International Relations
41.04.05 In English
Level of education Master
Type of instruction Full-time
Duration 2 years
- The programme is designed to develop a new generation of leaders who combine traditional knowledge of international relations with specific and profound understanding of both the domestic and the foreign affairs of Russia
- The programme targets international students with an ambition to become experts in world politics, and to work as diplomats, members of international organisations, and national government agencies
- The majority of graduates, being unique specialists in both world politics and Russia, work at international organisations, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, non-governmental international and local organisations, think-tanks, and universities
- The programme is unique in that it provides students with the ability to make an analysis relevant to both the politics and international relations of Russia. The programme prepares graduates for the challenges of the digitalisation of international relations. It includes courses on big data analysis, and provides students with skills in the area of social media analysis
- The School of International Relations is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. The programme has gained international accreditation by ZEvA
- It has a wide range of partner-universities for academic exchange programmes
Programme Mission
The programme fosters: experts in world politics; diplomats; and the staff for international organisations and national government agencies including experts in the field of digital diplomacy and data diplomacy.
- Digitalisation of International Relations
- Theories of International Relations
- Russia and the Asia-Pacific Region
- Russia–United States Relations
- Russia-European Union Relations
- Analytical Practice
Graduates gain professional competencies relative to the knowledge and abilities connected to a future profession in the field of international relations.
They will be able to:
- apply knowledge in the field of science for making decisions in their future profession and further education;
- learn new methods of research and change their professional activities;
- acquire new knowledge and skills;
- be adapted to their new professional environment in the framework of life-long learning concepts;
- be engaged in both research and expert projects relative to foreign politics, all the challenges in world politics, and the questions referred to Russia;
- and generate independent and new scholarly knowledge and make advice and reports for governments, international organisations, NGOs, the entities of civic society, and transnational companies.
Graduates gain the following skills:
- Skills in the analytical work relevant to the foreign policy of Russia and international relations;
- Skills to use notional/conceptual apparatus applied by experts in the field of diplomatic practice and international relations;
- Skills to prepare reports, papers, memos, etc. for submitting to the governmental and expert community;
- Skills to follow legal and normative documents in the field of the future profession, including an ability to utilise national variances in normative documents relative to international relations;
- Skills to effectively arrange analytical work in the field of international multilateral contacts;
- Skills in social media’s analysis and big data applied in the field of foreign policy and diplomacy.
Our students have an opportunity to take part in such events as:
- Conferences that are relevant to all the international events embraced by St Petersburg University, including the annual Russian-American International Seminar, student conferences, and the events of our partners;
- Internships that are available at numerous local organisations that deal with international issues including the Committee of Foreign Affairs at the City Administration, Inter-parliamentary Assembly, Trade Chambers, TV channels, consulates and embassies located in both Moscow and St Petersburg. Moreover, students have opportunities to find internship vacancies at an international organisation and its affiliations located abroad;
- Exchange programmes are open for all students, who are accepted to the programme at St Petersburg University and enable students to spend one semester at partner university abroad.
The programme is implemented in close cooperation with local and international organisations that deal with word politics, including TV channels, city administration, trade chambers, and the United Nations.
Students studying with us undergo practical training in such organisations as:
- Committee of Foreign Affairs at the City Administration
- Inter-parliamentary Assembly
- Trade Chamber of the Leningrad Oblast
- TV channels, including RT and 5 Channel
- Consulates and embassies located in both Moscow and St Petersburg, including United Nations’ affiliations located in European countries, and others.
Our programme makes it possible to master practical skills in the analysis of both Russian politics and international relations.
A master’s thesis opens the opportunity for profound field concentration relative to selected issues in the field of International Relations.
The Programme Council includes representatives of European universities, Russian experts’ community in the field of international relations, Russian government, and diplomatic corps.
The academic staff have completed training and internships at U.S., European and Asian universities. They have PhDs from European universities, or hold Russian degrees of Candidate of Sciences and/or Doctor of Sciences, and actively publish textbooks for the students of the programme.