1. Home
  2. Academics
  3. MA in International Relations (1 year)

MA in International Relations (1 year)

Overview and credit requirements

Students are enrolled in the one year Master's program in International Relations "New York City" track OR the one year Master's program in International Relations "Vienna" track. 

"New York City" track

Students begin in Vienna, studying in the International Relations program at Central European University. For the Winter and Spring terms students move to the Bard MA in Global Studies program in New York City, where they complete coursework and a mandatory internship with an organization working on global affairs. At the end of the program, students submit a capstone project. The program's curriculum places at its center the theory-practice nexus, equipping students with a sophisticated set of theoretical and conceptual tools and practical experiences. The program consists of 30 US (60 ECTS) credits including the capstone project of 4 US (8 ECTS) credits. Students in the "New York City" track cannot choose specializations.

Admissions

Students interested in this track must submit applications to both: to CEU for MA in IR (one year) program "New York City" track and to Bard College for the CEU track of the MA in Global Studies program.

"Vienna" track

This program provides students with a foundation in international relations, as well as exposure to questions relating to the study of international security and the global economy. The program offers an innovative, dynamic learning environment with relatively small class sizes and an interdisciplinary curriculum. It is accredited in both the US and Austria.  The 1-year MA program has three different specializations: Global Order and Politics (GOP), International Political Economy and Development (IPE), and Conflict and Security (CONSEC). Students are encouraged to take courses from all three groups of courses, while they may specialize in one of them to complete the degree. In addition to exposure to the main areas of teaching in the program, students will also receive thorough preparation in academic writing, and research design and methods. While internship is not mandatory in the Vienna track, students might take short professional development courses offered in the Spring term (subject to the supervisor and Program Director approval).
This is a full-time MA program, therefore, students are expected to reside at all times in Vienna, during the program. The program consists of 30 US (60 ECTS) credits, including the thesis of 6 US (12 ECTS) credits. 

Admissions

Students interested in this track must submit an application for the MA in IR (one year) program "Vienna" track.

Tentative Curriculum

Pre-session (for both tracks)

  • Orientation
  • Introduction to all courses
  • Introductory Sessions to International Relations

The purpose of the latter course – offered to incoming IR MA students – is to serve as an introduction to the main theories, debates, and concepts in international relations. It is a course that aims to provide the foundations needed for students of various disciplinary backgrounds to effectively engage in the classes they will attend during their studies at CEU. 

Fall term 

Mandatory courses (for both tracks):

  • Research Design: Tools and Techniques, 2 credits, Erin Jenne, Krisztina Szabo
  • Academic Writing for International Relations for one-year MA students, 2 credits, by the Center for Academic Writing 

In addition to mandatory courses students must register for the Fall Term

  • "Vienna track" students for a minimum of 8 US credits elective courses 
  • "New York City" track students for a minimum of 10 US credits elective courses 

Elective courses (for both tracks):

Global Order and Politics (GOP)

  • Europe in Crises: Integration under International and Internal Threat, 4 credits, Daniel Izsak
  • Foreign Policy Analysis, 4 credits, Andras Szalai
  • Global Economy, Global Injustice?, 2 credits, Thomas Fetzer
  • International Law in a Turbulent World, 4 credits, Patryk Labuda
  • International Relations Concepts and Theories (*),4 credits, Michael Merlingen
  • Political Warfare, 2 credits, Anton Shekhovtsov
  • Politics of the Anthropocene, 4 credits, Alexander Etkind
  • Popular Culture and World Politics, 4 credits, Julian Schmid

 

International Political Economy and Development (IPE)

  • Europe in Crises: Integration under International and Internal Threat, 4 credits, Daniel Izsák
  • Geoeconomics, 2 credits, Thomas Fetzer
  • Global Economy, Global Injustice?, 2 credits, Thomas Fetzer
  • Global Political Economy of Eastern Europe, 2 credits, Imre Gergely Szabo
  • International Political Economy of Development, 4 credits, Valentin Seidler
  • Introduction to International Political Economy (*), 4 credits, Dora Piroska

 

Conflict and Security (CONSEC)

  • Foreign Policy Analysis, 4 credits, Andras Szalai
  • Geoeconomics, 2 credits, Thomas Fetzer
  • Nationalisms in Eastern Europe, 2 credits, Zsolt Laszlo Kortvelyesi
  • Political Warfare, 2 credits, Anton Shekhovtsov
  • Strategy, Security and Contemporary Warfare (*), 4 credits, Paul Roe

Winter term (for "Vienna" track)

Mandatory elective course, 2 credits:

  • Research Methods for International Relations (students can choose among three courses dedicated to various research methods)

In addition to the mandatory-elective course(s), students must register for a minimum of 10 US credits elective courses for the Winter Term:

Global Order and Politics (GOP)

  • Global Politics of Health, 2 credits, Christian Haddad and Dagmar Vorlicek
  • International and European Refugee Policy and Law, 2 credits, Boldizsar Nagy
  • International Intervention and Statebuilding, 4 credits, Xymena Kurowska
  • Orders of Inequality: Race, Class, Gender, Sex, 4 credits, Michael Merlingen
  • Technology, Security, and the Future of High-Tech Warfare, 4 credits, Raluca Csernatoni
  • War, Postwar and Memory of War, 2 credits, Alexander Etkind
  • What is Diplomacy?, 4 credits, Alexander Astrov

 

International Political Economy and Development (IPE)

  • Blockades and Sanctions, 4 credits, Mary Elisabeth Cox
  • International Political Economy of Digital Everything, 2 credits, Dora Piroska
  • Political Economy of EMU, 2 credits, Jakub Szabo
  • The Geoeconomics of Green Industrial Policies, 2 credits, David Gergely Karas

 

Conflict and Security (CONSEC)

  • Blockades and Sanctions, 4 credits, Mary Elisabeth Cox
  • Critical Approaches to Strategy and Security, 4 credits, Paul Richard Roe
  • European Security, 2 credits Raluca Csernatoni
  • Gender, Military Culture and War, 2 credits, Paul Richard Roe
  • Global Politics of Health, 2 credits, Christian Haddad and Dagmar Vorlicek
  • International Intervention and Statebuilding, 4 credits, Xymena Kurowska
  • Technology, Security, and the Future of High-Tech Warfare, 4 credits, Raluca Csernatoni

Winter/Spring term ("New York City" track)

Mandatory Courses:

  • Internship in Global Affairs
  • Capstone Seminar

In addition to mandatory courses, students must register for a minimum of 8 US credit elective courses for the Winter/Spring term.

Spring term ("Vienna" track)

Under IR department faculty supervision, students will prepare an original research paper (thesis, 6 credits) to be submitted in June 2024. 

Miscellaneous

  • Students should note that they may take courses for up to four US credits from another department (1 four-credits course or 2 two-credits courses) in the academic year, without permission from the program director. 
  • Entry requirements: you can find detailed information on the CEU`s general admission procedure here and on our program specific requirements here. 
  • Merit and need-based financial aid is available