25/01/2022
Deciding between a Master in International Development and a Master in International Relations depends on several key factors. We’ve outlined both programs to help you discover what they offer and which one is best suited for your professional wants.
At IE University, both the Master in International Development and the Master in International Relations will prepare you to be a leader on a global level. But, selecting the program that is right for you is determined by your individual goals.
What is a Master in International Development?
IE University’s Master in International Development focuses on training you to be part of building a better tomorrow. Designed in partnership with the United Nations System Staff College, the program is for those who want to become versed in how to build sustainable, socially and economically equitable societies. Key outcomes include skills in critical thinking, management and cooperation.
Structured around the 5 Ps of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—people, planet, peace, prosperity and partnership—the Master in International Development has a practical orientation that blends theory with case studies and research projects.
Program participants also have the opportunity to complement their classroom learning with a week of hands-on work at a UN operation.
What is a Master in International Relations?
The Master in International Relations aims to prepare participants to shape the future through multilateral decision-making and leadership. IE University provides the opportunity to visit leading organizations including the European Commission, the European Parliament and NATO, allowing students to see the OECD headquarters in Paris as well as spend a week in Brussels gaining first-hand experience of the inner workings of major players in the sector.
With an innovative curriculum that moves with current affairs, the program is guaranteed to remain up-to-date and engaging.
The structure of the program is divided into four core areas: Management and Analytical Skills; Geopolitics and Diplomacy; International Economics and Business; and Global Governance and International Cooperation. Students will specialize in one of the latter three areas as they continue along the program, further solidifying their skill set. Students may also specialize in a geographical region including China and East Asia; Europe and North America; Africa; the Middle East and North Africa; or Latin America.
Options for the future
While both the Master in International Development and the Master in International Relations will equip you for a career that crosses borders and cultures, the programs diverge in terms of content as well as professional orientation.
The Master in International Development gives participants the tools to design solutions to various challenges facing the world today.
Issues such as sustainability, access to education and human rights are on the agenda, and the program focuses on how to both tackle these issues in the international arena and develop policies that will create a better world for everyone. Graduates are ready to enter international organizations in the public or private sector and can work for aid groups, NGOs or government institutions as researchers, consultants, project managers and so on.
The Master in International Relations takes a more politically oriented approach, training participants to understand the various dynamics shaping the interactions, collaborations and conflicts between nations. The program includes the study of history and economics, offering a holistic overview of the various factors impacting international relations.
Graduates come away from the program with the skills needed to work as political analysts, policy developers, diplomats, and so forth.
Curious to know more?
Both programs involve collaboration with prestigious international organizations to ensure that participants graduate with the skills and knowledge needed to hit the ground running in their careers.
To learn more about the specifics of each program, check out their dedicated pages here:
