What are the hardest parts of an international relations degree?
The hardest parts of an international relations degree can include managing a broad and theory-heavy curriculum, comparing competing explanations of global events, and producing well-supported arguments from complex sources. Depending on the course, students may also face substantial academic reading, research methods, statistics, policy writing, or language study.
Key points
- You may need to connect history, politics, economics, law, security, and regional studies rather than study one subject in isolation.
- Assignments can require evaluating evidence and assumptions, not simply describing current events or presenting a personal opinion.
- Research tasks may involve interpreting academic literature, analysing data, and citing sources accurately.
- Keeping up with changing international issues can be demanding, especially when events have competing interpretations.
Things to check
- The balance between theory, quantitative methods, languages, placements, and assessments varies by university, country, and programme, so check the course details and assessment information.