MSc in International Relations (LSE and Sciences Po)

Page contents > Paper 1 options list | Paper 2 options list | Footnotes

Programme Code: TMIR2

Department: International Relations

For students starting this programme of study in 2024/25

Guidelines for interpreting programme regulations

This programme is part of the **LSE-Sciences Po Double Degree in Affaires Internationales**.
**Year 1 at Sciences Po**
Joint IR seminar with the whole group (28 hours)
Political Issues or World Politics (56 hours)
Social Science (including Economics) (56 hours)
Specialisation (140 hours)
Compulsory French/English language class (28 hours)
Second foreign language for all students (28 hours)

**Year 2 at LSE**
Students will enrol in *either* the MSc in International Relations or the MSc in International Political Economy as follows:
Classification scheme for the award of a taught master's degree (four units)
Exam sub-board local rules

Full-year programme. Students must take optional courses to the value of three full units and a dissertation.

Please note that places are limited on some optional courses. Admission onto any particular course is not guaranteed and may be subject to timetabling constraints and/or students meeting specific prerequisite requirements.
	Course code, title (unit value)

Paper 1	IR4A1 International Relations: Core Theories and Debates (0.5)
	IR4A2 International Relations: Global Applications (0.5)
	IR4A3 International Relations: Critical Perspectives (0.5)
	MY4IR Research Design for International Relations (0.5)

Paper 2	Courses to the value of 1 unit(s) from the following: IR40A World Orders in International Relations: Past, Present and Future (0.5) #
	IR40B The EU in the World (0.5) #
	IR40C Global Politics of China (0.5)
	IR411 Foreign Policy Analysis III (1.0)
	IR412 International Institutions (1.0)
	IR419 International Relations of the Middle East (1.0) #
	IR434 European Defence and Security (0.5)
	IR448 American Grand Strategy (0.5)
	IR452 Empire and Conflict in World Politics (0.5)
	IR462 Theory of International Society (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)
	IR464 The Politics of International Human Rights (0.5)
	IR465 SPECIAL TOPIC: International Institutions, Law and Ethics (1.0) # (suspended 2026/27)
	IR466 Genocide (0.5)
	IR467 Green Political Economy (0.5)
	IR471 Critical International Law (0.5)
	IR472 SPECIAL TOPIC: Security and Statecraft (0.5) (suspended 2026/27)
	IR473 China and the Global South (0.5)
	IR475 Race, Resistance and Decolonisation in International Relations (0.5)
	IR476 Gender, Power and International Politics (0.5)
	IR477 The Politics of Peace & Security in Sub-Saharan Africa (0.5)
	IR478 Critical War Studies (0.5)
	IR479 Eastern Europe: Domestic Regimes and Foreign Policies (0.5) #
	IR488 International Politics of Southeast Asia (0.5)
	IR490 Strategic Aspects of International Relations III (0.5)
	IR492 The Political Economy of China's Technological Rise (0.5)
	IR493 Global Governance of Technological Risks (0.5)
	IR494 Conflict and Peacebuilding (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)
	IR495 The Politics of Displacement and Refuge (0.5) (suspended 2026/27)
	IR4B1 Islam in World Politics (0.5)

Paper 3	Courses to the value of 1.0 unit(s) from Paper 1, Paper 2 or a course from another programme approved by the Programme Director
	Paper 1 options list
	Paper 2 options list
Paper 4	IR499 Dissertation in International Relations (1.0)

Paper 1 options list



IR4A1 International Relations: Core Theories and Debates (0.5)
IR4A2 International Relations: Global Applications (0.5)
IR4A3 International Relations: Critical Perspectives (0.5)
MY4IR Research Design for International Relations (0.5)

Paper 2 options list



IR40A World Orders in International Relations: Past, Present and Future (0.5) #
IR40B The EU in the World (0.5) #
IR40C Global Politics of China (0.5)
IR411 Foreign Policy Analysis III (1.0)
IR412 International Institutions (1.0)
IR416 The EU in the World (1.0) # (suspended 2026/27)
IR419 International Relations of the Middle East (1.0) #
IR434 European Defence and Security (0.5)
IR448 American Grand Strategy (0.5)
IR452 Empire and Conflict in World Politics (0.5)
IR462 Theory of International Society (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)
IR464 The Politics of International Human Rights (0.5)
IR465 SPECIAL TOPIC: International Institutions, Law and Ethics (1.0) # (suspended 2026/27)
IR466 Genocide (0.5)
IR467 Green Political Economy (0.5)
IR471 Critical International Law (0.5)
IR472 SPECIAL TOPIC: Security and Statecraft (0.5) (suspended 2026/27)
IR473 China and the Global South (0.5)
IR475 Race, Resistance and Decolonisation in International Relations (0.5)
IR476 Gender, Power and International Politics (0.5)
IR477 The Politics of Peace & Security in Sub-Saharan Africa (0.5)
IR478 Critical War Studies (0.5)
IR479 Eastern Europe: Domestic Regimes and Foreign Policies (0.5) #
IR488 International Politics of Southeast Asia (0.5)
IR490 Strategic Aspects of International Relations III (0.5)
IR493 Global Governance of Technological Risks (0.5)
IR494 Conflict and Peacebuilding (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)
IR495 The Politics of Displacement and Refuge (0.5) (suspended 2026/27)
IR4B1 Islam in World Politics (0.5)
MY4IR Research Design for International Relations (0.5)

Footnotes

# means there may be prerequisites for this course. Please view the course guide for more information.

Note for prospective students:
For changes to graduate course and programme information for the next academic session, please see the graduate summary page for prospective students. Changes to course and programme information for future academic sessions can be found on the graduate summary page for future students.