- A current CV (in English) including information on their educational and work history, publications (if any), language abilities, and extracurricular interests.
Does this course require proof of English proficiency?
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Learn moreProgram content
First Semester
- Foundations of Global Politics
- Foundations of Social Theory
- Methods of Social Science
Second Semester
- Theorizing Social and Political Phenomena
- Examining Global Political Dynamics
- Analyzing International Policies
Third Semester
- Research Design
- Research Internship (optional)
- Study Abroad (optional)
Fourth Semester
- MA thesis (+ supporting seminar)
Scholarships & funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
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About this institute
Constructor University
Jacobs University is a private, state-recognized university, located in Bremen, Germany, and one of the most international universities worldwide. Founded in 2001, the university attracts highly talented and open-minded students from all over the world; over 1,500 students from more than 110 nations currently live and...
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Constructor University
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