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Master of Politics - MPol
MPol International Relations (four-year integrated masters)
University of Essex
Entry requirements
Here's what you will need to get a place on the MPol International Relations (four-year integrated masters) course at University of Essex.
Select a qualification to see required grades
A level
A,B,B
ABB - BBB or 128 - 120 tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A-levels
Tuition fees
| Location | Fees |
|---|---|
| England | £9,250 per year |
| Scotland | £9,250 per year |
| Wales | £9,250 per year |
| Northern Ireland | £9,250 per year |
| Channel Islands | £9,250 per year |
| Republic of Ireland | £9,250 per year |
| EU | £21,525 per year |
| International | £21,525 per year |
Course summary
What this course is about
UCAS code: L268
Here's what University of Essex says about its MPol International Relations (four-year integrated masters) course.
MPol International Relations is an integrated Masters course giving you the opportunity to seamlessly continue your studies from undergraduate to masters level in 4 years (5 years if choosing a placement year or year abroad). It provides a thorough grounding in all major areas of international relations and widens your awareness of the world system, while training you in the research and critical thinking skills that are prized by employers.
Why don't democratic countries go to war with each other? What is the role of the United Nations and other international organisations? What is globalisation and how does it impact our daily lives? Who should pay for climate change? These are the kinds of questions addressed in our MPol in International Relations.
You can explore a very wide range of topic areas in which the Department of Government produces world-leading research, including:
-
Conflict resolution and peacekeeping
-
International environmental policy
-
Security studies
-
Terrorist groups and tactics
-
Overseas aid and development
-
Human rights and global justice
-
Transitions to democracy
The Department of Government at Essex is one of the most prestigious departments in Europe. It has been ranked top in the UK for research in Political Science & International Studies in every single government assessment exercise since they began in 1986. It also offers a better staff-student ratio than many of the other leading departments in the UK – crucial when it comes to offering support and supervision throughout your degree.
Course details
Qualification
Master of Politics - MPol
Department
Government
Location
Colchester Campus | Colchester
Duration
4 Years
Study mode
Full-time
Subjects
• International relations
Start date
October 2025
Application deadline
January 29, 2025
University of Essex reviews
Showing 45 reviews
2nd year student
The SU tries their best with the budget they have. They are probably one of the only departments who try their hardest at Essex. Societies and sports clubs are great with lots of socials and a great way and the best way to make new friends at Essex. The 2 bars and nightclub on campus are ok although...
2 years ago
2nd year student
I live near Colchester so I haven’t moved far to go to Essex University so I knew what the area would be like. It isn’t the most busiest area and you can pretty much find every and do everything tourist-wise in a couple of days. Nightlife is ok with the club on campus and a couple in the town, all o...
2 years ago
2nd year student
With the cost of living so high in the UK, the University has only raised their rent slightly and when you take into account that bills are included, the cheaper accommodation options are quite good deals. I notice that financial support is offered to those in more difficult circumstances due to the...
2 years ago
2nd year student
There is more that could be done in this area and I imagine those who are new to this sort of environment (living on your own, needing to self motivate to study etc) would struggle as there is a lack of communication from all aspects of the University. A simple email explaining how a specific examin...
2 years ago
2nd year student
The facilities on campus for education (library, labs etc) I cannot fault and they all work effectively. However, the accommodation is quite poor. In my 1st year in halls, I moved into a dirty room which smelt like a toilet. Clearly it hadn’t been cleaned since the last tenant which meant I had to c...
2 years ago
2nd year student
The course content is good however the delivery is lacking. It seems pointless going to lectures face to face as a lot of lecturers just read off the slides and add nothing on top. Sometimes the lecturers themselves seem puzzled at some of the content on the slides and they often just quickly move o...
2 years ago
National Student Survey (NSS) scores
The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.
Here you can see ratings from University of Essex students who took the MPol International Relations (four-year integrated masters) course - or another course in the same subject area.
Select an option to see a detailed breakdown
Teaching on my course
85%
med
Teaching on my course
85%
med
How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?
82%
med
How good are teaching staff at explaining things?
95%
med
How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?
82%
low
How often is the course intellectually stimulating?
82%
low
Learning opportunities
78%
low
Learning opportunities
78%
low
To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?
76%
low
How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?
81%
med
How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?
76%
med
To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?
80%
low
To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?
75%
med
Assessment and feedback
79%
med
Assessment and feedback
79%
med
How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?
83%
med
How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?
81%
med
How often does feedback help you to improve your work?
66%
med
How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
87%
med
How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?
78%
med
Academic support
90%
med
Academic support
90%
med
How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?
93%
med
How well have teaching staff supported your learning?
87%
med
Organisation and management
83%
med
Organisation and management
83%
med
How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?
78%
med
How well organised is your course?
86%
med
Learning resources
91%
med
Learning resources
91%
med
How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?
85%
med
How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?
95%
high
How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?
91%
med
Student voice
77%
med
Student voice
77%
med
How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?
61%
med
To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?
84%
med
To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?
84%
med
How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?
71%
med
Other NSS questions
Other NSS questions
During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
89%
med
How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?
73%
med
Student information
See who's studying at University of Essex. These students are taking MPol International Relations (four-year integrated masters) or another course from the same subject area.
| Most popular A-levels studied | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Grade | |||||
| Government and Politics | B | |||||
| History | C | |||||
| English Literature | C | |||||
| Sociology | B | |||||
| Economics | C | |||||
Graduate prospects
What graduates do next
Facts and figures about University of Essex graduates who took MPol International Relations (four-year integrated masters) - or another course in the same subject area.
Graduate statistics
55%
In a job where degree was essential or beneficial
78%
In work, study or other activity
60%
Say it fits with future plans
35%
Are utilising studies
Top job areas
30%
Business and public service associate professionals
15%
Administrative occupations
10%
Information Technology Professionals
5%
Business, Research and Administrative Professionals
Graduate statistics percentages are determined 15 months after a student graduates
Earnings after graduation
Earnings from University of Essex graduates who took MPol International Relations (four-year integrated masters) - or another course in the same subject area.
Earnings
£20.4k
First year after graduation
£28.8k
Third year after graduation
£31.8k
Fifth year after graduation
Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to MPol International Relations (four-year integrated masters).
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree
Discussions
Discussions
Students are talking about University of Essex on The Student Room.
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