Political Science - International Relations

Overview

Why study the Political Science - International Relations programme offered at Radboud University

• Our students are challenged to look beyond the daily news and to disentangle deeper global structures of power that underlie the causes and outcomes of global conflicts. The programme provides students with an overview of characteristic patterns, mechanisms and normative assessments of post-Cold War conflicts. Students acquire the tools to describe the nature of war and conflict in the 21st century by investigating who the relevant actors are, the strategies these actors predominantly use, and the extent to which the dynamics of violent conflicts differ from wars in the previous centuries.
• We study how political choices are legitimised, discussing the power of persuasion, the role of norms and the impact of identity.
• The Master’s programme in Political Science is accredited by the NVAO (the Dutch-Flemish accreditation organisation). The panel, consisting of international experts, concludes that the programme is rightly proud of its community spirit, which continues to benefit the programme’s achievement level and its graduates’ careers alike 

Career prospects

Our alumni have positions as policy-makers in international organisations, political parties, government ministries, market authorities, the European Parliament, and the European Commission. Our alumni also work as consultants for profit and non-profit organisations and as researchers at think-tanks and universities. 

They are employed by banks and other financial institutions and by the media. This is because our graduates have the skills that employers want, namely sound research and analytical skills, excellent written and oral communication skills, and experience in working both in teams and independently.