Overview and credit requirements
Students enrolled in one year Master's program in International Relations can choose between two tracks, called "New York City" and "Vienna" tracks.
"New York City" track
Students begin in Vienna, studying in 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 an 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. Students interested in this track must submit applications to both CEU and Bard College.
The program consists of 30 US (60 ECTS) credits.
"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.
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 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 (for both tracks)
Mandatory courses:
- Research Design: Tools and Techniques, Erin Jenne/Andrew X. Li, 2 credits
- Academic Writing for International Relations for one-year MA students (part I) by the Center for Academic Writing
In addition to mandatory courses, students must register for a minimum of 10 US credits elective courses for the Fall Term:
Global Order and Politics (GOP)
- International Relations Concepts and Theories (track's core course), 4 credits, Michael Merlingen
- Foreign policy analysis, 4 credits, Erin Jenne
- Worldly Philosophers of Capitalism, Democracy and Development, 4 credits, Bela Greskovits
- International Law in a Turbulent World, 4 credits, Boldizsar Nagy
- Politics of the Anthropecene, 4 credits, Alexander Etkind
- Border (in)security and social inequalities, 4 credits, Saskia Stachowitsch and Julia Sachseder
- Europe in Crises: Integration under International and Internal Threat, 4 credits, Daniel Izsak
- Global health security, 4 credits, Christian Haddad (2 credits in AY '22-'23)
International Political Economy and Development (IPE)
- Introduction to International Political Economy, 4 credits (track's core course), Andrew X. Li and Dora Piroska
- The Political Economy of the EU, 4 credits, Laszlo Csaba
- Europe in Crisis: Integration under International and Internal Threat, 4 credits, Daniel Izsák
- Worldly Philosophers of Capitalism, Democracy and Development, 4 credits, Bela Greskovits
- Geoeconomics, 2 credits, Thomas Fetzer
- Political Economy of International Organizations, 2 credits, Andrew X. Li
Conflict and Security (CONSEC)
- Strategy, Security and Contemporary Warfare (track's core course), 4 credits, Paul Roe
- Foreign policy analysis, 4 credits, Erin Jenne
- Border (in)security and social inequalities, 4 credits, Saskia Stachowitsch/Julia Sachseder
- Global health security, 4 credits, Christian Haddad (2 credits in AY '22-'23)
- Geoeconomics, 2 credits, Thomas Fetzer
- Technology, Security, and the Future of High-Tech Warfare, 2 credits, Raluca Csernatoni
Winter term (for "Vienna" track)
Mandatory courses:
- Academic Writing for International Relations for one-year MA students (part II), Center for Academic Writing, 2 credits
- Research Methods for International Relations, 2 credits (students can choose among three courses dedicated to various research methods)
In addition to mandatory and mandatory-elective courses, students must register for a minimum of 8 US credits elective courses for the Winter Term:
Global Order and Politics (GOP) track
- International Intervention and Statebuilding, 4 credits, Xymena Kurowska
- Orders of Inequality: Race, Class, Gender, Sex, 4 credits, Michael Merlingen
- Nationalism, Populism and Ethnic Conflict Management in Eastern Europe, 4 credits, Erin Jenne
- Comparative Regionalism, 4 credits, Daniel Izsak
- International and European Refugee Policy and Law, 4 credits, Boldizsar Nagy
- Dark Legacies: Politics of the Past and International Relations, 4 credits, Alexander Etkind and Thomas Fetzer
International Political Economy and Development (IPE) track
- Illiberal Capitalism, 4 credits, Laszlo Csaba
- Political Economy of Development, 4 credits, Valentin Seidler
- International Political Economy of Digital Everything, 4 credits, Dora Piroska
- Decarbonizing IR: Fossils, Emissions and Security, 4 credits, Alexander Etkind
- Global Political Economy of Eastern Europe, 2 credits, Dora Piroska
- Comparative Regionalism, 4 credits, Daniel Izsak
Conflict and Security (CONSEC) track
- International Intervention and Statebuilding, 4 credits, Xymena Kurowska
- Nationalism, Populism and Ethnic Conflict Management in Eastern Europe, 4 credits, Erin Jenne
- Issues in European Security, 2 credits, Michael Merlingen
- Critical Approaches to Strategy and Security, 4 credits, Paul Roe
- Gender in IR: Security, War and Militarism, 4 credits, Paul Roe
- Decarbonizing IR: Fossils, Emissions and Security, 4 credits, Alexander Etkind
- Dark Legacies: Politics of the Past and International Relations, 4 credits, Alexander Etkind and Thomas Fetzer
Winter/Spring term ("New York" track)
Mandatory Courses:
- Internship in Global Affairs
- Academic Writing for International Relations for one-year MA students (part II), by CEU's Center for Academic Writing (on-line), 2 credits
- Capstone Seminar: Making Social Change in a Complex World
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 2023.
Miscellaneous
- Students should note that they may take courses for up to four credits from another department (one four-credits course or two two-credits courses) in the academic year, without permission from the program director. Any course from other departments, which is not cross-listed, is subject to prior permission by 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