The Student Room Group

IR and Politics Postgraduate schools

I got offers from a few IR and Politics postgraduate programs in the UK. I'm an international student so I would appreciate it if you could give me some advice on these schools.

Warwick - MA International Politics and East Asia
SOAS - MA Asian Politics
Bristol - MSc International Relations
Exeter - MSc International Relations
Essex - MRes International Relations

Which schools are well known (reputation) for IR and Politics as Postgraduate schools. I have not many info. and it's difficult to decide.
Reply 1
Original post by moss13
I got offers from a few IR and Politics postgraduate programs in the UK. I'm an international student so I would appreciate it if you could give me some advice on these schools.

Warwick - MA International Politics and East Asia
SOAS - MA Asian Politics
Bristol - MSc International Relations
Exeter - MSc International Relations
Essex - MRes International Relations

Which schools are well known (reputation) for IR and Politics as Postgraduate schools. I have not many info. and it's difficult to decide.

Hi, these are all good schools for different reasons and congratulations for getting so many offers. I think the important thing to do is to look closely at each course and choose the course that most interests you, but also, remember each university is different too. SOAS in London is very different from Exeter, which is a relatively small city. Accommodation and cost of living prices will vary between them. Another important issue for 2020 entry is whether your university will be teaching at least the first term online or not.... some have already said they will be, although it is too soon to be sure. My advice is to research all the courses carefully and consider which has the most relevant and interesting content to you. After that look at the location - and then their mode of teaching through the pandemic. good luck!
Reply 2
Original post by ess958
Hi, these are all good schools for different reasons and congratulations for getting so many offers. I think the important thing to do is to look closely at each course and choose the course that most interests you, but also, remember each university is different too. SOAS in London is very different from Exeter, which is a relatively small city. Accommodation and cost of living prices will vary between them. Another important issue for 2020 entry is whether your university will be teaching at least the first term online or not.... some have already said they will be, although it is too soon to be sure. My advice is to research all the courses carefully and consider which has the most relevant and interesting content to you. After that look at the location - and then their mode of teaching through the pandemic. good luck!


Thank you for a such a nice and helpful advice. Since I have received the offer letters, I have been comparing and researching all the courses, accommodation, and cost of living prices. Each school have different and interesting courses that I'd want to study (and this is one of the reasons why I've applied to these schools). However, as I have received offers, now it's time for me to decide. But I do not have as many information as students in the UK and Europe. So I'd want to ask what the reputations of the schools are like in IR and Politics field (the information that I couldn't find through google research and not just the rankings). :smile:
Reply 3
Original post by moss13
Thank you for a such a nice and helpful advice. Since I have received the offer letters, I have been comparing and researching all the courses, accommodation, and cost of living prices. Each school have different and interesting courses that I'd want to study (and this is one of the reasons why I've applied to these schools). However, as I have received offers, now it's time for me to decide. But I do not have as many information as students in the UK and Europe. So I'd want to ask what the reputations of the schools are like in IR and Politics field (the information that I couldn't find through google research and not just the rankings). :smile:

All the universities on the list are very good for IR and beyond the generally good reputation they all share the choice becomes subjective, none really stand out as being better than the rest, especially as the courses you mention vary. I think the best way to check this specific point to your own satisfaction is to look into the work of the lecturers on each course - what research they have done, books they have written etc. I am sure you have already done this. This will help you decide who you want to study with. But in answer to your basic question, to my knowledge at least, there is little between them reputation wise. If someone tells you x is better than y, it is likely to be about their own personal preference or bias as much as anything.

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