International Relations and Social and Public Policy

International relations and social and public policy is a combination that addresses two essential dimensions of how modern states and international organisations function. International relations examines how states interact across borders, in the areas of diplomacy, security, trade, and international institutions, and how global challenges such as climate change, migration, and human rights are governed at an international level. Social and public policy turns the focus inward, examining how governments design and deliver policies in areas such as welfare, education, health, housing, and social justice, and how those policies affect different groups within society.

This four-year, full-time programme at the University of Glasgow leads to a Master of Arts with Honours and includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study international relations and policy in a different national and institutional setting. You will develop your understanding of theories of international relations alongside empirical study of how states, NGOs, and international organisations behave, and your knowledge of social policy alongside skills in policy analysis and evaluation. The combination is particularly relevant at a time when domestic policy challenges are increasingly shaped by international dynamics, from economic globalisation to climate governance and international migration.

Graduates pursue careers in government and the civil service, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, social research, policy analysis, journalism, and the public and voluntary sectors more broadly. The combination of international relations and social policy training is particularly well suited to roles in international development organisations, European institutions, think-tanks, and policy research bodies. Further postgraduate study in international relations, public policy, social policy, or international development is a natural extension for those who wish to develop specialist expertise for high-level professional or academic careers.