International Relations and Area Studies

Description

International Relations and Area Studies is a new (established in 2013) undergraduate programme offered by the Faculty of International and Political Studies of the Jagiellonian University. It also available as a STUDY ABROAD option for current BA students.

This comprehensive and interdisciplinary BA programme, taught entirely in English, offers Polish and international students the chance to study for their university degree at the oldest and the most renowned university in Poland and at its most dynamic Faculty.

The new degree programme provides a broad knowledge and understanding of international political processes, institutions, ideas and cultures, strategy and security. It also gives students the opportunity to choose in the second year of their studies the specialization which best meets their interests and professional needs. We offer three specializations: International Security, Politics and Culture and Area Studies. Having chosen Area Studies the student will be required to take up two optional modules (from the five offered):

• Europe
• Russia and other Countries of The Commonwealth of Independent States
• Middle East and North Africa
• East Asia,
• United States, Canada and Latin America

This programme offers prospective students the opportunity to study in Krakow, the most attractive, historic city in Poland.

The program is designed for Polish and international students who work or wish to work within the fields of strategy, security, culture, and political analysis in either government or non-governmental organizations, international institutions, development agencies, the media and private industry, or those wishing to acquire further qualification and/or pursue post-graduate university education in related academic areas. The degree will also meet your needs if you have a more general interest in foreign policy and international relations, and would like to demonstrate to your future employer a sound grasp of international affairs.
The programme is also suitable for students wishing to complete their 'Study Abroad' option and its duration then is one year.

Detailed Course Facts

• EUR 3650 Year (EEA)
• EUR 3650 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

Most of the first year courses are compulsory to all students and their goal is to provide a good introduction to the study of politics and international relations, as well as social sciences in general. These courses include: Introduction to Political Science, Economics, Introduction to International Relations, History of Political Philosophy, Introduction to Jurisprudence, Human Rights, International History of the 20th Century, and a Tutorial. Students can choose two courses from the list of optional courses.

Second year courses are divided into two groups: general courses which are compulsory to all students, such as Comparative Politics and International Law, and specialization courses.

Third year courses include specialization courses, optional courses and a Diploma Thesis Seminar.

Graduation requirements

In order to complete their degree students are required to obtain all the necessary credits depending on their specialization and to write a Diploma thesis.
The final mark on the diploma includes the following elements:

• evaluation of the thesis, which is 3/8 of the final mark,
• evaluation of the defense of the thesis (examination), which is the 1/8 of the final mark
• weighted average of the marks gained during the whole course of the studies, which accounts for half of the final result of the diploma.

SPECIALIZATIONS

1. International Security

In order to ensure that students are able to master the complex challenges of the post-9/11 world, this specialization module views security from a broad theoretical and historical perspective, placing traditional security concerns in the context of such fields as development, economics and human rights. Students focus on a diverse range of topics, which include strategy, foreign policy, intelligence, homeland security, military analysis, regional security and conflict resolution.

This specialization aims to provide a sound knowledge of contemporary international relations with a special focus on security issues, the relationship between politics and security, and specifically on the causes of war and the use and control of force. It teaches the theories and the historical context for understanding contemporary international relations and security issues. This option is for students interested in an in-depth study of international security and international politics. It enables students to master the complex challenges of the post-9/11 world and it views security from a broad theoretical and historical perspective, placing traditional security concerns in the context of such fields as development, economics and human rights. The programme combines research methods, policy evaluation, oral presentation, and preparation of an honors thesis by each student. Courses are drawn from a variety of topics such as An Analysis of Contemporary International Politics, Conflict Resolution and Peace Building, War and Conflict, Energy Policy, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, European Security, Transatlantic Relations and Global Discourses.

The International Security option delivers a nuanced understanding of the international security field and equips students with theoretical, policy, and practical perspectives. This involves developing a sound knowledge of the key concepts, functions, and operations of the national/international security infrastructure, understanding complex global interrelationships; comprehending the evolution and transformation of the international threat environment, synthesizing conflict/peace theory with national security policy and practical intelligence applications. Graduates are thoroughly prepared to serve as administrators, executives, military and civil servants, policy analysts and consultants.

2. Politics and Culture

Politics and Culture (P&C) as a specialization focuses on the nature of the political world as seen from the perspective of culture. P&C raises questions about why contemporary states have developed different political systems and social orders. The answer can often be found in their cultural conditions. Thus, to deepen our understanding of the modern, rapidly changing world and the processes that characterize it, cultural competence seems to be necessary.

The Politics & Culture specialization offers a selection of courses that cover crucial issues undertaken in modern social science; it also delivers necessary knowledge and competence for a better comprehension of social, political and cultural processes occurring in contemporary states and societies. It explores topics like: politics in the context of culture, global migrations and their consequences, human rights and democracy, cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, culture and industry of culture.

A graduate of International Relations with the Politics & Culture specialization will acquire critical and analytical skills (not only) in political science, intellectual versatility, multicultural competence and ability to understand the complexity of contemporary international relations, which will shape the future global order. Equipped with such knowledge the graduate should easily find employment within the civil service, development agencies, as a media consultant, heritage manager or public relations expert.

3. Area Studies

This specialization is ideal for those who would like to learn about and understand other cultures and their traditions and are interested in history, civilization, social and political issues of various regions of the world. It is an interdisciplinary, intercultural, and interactive major, linking language study with other academic disciplines such as politics, history, economics, sociology, anthropology, literature and philosophy. It provides critical direction in study, research and professional experience necessary to understanding current global trends in politics, sociology and economics. Area Studies also offers an innovative framework for the preparation of responsible citizens who are aware of larger world issues and local concerns and are able to draw on both the arts and sciences in considering these changes.

This programme brings together five units: Europe, Russia and other Countries of The Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East and North Africa, East Asia and the United States, Canada and Latin America. In their second year of studies students select two modules/regions in order to deepen their understanding of the complexity and the interrelatedness of society through the use of such disciplines as politics, history, economics, anthropology, sociology and culture. Teaching seeks to take into account both the insights provided by the separate disciplines and the contextualisation provided by in-depth knowledge of specific regions and countries.
In order to get a better access to the study of the selected regions, students study one or two languages depending on the chosen module: German, Russian, Arabic, Chinese or Spanish. All courses are taught by the members of several departments within the Faculty of International and Political Studies – specialists in their fields – including the Department of European Studies, the Department of Russia and Eastern Europe, the Department of American Studies and Polish Diaspora and the Department of Middle East and Far East Studies.

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 5.5

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

• Polish Maturity Certificate or recognised equivalent of a High School/Secondary School Graduation Certificate from any other country
• Minimum English Language Proficiency at the level of at least B2 (CEFR), or 5.5 to 6.0-6.5 (IELTS) or the equivalent. Prospective students must provide the Jagiellonian University with evidence of English Language proficiency in the form of either original documents (i.e. original transcript or test scores) or a certified copy. This requirement does not concern those applicants for whom English is either the native language or was the language of instruction at school.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Alumni Study Travel Fund

  Scholarships for students who are already attending the University of Reading.

• Amsterdam Merit Scholarships

  The University of Amsterdam aims to attract the world’s brightest students to its international classrooms. Outstanding students from outside the European Economic Area can apply for an Amsterdam Merit Scholarship.

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than Jagiellonian University.