International Relations with Religion in Society

International relations combined with religion in society is a degree that takes seriously something that mainstream international relations has sometimes underestimated: the role of religious belief, religious institutions, and religious conflict in shaping world politics. From the Thirty Years War to the Arab-Israeli conflict, from the Islamic Revolution in Iran to the political influence of evangelical Christianity in American foreign policy, religion has been and remains a powerful force in international affairs. Understanding international relations without understanding religion means missing a crucial dimension of how states, movements, and individuals actually behave.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year, full-time MA (Hons) combines rigorous training in international relations, covering the causes of war and peace, foreign policy, trade regimes, terrorism, human rights, international law, and the interaction of political and economic development, with serious scholarly engagement with the role of religion in contemporary society and international affairs. You will study religion not as an object of personal belief but as a social, political, and cultural force that operates across national boundaries and in the most consequential arenas of global politics. A year abroad is embedded in the programme, giving you the opportunity to study these questions in a different academic and cultural environment.

The typical entry tariff reflects the high academic expectations of one of Scotland's leading research universities.

Graduates of international relations with religion in society go on to careers in diplomacy, the civil service, international organisations, journalism, think tanks, NGOs, interfaith dialogue bodies, and academic research. The combination is particularly valuable for roles in conflict resolution, development work, religious freedom advocacy, and international policy where understanding the religious dimensions of political life is a genuine professional asset. Postgraduate study in international relations, religion and politics, conflict studies, or area studies is a natural continuation for those who wish to develop specialist expertise.