Bachelor of Arts and Master of International Relations

Arts at Monash is your comprehensive gateway to a wide range of fascinating and rewarding areas of study across the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Pair this with a Master of International Relations and fast track your way to a higher qualification.

In your Bachelor of Arts degree you will choose from a select range of majors related to the destination Masters degree. You’ll also have the scope to choose from almost 40 different areas of study for your Minor and electives, including languages, social sciences, communications, politics, human  rights, and international relations.  While developing an informed, critical awareness of the fields you're most passionate about, you’ll lay the groundwork for a wealth of exciting careers.

As a high achieving student (75% average), in the third year of your degree you will start to transition into the Masters degree. The Master of International Relations enables you to deal critically and analytically with such questions, providing a window into the dynamic world of 21st century  politics.

The course explores the security, ethical, legal and economic dimensions of international relations. You will examine key issues in foreign policy, world order, European studies, crisis management and terrorism, as well as the gender, development, migration and governance aspects of global politics.  We offer four specialisations:

• Governance and security
• International diplomacy and trade
• Political violence and counter-terrorism
• General international relations studies

As preparation for transitioning into the Masters degree during your third year, you will select from one of the following areas for your major:

• Chinese Studies
• French Studies
• German Studies
• Indonesian Studies
• International Relations
• International Studies
• Italian Studies
• Japanese Studies
• Korean Studies
• Politics
• Spanish and Latin American Studies

The Bachelor of Arts offers both diversity and focus, and builds informed, skilful and critically aware citizens of the world. In addition to your major, you can sample from a wide range of study areas, giving you a comprehensive base across areas in the arts, humanities and social sciences. You'll  develop a rich understanding of human difference and communication, the complexities of social organisation, and humankind's trajectory through the past and into the future.

With many opportunities to undertake study overseas, or via a study tour or internship program, you’ll become an expert in your chosen area, and will be work ready, equipped with the core skills employers in all sectors are looking for including:

• written and verbal communication skills
• teamwork skills
• listening and decision-making skills
• leadership and negotiation skills
• methods to build rapport and confidence
• critical-thinking skills
• problem-solving skills
• research skills

The Master of International Relations will help you make sense of the complexity of global politics and economics by giving you the analytical perspectives and skills to see both the 'bigger picture' and detailed aspects of specific issues, with a solid intellectual grounding in key debates, historical  events and political institutions.

You will be taught by leading experts in their respective fields, who have strong networks with a number of international and local organisations. This ensures that you will be exposed to the very latest advances in international relations.

The course also provides opportunities to study and attend field schools abroad, and to develop research interests in a number of areas. You will have the opportunity to take advantage of Monash's global presence, with campuses in South Africa, Malaysia, China, and Italy. And our internship program  enables you to build practical experience as well as valuable professional networks in Australia and overseas.

This course leads to two separate degrees.

• the Bachelor of Arts

and

• the Master of International Relations

You will gain all the benefits of a Bachelor’s degree and a Masters course (see Bachelor of Arts/Master of International Relations).

As a graduate with a degree in Arts you’ll be prepared for global employment opportunities in a wide range of occupations and settings. The Masters course graduates have gone on to a broad range of occupations and have, for example, been employed by the United Nations, the Australian Government,  and non-governmental organisations such as the International Red Cross.