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International Relations

Entry requirements.

The minimum entry requirement for this programme is a high merit (65+) in a master’s degree in a subject relevant to the proposed research with high merit (65+) in the dissertation element, or equivalent. Applications which do not meet these criteria (or do not expect to do so on completion of any pending qualifications) are not considered eligible.

Months of entry

Course content.

About the MPhil/PhD programme

This programme offers you the chance to be part of one of the world's leading departments in the study of international relations while you undertake a substantial piece of work that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to international relations. You will begin on the MPhil and be upgraded to PhD status after passing a research panel within 18 months of initial registration.

The Department is organised around four Research Clusters: International Institutions, Law and Ethics ; Theory/Area/History ; International Political Economy ; and Statecraft and Security . You will belong to at least one of these clusters during your studies and attend its weekly events. You will also have the chance to participate in the editing of a student-run journal Millennium: Journal of International Studies , which has a major role in the discipline.

The Department has particular strengths in international relations theory, security studies, international political economy, and European studies. As well as Europe, its specialist areas cover Russia, Central, Northeast and Southeast Asia, the USA, South America, the Middle East and Africa. Other areas of research strength include foreign policy analysis, nationalism, religion, historical sociology, international environmental politics and strategic and war studies. Many individuals contribute to more than one of these subjects, and there is interdisciplinary work with colleagues in the Departments of Government and International History, as well as through the many research centres at the School.

Department of International Relations

International Relations has been taught at LSE since 1924 and the department was set up three years later. We are one of the oldest as well as largest IR departments in the world, with a truly international reputation. We are ranked 2nd in the UK and 4th in the world in the QS World University Ranking by Subject 2022 tables for Politics and International Studies.

Information for international students

LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.

If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students .

Fees and funding

Every graduate student is charged a fee for their programme. Visit the website for more information about the fees .

The School recognises that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students.

LSE offers studentships to new PhD students in the form of LSE PhD Studentships, LSE ESRC Studentships, LAHP AHRC Studentships and LSE & III PhD Studentships on Analysing and Challenging Inequalities.

These awards are open to high calibre students of all nationalities studying across all research areas at the School.

Find out more about financial support.

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

• Campus-based learning is available for this qualification

Course contact details

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Houghton Street London WC2A 2AE United Kingdom

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is regarded as an international centre of academic excellence and innovation in the social sciences. LSE was founded in 1895 and joined the University of London in 1900.

In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), LSE is shown as the top university in the UK based on the proportion of ‘world-leading’ (4*) research produced.

LSE is also the joint second ranking university in the UK overall, when considering research outputs, research impact and research environment. 58 per cent of LSE’s research was judged to be world-leading (4*) and 35 per cent was deemed to be internationally excellent (3*). More About LSE in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021)

The School’s academic profile spans a broad range of social sciences and is renowned for studying real world issues, from economics, politics and law to sociology, anthropology, accounting and finance.

LSE offers 40 Bachelor’s degree programmes, over 140 taught Master’s and Diploma programmes, and PhD opportunities across the social sciences. Teaching and research are conducted through 25 Departments and Institutes and 23 Research Centres.

The University of London offers more than 30 distance learning undergraduate qualifications in finance and social science related disciplines that receive academic direction from LSE.

LSE is also part of a consortium of member institutions that provides academic direction for distance learning LLB and CertHE Common Law programmes. LSE is ranked sixth in the current QS World Rankings(External website) for law.

LSE has students from over 160 countries worldwide making the School a very international and cosmopolitan institution in which to study and their central location offers easy access to the vast cultural and social life that London has to offer.

Alumni and former staff include 18 Nobel Prize winners in Economics, Peace or Literature

The School regularly attracts leading public figures to give lectures, attend seminars and consult staff.

Graduates can be found in senior positions in organisations and government worldwide. Alumni and former staff include 18 Nobel Prize winners in Economics, Peace or Literature and 36 past or present Heads of State.

LSE alumni benefit from bespoke careers services, a mentoring network, events and their Leadership Series - livestreamed lectures with the world’s thought leaders.

LSE also hosts prestigious Summer school (External website) which are regularly attended by students from the University of London.

Scholarships are available to attend the session in London, while other July programmes are available in Beijing and Cape Town, South Africa

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The PhD journey

All you need to know from registration, right through to graduation, the phd academy is open from monday to friday, 10am to 4pm and closed for lunch between 12:30-1:30pm. in order to ensure the quickest possible response, please use the service desk. if you would like to speak to a member of the team, please state this in your enquiry and provide your contact details (e.g. email address, etc.) so that we can get back to you..

COVID-19 FAQs Advice for Research Students

Enrolment Autumn Term 2023 enrolment begins 11 September

Support and Wellbeing Resources for PhD researchers

Whilst registered, you are expected to be in regular attendance whether in person or online at the LSE for workshops, seminars and supervisory meetings (unless the School has given you permission to reside outside of the UK). Please refer to the School's statement on term dates, vacations and working during MPhil/PhD .

If you are going to be absent from the School for up to 2 weeks you will need to notify your supervisor and department.

If you are going to be absent from the School for more than 2 weeks (and up to 4 weeks) you will need to notify your supervisor and department. You will then need to notify the PhD Academy and you should send an email to the PhD Academy confirming the date you will be absent from, when you will return and where you will be.  You should also forward as an email your supervisor’s approval for the absence. If you are: going on a period of fieldwork; undertaking a period of study elsewhere; or interrupting your studies you will need to request permission for this by completing the relevant form on the ‘changes to your registration’ section of the A-Z of guidance documents .

For fieldwork you are required to undertake an Ethics Review and a Risk Assessment and therefore you should start the process at least 3 months in advance of your intended fieldwork start date. 

For Study Elsewhere you are required to undertake a Risk Assessment and therefore you should start the process at least 3 months in advanc e of your intended study elsewhere start date .

Please refer to our  COVID 19 FAQs  for updated information on fieldwork and study elsewhere, including links to the relevant forms.

Completed forms should be submitted to the PhD Academy for the consideration of the Chair of the Research Degrees Subcommittee at least one month prio r to the fieldwork/study elsewhere start date.

Tier 4 /Student Route Visa students

If you are sponsored by the School for a Tier 4/Student Route visa to study in the UK, you need to make sure you understand the conditions of your visa and are not in breach of them. You will find guidance and updates on rule changes on the Student Advice and Engagement Team webpage .

The PhD Log should be used to record meetings with your supervisor throughout your time at the School. Please note that using the PhD Log is a formal School requirement and a vital part of our processes to ensure we are meeting our legal responsibilities to the UKVI.

The PhD log is used to record attendance and engagement and it is the system we would refer to should we receive queries about attendance and engagement from UKVI. It is therefore vital that you update your PhD Log with your supervisor meeting on a regular basis. 

Regulations

There are a number of regulations governing your study at the School. It is your responsibility to ensure you have read and understood all regulations relevant to registration on your degree programme. You can seek advice on the regulations from any member of the PhD Academy team.

See the School's policies and procedures  for further details.

If you are taking any courses throughout your programme, you can choose them using LSE for You (LFY), LSE's web-based self-service student administration system.

Full information on course selection, including the deadline and how to make your selections can be found here .

If you are attending a course and not taking the assessment for it please submit an enquiry   before the examinations take place.

The PhD Academy also runs a number of events and courses  specifically aimed at research students. 

Research ethics

Researchers have responsibilities; to society, to funders, to their institution, and to those taking part in their research. For any research involving human participants, or data relating to identifiable human subjects, researchers are required to complete a research ethics review, and should begin by reading the LSE Research Ethics Policy  [PDF].

The LSE Research Ethics Policy aims to: 

• promote a culture within the School whereby researchers conscientiously reflect on the ethical implications of their research
• encourage researchers to properly consider such discipline-specific frameworks, statutory requirements and best practice guidelines as may be relevant to their research

Researchers need to consider a number of issues, such as the potential effects of the research they conduct – on participants, on those who may be indirectly affected by the outcomes of that research, and on those conducting the research. Researchers must also ensure they comply with any relevant statutory requirements – such as the UK Data Protection Act, the Mental Capacity Act. 

If you have any queries concerning the Ethics Policy contact Lyn Grove, [email protected] .

Progress monitoring

The PhD Log should be used to record meetings with your supervisor throughout your time at the School. You will also be able to find your submission deadline and other information on the Log and can use it to post work for comment. You should discuss with your supervisor how you will use the Log.

At the end of each academic year, your academic progress will be reviewed by your department and a decision made as to whether it is sufficient so that you can be re-registered for the following academic year.

You should check your departmental PhD Student Handbook for further information on how progress review will be conducted. Please refer to the Regulations for Research Degrees  which sets out School-wide requirements for progress review.

If you are initially registered on an MPhil/PhD programme, you will need to be upgraded to PhD status at the end of the first or second year. You will find further information on School-wide upgrade requirements in the Regulations for Research Degrees .

Check your departmental PhD Student Handbook for further details. For MRes/PhD programmes, upgrade to PhD status will have been part of your progression from the MRes programme and registration onto the PhD programme.

Changes to your enrolment

At certain times you may need to apply for a change to your student enrolment, for example to go on fieldwork or if you need to interrupt your studies. You will need to complete the relevant form to request such a change which you will find listed on A-Z of guidance documents .

All forms should be submitted well in advance of the start date of the proposed change in student enrolement.  

You can speak to a member of the PhD Academy team about any questions you may have before submitting your request. Please submit a query to set up a remote meeting with a member of the team,  stating your availaibility and specifiying whether you would like the meeting to be via Zoom or Teams.

COVID-19 financial support

In 2020 the School put in a place a scheme to offer financial support to students who were registered on their MRes/MPhil/PhD programme in the 2019/20 academic year and whose research plans had been significantly disrupted by the pandemic. The scheme is now broadened to include students who started their registration in August/September 2020 (on either an MPhil or an MRes or on an ESRC funded MSc) and to students who have already received a COVID extension under the original scheme.

The way the scheme will work depends on a number of different factors, which are explained in detail  here .  Please read this document carefully to determine which version of the scheme you are eligible to apply for.

Please send your completed forms to  [email protected]   at least one week before the relevant panel meeting.

Any student will still be able to request a standard interruption or extension using the standard forms that can be found in the A-Z of gudiance .

Fieldwork and Study Elsewhere

All students who wish to undertake a period of fieldwork or a period of study elsewhere away from London must complete a fieldwork/study elsewhere application form and submit this, fully completed, to the PhD Academy at least one month prior to the start of the fieldwork or study elsewhere period. Those intending to undertake fieldwork/data collection in London still need to read the fieldwork form.

Interrupting your studies

If at any point during your studies, you require an interruption to your studies, you should complete the  interruption to studies form which can be found in the A-Z of Guidance documents. Prior to submitting your form, you are strongly encouraged to speak with a member of the PhD Academy team who will be able to discuss what happens with your visa (if applicable), funding (if applicable) and submission deadline.

Please  submit a query  to set up a remote meeting with a member of the team, stating your availaibility and specifiying whether you would like the meeting to be via Zoom or Teams.

Parental Leave

The LSE Parental Leave policy for Research Degrees Students is available under the A-Z of Guidance documents and outlines what the leave policy is and what students need to do to apply for parent leave.

As each individuals case is unique, speak to a member of the PhD Academy team who will be able to discuss your options and  what happens with your visa (if you need one), funding and submission deadline.Please  submit a query  to set up a remote meeting with a member of the team, stating your availaibility and specifiying whether you would like the meeting to be via Zoom or Teams.

iThenticate: using text-matching software

The School makes text-matching software (iThenticate) available to its research students who might wish to use it to check their written work. Some departments also require students to use it, for example, as a part of the upgrade process.

If you are a research student and wish to use the software, please submit an enquiry   and we will set up an account for you.

You should check with your department (in the PhD Student Handbook) whether use of iThenticate is required as a part of your programme. If it is, an account should have been set up for you.

A copy of the Quick Start User Guide for iThenticate is provided here for your information: Quick Start User Guide [PDF].

You will also find further instructions on how to use the software on the iThenticate website. Fuller guidance is provided in the iThenticate User Manual  [PDF].

Should you have any questions about using the software or reading a report produced by it, please contact a member of the PhD Academy team.

Final year and MPhil/PhD examinations

As you enter the final year of your programme you will need to begin thinking about the preparation for submitting your thesis and your viva examination. 

Examination entry

As you enter your final year you should discuss the exam entry process with your supervisor you should start completing the Examination Entry form  with your supervisor.

Your supervisor is responsible for nominating your examiners although it is likely that he/she will discuss possible nominations with you to ensure they are the most appropriate choice.  Completed entry forms should be returned to the PhD Academy at least two months in advance of submitting your thesis: this is to allow sufficient time for your examiners to be formally appointed and to avoid potential delays to the examination (see below). If you are unable to meet this deadline, please seek advice from a member of the PhD Academy team. 

Once we have received your completed examination entry form, the examiner nominations are sent to the relevant subject panel for approval. We will then formally invite the examiners to act.

Until the examiners have confirmed with the PhD Academy that they can act, they are not appointed as your examiners. Therefore, we cannot send your thesis to them until that time and no arrangements for the viva examination should be agreed.  

In cases where an examiner nomination is not approved or an examiner is no longer able to act, supervisors will need to nominate a new examiner using the replacement examiner nomination form.

If you require additional arrangements for your viva , you should note this on your Exam Entry Form and a member of the PhD Academy team will contact you about this. If you already have an Inclusion/Adjustment Plan, it is recommended that you make contact with the Disability and Wellbeing Service 6 months prior to your submission date to discuss what arrangements you need for the viva. An updated copy of the Inclusion/Adjustment Plan should be provided to the PhD Academy.  You are encouraged to speak with a member of the PhD Academy team about your additional viva arrangements. 

Please  submit a query  to set up a remote meeting with a member of the team, stating your availability and specifying whether you would like the meeting to be via Zoom or Teams 

If you wish to apply for the Graduate Route post study visa, you should note this on your Exam Entry Form . You are advised to speak with the Student Advice and Engagement Team  about the visa process. After receiving advice from the Student Advice and Engagement Team, please contact the PhD Academy to discuss the examination process and the visa scheme.

Thesis submission

For the foreseeable future, thesis submission will be electronic only.The easiest way to submit the electronic version of your thesis to the PhD Academy by emailing  [email protected]  . If you are using the Microsoft One Drive to submit your thesis then you will need to send this by email to [email protected]

You should refer to the Formatting and binding your thesis document to ensure your thesis is formatted in line with the School’s requirements. The front pages of your thesis should contain certain information and you should refer to the Template for the front pages of your document for further guidance.  

You must submit your thesis by the deadline. If you are unsure what your deadline is, please submit an enquiry .

Theses that are submitted late cannot be accepted without an approved extension from the Research Degrees Subcommittee Chair. You should ensure you allow time for the final editing, printing and binding of your thesis within your deadline. 

Once we have received your thesis, and assuming your examiners have been formally appointed, we will then post your thesis to them for examination and confirm with you once we have done so. Examiners are not permitted to accept a thesis, in any format, from any source other than from the PhD Academy.  

Editorial help with your thesis

You might wish to seek help from a third party in editing your thesis before you submit it for examination. You will need to read the School’s Statement on Editorial Help  [PDF], provide a copy of it to any third party you use and declare what help you have received from a third party in the front pages of your thesis (see template for front pages of your thesis  [PDF]). 

Viva (oral) examination

From the start of the 2021/2022 academic session (from October onwards) regulations have been amended following consultation to allow departments the flexibility to undertake vivas either on campus or remotely, using approved video conferencing facilities.  

Departments have been asked to ensure that all parties have been consulted, have approved the online arrangement, and that they have adequate technical facilities. They have also been asked to ensure that support is available to you during the viva, in case you encounter any issues (e.g. your supervisor/s or DPD should be reachable during and after the viva). 

 You should not be involved in making any arrangements for your viva examination. Find further information about the viva and other examination arrangements in the  Guidelines for MPhil/PhD examinations [PDF].

The PhD Academy runs sessions on preparing for your viva and you are strongly encouraged to attend one of these sessions. Please check our webpages on a regular basis to see when the next session will be scheduled. 

Confirmation of your examination outcome

After your examination, the PhD Academy will email you to confirm the examiners' decision and give full details of what you will then be required to do. We ask examiners to confirm their decision to us within two weeks of your viva and we will normally email you confirmation of the examination outcome within two weeks of receiving the examiners’ decision.  You can find the possible outcomes from the examination in the Regulations for Research Degrees .. We cannot confirm an examiners decision with you until we have received the relevant information from both of your examiners.

Examination re-entry procedures

If your examiners decide that you require a further period (of between 7 and 12 months) in which to revise and resubmit your thesis, you will need to re-enter for the examination.

When the PhD Academy confirms the outcome of your original examination, we will also confirm the date by which you will need to submit your revised thesis. One month in advance of that deadline you should complete the Examination re-entry form  [DOC] and submit it to the PhD Academy. You will also need to pay the £200 re-entry fee using eshop at the same time: LSE eShop . You should follow the same formatting guidelines as provided above.

If you have any questions about this process, please  submit an enquiry  to our office.   You are welcome to contact the PhD Academy to discuss the outcome of your viva examination at any stage and we will share with you the information we have at that time.

Providing a final copy of your thesis

When you have successfully completed your MPhil or PhD (i.e. once you have completed your viva examination and any revisions your examiners have required you to make in your thesis) and in accordance with the School’s  Regulations for Research Degrees (paragraph 60.3), we will ask you to provide a final electronic copy of your thesis for deposit in LSE Theses Online  (LSETO). Read further information on LSETO [PDF] and guidance on submiting .

Please note that this is a requirement of the degree and we cannot make an award to you until we have received a final copy of your thesis.

The School encourages all PhD graduates to make their research widely available in line with its own Open Access Policy and that of the UKRI.

The School’s policy limits the delay that publishers may wish to impose between online publication and availability via a repository in accordance with the UKRI commitment that “the outputs of publicly funded research [is] to be freely available” The maximum acceptable embargo periods vary according to discipline; for the social sciences it is 12 months. Since LSETO has been operating (2011-12) the experience of our PhD graduates has been that depositing their work in it has had a positive rather than detrimental effect on publishing from their thesis.

It is, however, recognised that graduates may need to apply for an embargo. Under regulation 62, a 24-month embargo can be applied on grounds of publication, commercial exploitation and protection of participants. Please note that 24 months is the maximum amount that can be applied for.

Please ensure you have read the relevant regulation (paragraph 62,  Regulations for Research Degrees .) and/or seek advice from a member of the PhD Academy Team before you apply for an embargo.  

Your request will be considered for approval by the Research Degrees Subcommittee. If granted, you will still be required to provide an electronic copy of your final thesis. Your thesis title and abstract will still appear in LSETO, but the full text of it will not be accessible until the end of the agreed period of restricted access. If you also require the abstract/citation of your thesis to be embargoed, you should state this clearly in your request.

You can apply for an embargo by submitting an enquiry to the PhD Academy and providing the following information: the reason for the embargo, whether you want it applied to the abstract, the length of embargo and  and how long you wish the embargo to be in place (the maximum period is 24 months). 

Transcripts, proof of examination outcome and degree certificates

Requesting transcripts.

If you would like confirmation of any taught modules that you undertook as part of your MPhil/PhD studies, please submit an enquiry . Please ensure that you include your full name, date of birth and student number (if known) as well as details of the courses undertaken.

Proof of examination outcome  

Once your examiners have confirmed their decision with the PhD Academy, the PhD Academy will process the final outcome with 1-2 weeks of receiving the decision.  In order to be awarded, you will need to submit a final e-thesis to the Library. Once you have submitted a final copy of your thesis in accordance with the School’s requirements, we will be in a position to award you a degree.

If you require a letter confirming your award, please submit an enquiry . Please note that we can only confirm that a degree has been awarded once your final e-thesis has been received by the Library.

Degree certificates and replacements

Once you have been awarded, your degree certificate will be produced within 2 months of your award date. Degree certificate will be sent to your permanent  home address as per our records at the time of awarding. Please ensure you update check and update your permanent home address on LfY prior to your award date. Please note we cannot provide you with your degree certificate until you have provided a final copy of your thesis.

The School only issues one certificate to each student but in exceptional circumstances, you can make an application for a replacement. Applications can be made in the event of loss, damage or non-receipt of the original certificate. Please note that you must wait a minimum of 8 weeks from the date of issue of your original degree certificate before making an application for a replacement. This is to allow for a full search to be undertaken of the recorded delivery tracking system used for posting degree certificates.

To make an application for a replacement MPhil or PhD LSE degree certificate, please submit an enquiry .

If your degree certificate was issued by the University of London and not the LSE (your certificate will have the University of London on it) you will need to request a replacement from them. To make an application for a replacement, please contact  [email protected] . 

Degree verification

Third-parties (e.g. employers or other educational institutions) who wish to verify the details of an individual’s LSE degree award should do so online via Higher Education Degree Datacheck (HEDD) . Further information on the process can be found here.

Graduation ceremonies

The School’s graduation ceremonies take place in July and December each year. In order to attend the July ceremony you will need to have been awarded your degree by 30 April and to attend the December ceremony you will need to have been awarded your degree by 30 September.

Please note due to COVID 19 you are advised to check the Ceremonies webpages on up-to-date information on ceremony dates.

To be awarded your MPhil or PhD degree you must have completed the following: 

• the viva examination
• all revisions to your thesis required by your examiners following your viva examination
• received confirmation that your examiners are now satisfied that therequired revisions have been made
• submitted the final copy of your thesis to LSEthesesonline in accordance with the School’s requirements

These steps will need to have been completed by the deadlines above in order for you to be able to attend the relevant graduation ceremony. If you have further questions about how an award is made please contact us via this enquiry form . 

See further information about the graduation ceremonies .

Certificates and Letters Request your letters here

Researcher q&as short interviews with early career researchers at lse, student guidance for change of circumstances, vacation policy important information on term dates & vacation time.

Registration And Enrolment Information for new MPhil/PhD and visiting research students

Support and wellbeing Our team are here to help you with your needs

Guidance and regulations An A to Z of documents

Academic department PhD contacts Get in touch with your department

The team How to Contact Us

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MRes/PhD Political Science

• Graduate research
• Department of Government
• Application code M1ZN
• Starting 2024
• Home full-time: Closed
• Overseas full-time: Closed
• Location: Houghton Street, London

This programme offers you the chance to undertake a substantial piece of work that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to the field of political science. You will begin on the MRes, and will need to meet certain requirements to progress to the PhD.

The Department of Government at LSE is one of the largest political science departments in the UK and covers almost all areas of politics. We offer a comprehensive range of academic approaches, from political theory, political economy, rational choice theory, public policy, nationalism, conflict studies, and comparative government to the history of institutions and policy. Many faculty members have particular regional expertise on Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and/or Latin America. 

The MRes/PhD Political Science provides world-leading methods training, participation in a lively and open research culture, and the opportunity to be part of one of the best departments in political science and political studies in the world. You will join a small and highly selective entering class, of about 6-10 students, from a wide range of universities around the world. Together you will embark on the MRes portion of the programme, which is a structured route to the PhD.

Programme details

For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements for mres/phd political science.

First class or very good upper second class honours degree (normally 65+) and a taught master's degree (or equivalent) in political science or a closely related discipline (such as sociology, economics or history).

Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet our minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission.

For the MRes/PhD Political Science, your research prospoal should be about 2000 words. Your sample of written work should be either a degree essay of between 3000 and 5000 words, or a 3000-5000 word extract from a longer piece of work such as a dissertation.

See requirements for the samples of written work  

If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK then have a look at our  Information for International Students  to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

Assessing your application

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of members of staff at the School, and we recommend that you investigate  staff research interests  before applying.

We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form, including your:

- academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications) - personal statement - references - CV - research proposal - sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency. You do not need to provide this at the time of your application to LSE, but we recommend that you do.  See our English language requirements .

When to apply

The application deadline for this programme is 15 January 2024 . This is also the deadline to be considered for any LSE funding opportunity. See the fees and funding section for more details.

Fees and funding

Every research student is charged a fee in line with the fee structure for their programme.  The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover  living costs  or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees 2024/25 for MRes/PhD Political Science

Home students: £4,829 for the first year (provisional) Overseas students: £22,632 for the first year

The fee is likely to rise over subsequent years of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with the level of fee that the Research Councils recommend. The fees for overseas students are likely to rise in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, 4 per cent per annum).

The Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.

The amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status. LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.

Further information about fee status classification.

Scholarships, studentships and other funding

The School recognises that the  cost of living in London  may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students.

This programme is eligible for  LSE PhD Studentships , and  Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding (pending bid outcome). Selection for the PhD Studentships and ESRC funding is based on receipt of an application for a place – including all ancillary documents, before the funding deadline.  

Funding deadline for LSE PhD Studentships and ESRC funding (pending bid outcome): 15 January 2024

In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas.   Find out more about financial support.

External funding 

There may be other funding opportunities available through other organisations or governments and we recommend you investigate these options as well.

Further information

Fees and funding opportunities

Information for international students

LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.  

If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students . 

1) Take a note of the UK qualifications we require for your programme of interest (found in the ‘Entry requirements’ section of this page). 

2) Go to the International Students section of our website. 

3) Select your country. 

4) Select ‘Graduate entry requirements’ and scroll until you arrive at the information about your local/national qualification. Compare the stated UK entry requirements listed on this page with the local/national entry requirement listed on your country specific page. 

Programme structure and courses

First year (mres).

In the first year, you will take a series of courses and prepare a Research Prospectus. You will be trained in research design and research methods and also take courses from a broad range of graduate specialisms in our Department and across LSE. 

You will study with acknowledged leaders in their fields and learn what political scientists know (and don’t know), what the key debates have been and where the discipline is going. 

Research Design in the Social Sciences Turns good research questions into systematic projects that deliver interesting and worthwhile results.

Courses to the value of one unit from a range of quantitative, qualitative or political theory research methods topics

Courses to the value of one unit from a range of options within the Department of Government

Research Prospectus in Political Science A research paper, not to exceed 10,000 words, related to the student's designated major field.

Subject to satisfactory performance, you will be upgraded to the PhD programme and will implement your research plan, for example through fieldwork, data collection and analysis, theoretical work, or a combination of several approaches. You will participate and present your work in doctoral workshops with faculty and fellow researchers (at least one each year), and you will start to attend and present papers at international conferences.

You will also be invited to apply to help teach undergraduate courses in the Department. In your second year, you have the option of taking Political Economy (permission to attend is at the discretion of the course convenor.)

For the most up-to-date list of optional courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page. 

You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.  

You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s  Calendar , or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the  updated graduate course and programme information page.

Supervision, progression and assessment

Supervision .

You will be assigned a lead supervisor (and a second supervisor/adviser) who is a specialist in your chosen research field, though not necessarily in your topic. Lead supervisors guide you through your studies.

Progression and assessment

At the end of the first year you will complete the assessments for your courses and finalise your Research Prospectus, the provisional research plan for your PhD. You will defend the Prospectus at a committee of relevant faculty in September at the end the first year. If you meet the assessment requirements and successfully defend the Prospectus you will be upgraded to the PhD part of the programme.

Your final award of the PhD will be determined by the completion of an original research thesis and a viva oral examination.

More about progression requirements.

Student support and resources

We’re here to help and support you throughout your time at LSE, whether you need help with your academic studies, support with your welfare and wellbeing or simply to develop on a personal and professional level.

Whatever your query, big or small, there are a range of people you can speak to who will be happy to help.  

Department librarians   – they will be able to help you navigate the library and maximise its resources during your studies. 

Accommodation service  – they can offer advice on living in halls and offer guidance on private accommodation related queries.

Class teachers and seminar leaders  – they will be able to assist with queries relating to specific courses. 

Disability and Wellbeing Service  – they are experts in long-term health conditions, sensory impairments, mental health and specific learning difficulties. They offer confidential and free services such as  student counselling,  a  peer support scheme  and arranging  exam adjustments.  They run groups and workshops.  

IT help  – support is available 24 hours a day to assist with all your technology queries.   

LSE Faith Centre  – this is home to LSE's diverse religious activities and transformational interfaith leadership programmes, as well as a space for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. It includes Islamic prayer rooms and a main space for worship. It is also a space for wellbeing classes on campus and is open to all students and staff from all faiths and none.   

Language Centre  – the Centre specialises in offering language courses targeted to the needs of students and practitioners in the social sciences. We offer pre-course English for Academic Purposes programmes; English language support during your studies; modern language courses in nine languages; proofreading, translation and document authentication; and language learning community activities.

LSE Careers  ­ – with the help of LSE Careers, you can make the most of the opportunities that London has to offer. Whatever your career plans, LSE Careers will work with you, connecting you to opportunities and experiences from internships and volunteering to networking events and employer and alumni insights. 

LSE Library   –   founded in 1896, the British Library of Political and Economic Science is the major international library of the social sciences. It stays open late, has lots of excellent resources and is a great place to study. As an LSE student, you’ll have access to a number of other academic libraries in Greater London and nationwide. 

LSE LIFE  – this is where you should go to develop skills you’ll use as a student and beyond. The centre runs talks and workshops on skills you’ll find useful in the classroom; offers one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision; and provides drop-in sessions for academic and personal support. (See ‘Teaching and assessment’). 

LSE Students’ Union (LSESU)  – they offer academic, personal and financial advice and funding.  

PhD Academy   – this is available for PhD students, wherever they are, to take part in interdisciplinary events and other professional development activities and access all the services related to their registration. 

Sardinia House Dental Practice   – this   offers discounted private dental services to LSE students.  

St Philips Medical Centre  – based in Pethwick-Lawrence House, the Centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients.

Student Services Centre  – our staff here can answer general queries and can point you in the direction of other LSE services.  

Student advisers   – we have a  Deputy Head of Student Services (Advice and Policy)  and an  Adviser to Women Students  who can help with academic and pastoral matters.

Student life

As a student at LSE you’ll be based at our central London campus. Find out what our campus and London have to offer you on academic, social and career perspective. 

Student societies and activities

Your time at LSE is not just about studying, there are plenty of ways to get involved in  extracurricular activities . From joining one of over 200 societies, or starting your own society, to volunteering for a local charity, or attending a public lecture by a world-leading figure, there is a lot to choose from. 

The campus 

LSE is based on one  campus  in the centre of London. Despite the busy feel of the surrounding area, many of the streets around campus are pedestrianised, meaning the campus feels like a real community. 

Life in London 

London is an exciting, vibrant and colourful city. It's also an academic city, with more than 400,000 university students. Whatever your interests or appetite you will find something to suit your palate and pocket in this truly international capital. Make the most of career opportunities and social activities, theatre, museums, music and more. 

Want to find out more? Read why we think  London is a fantastic student city , find out about  key sights, places and experiences for new Londoners . Don't fear, London doesn't have to be super expensive: hear about  London on a budget . 

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Government

Median salary of our PG students 15 months after graduating: £34,000          

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

• Government, Public Sector and Policy   
• Health and Social Care  
• Education, Teaching and Research            
• Information, Digital Technology and Data            
• Consultancy

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2020-21 were the fourth group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.

Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on an academic career. Recent graduates have also gone on to careers in investment banking, auditing, consultancy and public sector and government.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Support for your career

Many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search. Find out more about the  support available to students through LSE Careers .

Find out more about LSE

Discover more about being an LSE student - meet us in a city near you, visit our campus or experience LSE from home. 

Experience LSE from home

Webinars, videos, student blogs and student video diaries will help you gain an insight into what it's like to study at LSE for those that aren't able to make it to our campus.  Experience LSE from home . 

Come on a guided campus tour, attend an undergraduate open day, drop into our office or go on a self-guided tour.  Find out about opportunities to visit LSE . 

LSE visits you

Student Marketing, Recruitment and Study Abroad travels throughout the UK and around the world to meet with prospective students. We visit schools, attend education fairs and also hold Destination LSE events: pre-departure events for offer holders.  Find details on LSE's upcoming visits . 

How to apply

Virtual Graduate Open Day

Register your interest

Related programmes, mphil/phd international relations.

Code(s) M1ZR

MRes/PhD International Development

Code(s) Y2ZI

MPhil/PhD Sociology

Code(s) L3ZS

MPhil/PhD European Studies

Code(s) M1ZE

MPhil/PhD International History

Code(s) V1ZH

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In the post-New Order period, Indonesia underwent significant foreign policy reforms which reduced the armed forces’ roles in foreign policymaking. Despite this reduction, there has been an upsurge in Indonesia’s defence diplomacy in the last fifteen years. The thesis examines both the rise and nature of Indonesia’s defence diplomacy in this period, comparing the Yudhoyono and Widodo administrations. More specifically, the thesis explores the interplay between defence diplomacy and grand strategy by analysing the two presidents’ respective approach to grand strategy and how their priorities have influenced Indonesia’s defence diplomacy. The thesis involves three qualitative case studies, focusing on strategic dialogues, joint exercises, and inter-military assignments by way of peacekeeping, from 2004 to 2019. The discussion builds on the combined analysis through interviews, field observations, and primary as well as secondary source materials. The dissertation offers three main arguments. First, the rise and increase of activities understood as defence diplomacy are strongly driven by three factors: assessments relating to great power security challenges and rivalry, the perceptions and preferences of national leaders, and the military’s interest in enhancing its status internationally. Secondly, while these factors do affect different elements of defence diplomacy in varying ways, defence diplomacy has become an established instrument for implementing policy goals associated with Indonesia’s grand strategy. In some respects, defence diplomacy has proven more effective than ordinary diplomacy. Third, the greater reliance on defence diplomacy has led to institutional rivalry with the Foreign Ministry in particular, but its extent has remained limited. This dissertation contributes to several literatures. It offers original cases to the study of Indonesia’s defence diplomacy. It explores the role of defence diplomacy in Indonesia’s contemporary engagement strategy vis-à-vis China and the United States, and It contributes to the strategic studies literature by exploring defence diplomacy as an aspect of grand strategy.

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Available programmes 2024/5

Last updated: 22 march 2024.

• Please make sure that you read and follow all our instructions for the application process to make sure that you submit the right documents in good time. Good luck with your application!
• Please prepare before you apply: assemble your transcripts, approach referees to make sure they are available to write letters on your behalf, and polish your Statement of Academic Purpose.
• Please note that when programmes close, this applies  to new applicants only - if your application is already under consideration you should check your individual status on the online tracker rather than using this page.
• We run a rolling admissions system where programmes close once all places have been filled. When possible, we will inform applicants in progress that a programme has reached limited availability, but changes can occur quickly and programmes may close without warning. Our advice is always to complete and submit your application as early as possible.
• NOTE: VRS applicants intending to start in the Spring (April 2024) term can still apply. 

Research funding deadlines

Please note:   to be considered for  LSE PhD Studentships  or  ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership Scholarships  (for 1+3 or +3 funding), you must submit your complete application, including ALL supporting documents and references, by the following deadlines 

• 1 December 2023 (Law School)
• 14 December 2023 (Department of Economics)
• 15 January 2024 (first funding deadline) *
• 25 April 2024 (second funding deadline) 

* Please note: to be considered for ESRC DTP Scholarships you must apply by the first funding deadline.

MA/MSc H-O (including LLM)

Ma/msc p-z (including mpa, mpp), double degrees, mres/phd and mphil/phd.

Be sure to check the funding and application deadlines for your chosen programme on the individual programme page.

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Latest posts, women and girls' health and human rights in afghanistan, march 19th, 2024.

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March 20th, 2024.

Women Working in Security, Peace Processes, and Diplomacy – student event blogger report

March 12th, 2024.

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Department news.

MSc Prizewinners 2022/23 announced

January 31st, 2024.

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January 16th, 2024.

Introducing our new Assistant Professor Dr Noah Zucker joining 2023

October 3rd, 2023.

Four questions about the West’s future support for Ukraine

March 5th, 2024.

Lessons from studying the past: writing about the ethics of political commemoration

February 1st, 2024.

How the EU navigated the energy crisis and renewed its commitment to net zero

December 13th, 2023.

The Centre for International Studies (CIS): History and list of Fellows

July 21st, 2022.

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July 12th, 2022.

Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson, LSE and the origins of International Relations

February 22nd, 2022, featured alumni.

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From a PhD in IR at LSE to the top of a think tank

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DPhil in International Relations

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The DPhil programme is a full-time programme of doctoral research in the academic study of International Relations with an expected length of three to four years of full-time study or six to eight years of part-time study. Note that the part-time option is not a distance-learning programme; part-time students are required to attend face-to-face teaching in Oxford on up to three separate days each week during term.

As a DPhil student you will be a member of a distinguished academic community that is renowned for its cutting-edge research and its intensive and individualised teaching and supervision. The programme has received the highest level of recognition in UK national and global assessment exercises. It is a community from which you will draw support and guidance but which will also learn from your own contribution to its work.

You will have rich opportunities for connecting with fellow-students, postdoctoral fellows, and temporary and permanent academic staff involved in disciplinary and cross-disciplinary research programmes. The department attracts many of the world’s leading figures in International Relations (IR) - as visiting scholars, speakers in the regular IR Colloquium, and participants in research conferences and workshops.

Doctoral students spend the first year of full-time study, or the first two years of part-time study, in the development of, and early work on, the thesis topic; in improving knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods; in attendance at relevant lectures, seminars and classes; and in preparing to transfer from Probationary Research Student (PRS - the status at which you will normally be admitted - see Assessment) to full DPhil status.

An academic supervisor will advise and guide you as you progress through the different stages of your doctoral research. In addition to work for your supervisor, you will be required to take a range of coursework. In the first term this includes: Research Design and Methods (RDM) in IR, Research Design, and introductory or intermediate statistics, as well as attendance at the regular IR DPhil Research Seminar which runs through the year and at which doctoral students present their work. In the second term students continue with RDM in IR and take one course in Formal Analysis, Causal Inference or Qualitative Methods. In the third term, there are a series of short, specialised methods courses. For part-time students, these coursework obligations are distributed across six terms.

Exemptions from particular elements of the coursework can be sought on the basis of previous training. Subsequent years are largely devoted to the development of the thesis project.

Doctoral theses will normally require substantial original research, often involving archives, fieldwork, interviewing or other forms of data generation and collection. For the doctoral degree the most crucial requirement is that the thesis makes a ‘significant and substantial contribution to the field of knowledge within which it falls’. There are many ways of achieving this.

The department is committed to the rigorous use of a plurality of methods. There are many different ways of conducting research for a thesis. Any or all may be valid in a given case, depending on the subject of the research and the questions addressed. Some theses may involve an analytical-descriptive attempt at understanding different events, perspectives and traditions of thought. Others may have a strong historiographical element - exploring, for example, the relation between events and ideas, or involving an original and expert use of sources. Others may involve advancing a hypothesis about a subject and then testing it with a range of qualitative and/or quantitative approaches. Apart from meeting the highest scholarly standards, there is no set template. There is also a strong and successful tradition of normative and critical work. Oxford IR seeks to combine the best of North American political science with deep engagement with the international relations of different parts of the world and with the history of different traditions of thought on the subject.

As a doctoral student of the department, you will have access to outstanding library and computing resources within the Social Sciences Division (of which the Department of Politics and IR is a major part), elsewhere in the University and, in most cases, in your college. The division runs network events to enable DPhil students to meet and network with their colleagues not only within politics and IR but with other social science disciplines.

As a part-time student you will be required to attend classes, seminars, supervision meetings and other obligations in Oxford for a minimum of thirty days each year. There will be limited flexibility in the dates and pattern of attendance. Attendance will be required during term-time at least one day each week throughout the first two years of your study on days determined by your class and seminar attendance and by your supervisor. Attendance will be required outside of term-time on dates to be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor. You will be required to attend fieldwork and training sessions on dates to be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor.

Successful completion of an Oxford DPhil requires an intense and sustained level of personal motivation and focus within a world-class research and teaching environment.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Politics and International Relations and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Supervisors are usually selected from the  academic staff  within the Department of Politics and International Relations. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department of Politics and International Relations. 

You will be assigned an academic supervisor who will advise and guide you as you progress through the different stages of your doctoral research. 

Applicants are admitted to the DPhil with Probationer Research Student (PRS) status. As a PRS, you will develop your research proposal and skills, complete a programme of assessed research methods coursework, and produce a draft section or sections of the thesis, in order to apply for the Transfer of Status that will end your probationary period as a research student. The Graduate Studies Committee will require satisfactory completion of this training programme as a condition of your change of status from PRS to DPhil.

Once you have been admitted to full DPhil status, you must achieve confirmation of that status by the end of your ninth term as a full-time doctoral student, or by the end of your eighteenth term as a part-time student. Once you have completed your thesis, you will be examined viva voce .

Graduate destinations

International Relations has an outstanding placement record. The largest group of DPhil students go on to careers in academia or research. Many move on to post-doctoral fellowships in the UK, continental Europe and North America. Our doctoral students have a distinguished history of winning thesis and other prizes and of publishing their work in leading journals and with major university presses. The universities at which IR graduates have gained academic positions over recent years include: ANU, McGill, Waterloo, Sciences Po, Amsterdam, Groningen, The Graduate Institute Geneva, SAIS/JHU, ETH Zürich, The New School, Swarthmore, LSE, Oxford, Cambridge, King’s College London, University College London, Queen Mary London, St Andrews, Exeter, Reading, Warwick, PUC Santiago, and FGV São Paulo. Oxford IR DPhils also work at all levels in many of world’s leading think-tanks and research institutes in Europe and North America but also in Brazil, South Africa, and Singapore. Others still have moved to achieve leading positions in the policy and political world. The department runs regular courses on professional training, including on interviews, research grant applications and academic publishing.

DPIR is committed to engaging with its alumni community , through its Inspires alumni email newsletter and Alumni Career Conversations series of online talks. 

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a master’s degree at distinction level  in international relations, or in a closely related discipline that has prepared you to undertake advanced graduate research on your chosen thesis topic;  and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in politics or international relations, or in a related discipline such as economics, history, philosophy, sociology or law.

Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a record of academic performance at first-class and/or distinction level.

Applicants without a master’s qualification will not normally be admitted for doctoral study.

Each application will be assessed upon its own merits, and candidates with a degree in an unrelated discipline should demonstrate the relevance of their academic background to their proposed subject or topic of study.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Research or work experience that is relevant to your proposed study may provide further evidence of your academic potential.
• Publications are not expected, but a peer-reviewed publication in international relations or an allied discipline may be taken as  prima facie  evidence of aptitude for research.

Part-time applicants

Part-time applicants will also be expected to show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and, if applicable, an employer's commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules in Oxford. Where appropriate, evidence should also be provided of permission to use employers’ data in the proposed research project. As a probationer research student, coursework requirements will necessitate attendance in Oxford for at least one day per week during full-term. It is therefore likely that part-time students are either already resident in Oxford or will live within commuting distance of the city, such as via the strong transport links along the M4 corridor and between major cities to the north (including Birmingham) and south (including Southampton).

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Initiatives to improve access to graduate study

This course is taking part in a continuing pilot programme to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, in order to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.

For this course, socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.  Further information about how we use your socio-economic data  can be found in our page about initiatives to improve access to graduate study.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

The DPIR provides a stimulating research environment in which you can pursue your interests beyond the formal demands of the syllabus.

Many of the academic staff who teach on the graduate programmes also organise extracurricular research seminars for graduate students, such as, the International Relations Research.

The DPIR also hosts a wide range of research centres and programmes which actively seek to develop collaborative research activity via conferences, workshops and other academic events, and which include graduate students in their activities.

Research centres provide opportunities for you to present your own work in research seminar series and at conferences in the department and beyond. The research centres have an established and popular visitors’ programme which has allowed many scholars of international repute to participate in the DPIR’s research activities.

At Oxford you have access to an extensive range of libraries, books, journals, online resources, manuscripts and more. The Bodleian Libraries is the main library service supporting the University of Oxford. The Bodleian Libraries include the Bodleian Library, which has been a library of legal deposit for 400 years, as well as the Bodleian Social Science Library . This is located on the ground floor of the Manor Road Building and houses the main collection for Politics and International Relations alongside a wide range of other social sciences resources.

SOLO (Search Oxford Libraries Online)   is the search engine for all library collections across the university. It provides access to information in over 100 libraries including college and departmental libraries as well as the Bodleian Libraries. Your Single Sign-On offers easy access to subscription resources through SOLO. The Politics and International Relations subject guide provides up-to-date advice and the contact details of your Subject Librarian for further support.

Politics and International Relations

The Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) at Oxford is an internationally-renowned centre of excellence for teaching and research.

The study of these disciplines at Oxford has a long and distinguished history and the DPIR is now one of the largest in the field in the UK. DPIR is ranked first for research overall in the most recent THES global university rankings for Politics and International Studies and second in the 2023 QS World University Rankings.

The department's large community of academic staff work in research areas that extend in geographical scope across the globe, cover both historical and contemporary sources, and address technical, practical, and philosophical problems in networks that extend beyond the DPIR to other departments, universities, and global and local organisations.  

Graduate students have access to an unrivalled range of expertise and activity in the fields of government and politics, political theory, and international studies. Teaching is based on the most rigorous contemporary scholarship and students are trained in the highest standards of critical analysis, and in the understanding and use of rigorous research methods and techniques. The department’s graduate courses include both taught master's degrees (one-year research preparation MSc and two-year MPhil) and three- to four-year doctoral research degrees (DPhil). However, all taught degrees involve a research element, and all research degrees will involve some taught components, including quantitative and qualitative research methods. The DPIR graduate community currently numbers just over 300, with 150 students studying the taught courses and around 170 undertaking doctoral research.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Part-time study

Information about course fees.

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel and vaccination expenses, conference attendance, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel and vaccination expenses, conference attendance, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Exeter College
• Green Templeton College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Mansfield College
• New College
• Nuffield College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• St Peter's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You are advised to review the  profiles of academic staff  before you apply as successful applications always depend on the DPIR's capacity to offer appropriate supervision. A supervisor should be a permanent member of the Department of Politics and International Relations. You are not required to make contact with any prospective supervisors before you apply, as the DPIR arranges supervision for successful applicants. General questions about the course should be directed to the course administrator via the contact details provided on this page. 

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

Under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) who you would like to supervise your research. 

You can enter the names of up to two supervisors, either in order of preference or indicating equal preference.

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Your application must be supported by academic references, ie each referee should be able to testify to your academic abilities, achievements and motivation. In most cases, the academics who have taught you or who have known your academic work during earlier university-level study will be best placed to testify to these capabilities. When that is not possible, a professional reference from a colleague who has worked with you in a research capacity or is otherwise able to comment on your academic capabilities is acceptable in place of a tutor’s reference.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Research proposal: A minimum of 4,000 words to a maximum of 6,000 words

You should submit a detailed outline of your proposed research, written in English, covering areas such as the background to the research, methodology, expected results and the contribution to the field of learning.

The research proposal should be written in English.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying to the DPhil programme
• the coherence of the proposal
• the originality of the project
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
• the ability to present a reasoned case in English
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the degree (a maximum of four years)
• commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course
• preliminary knowledge of research techniques
• capacity for sustained and intense work
• reasoning ability
• ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace.

It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.

Your proposal should focus on your research project rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations.

Written work: Two essays, a maximum of 2,000 words each

You may submit academic essays on any subject or theme within the discipline of international relations but preferably ones that relate to your proposed area of study.

The essays may be written specially for the application or may have been produced for other purposes, for instance as a coursework submission within a previous degree programme. Essays that comprise extracts or excerpted sections from longer pieces are acceptable but should be prefaced with a brief note that places them in context.

The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes. All written work should be in English.

This will be assessed for understanding of the subject area; understanding of problems in the area; ability to construct and defend an argument; powers of analysis; and powers of expression. 

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the  Department of Politics and International Relations

• Course page on the department's website
• Funding information from the department
• Academic and research staff
• Departmental research
• Social Sciences Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 278727

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

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Phd degree: politics and international studies.

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Key information

Home student fees (full-time) : £4,860 per year Home student fees (part-time) : £2,430 per year Overseas student fees (full-time) : £22,490 per year Overseas student fees (part-time) : £11,245 per year

Please note that fees go up each year.   See  research fees  for further details.

We normally require a 2.1 bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) plus a Merit-level Masters degree in Political Science or a related discipline. We also require a minimum of one reference. In exceptional cases we may accept applicants who do not meet these criteria if they show evidence of a strong Masters degree and/or appropriate level of relevant work experience. International applicants should also see  Doctoral School English language requirements

Course overview

The primary aim of the PhD programme is to train students to design, research and write a successful doctoral thesis.

Those who have completed the doctorate will be familiar with the conceptual and methodological aspects of political research and qualified as experts in their field.

To be considered for entry into the PhD programme, applicants must possess a good advanced degree in Politics equivalent in level and content to the Department's MSc, although applications from individuals with related degrees in cognate disciplines will also be considered  Guidelines for research proposals .

Admission takes place on a rolling basis. The application cycle opens in November and closes on 30 June for entry in October. Applicants also wishing to be considered for a SOAS scholarship or an ESRC studentship should refer to the  research scholarships  information for the deadlines.

Why study PhD Degree Politics and International Studies at SOAS?

• We’re ranked 5th in the UK and 17th worldwide for Politics (QS World University Rankings 2023).
• We're ranked 3rd globally for academic reputation (QS World University Rankings 2022).

Recently Completed PhD Dissertations in the Department

• Maria Ambrozy, ‘Interrogating Education Policymaking in the Rwandan Developmental State: The Politics of Changing the Language of Instruction and the Higher Education Merger’ (Phil Clark)
• Sheenah Kaliisa, ‘Opening Borders: The African Passport, Free Movement of Persons and the Integration of States’ (Phil Clark)
• Hangwei Li, ‘Global China, African Agency and the Prism of Soft Power: Media Interaction and Newsroom Politics Between China and Africa’ (Stephen Chan)
• Moudwe Daga, ‘Identity, Belonging and State Formation in Chad’ ( Professor Julia Gallagher )
• Calum Fisher, ‘Doing Democracy in Malawi: MPs and Their Constituencies’ ( Dr Alastair Fraser )
• Anna Evelyn Kensicki, ‘Jerusalem Narratives: A Phenomenological Analysis of Space and Time in 21st Century Conflict’, ( Dr Hagar Kottef )
• Dwi Kiswanto, ‘Centre-Periphery Relations: The Politics of Fiscal Transfers in Indonesia’ ( Dr Michael Buehler )
• Leon Kunz, ‘Deliberative Democracy in Social Movements in Taiwan and Hong Kong’ ( Professor Julia Strauss )
• Magsud Mammadov, ‘The State Selfie in International Politics: Ontological Insecurity, Role Making, and Nation Branding in the case of Azerbaijan, 2008-2018’ ( Dr Bhavna Dave )

The PhD programme at SOAS follows a three-year model, with the possibility to extend into a fourth year. The programme consists of research training and coursework in the first year, after which Doctoral Researchers must pass an upgrade from MPhil to PhD status through submission of an ‘Upgrade Paper’, examined by a viva exam.

This is followed by primary research/fieldwork undertaken in the second year, and the writing up of their thesis in the subsequent year. Doctoral Researchers should aim to be ready for submission by the end of the third year and must submit by the end of the fourth year at the latest.

Research training year 1

Doctoral Researchers are expected to upgrade from MPhil to PhD status within 12 months of their registration. Progression requires successful completion of the Department’s training programme consisting of:

• Politics MPhil Methods course (terms one and two);
• an Upgrade Paper Workshop (term two); and
• participation in the MPhil Research Projects Conference (term three).

Doctoral Researchers also have the opportunity to take an additional course in quantitative methods (term two). Students will produce an upgrade paper that forms the basis of a viva, which has to pass to gain PhD status. In addition to the Department’s own training, the SOAS Doctoral School offers two complementary courses for all SOAS Doctoral Researchers:

• Research Project Management (term one), and
• Technology-Enhanced Research (term 2).

Fieldwork procedure

For Doctoral Researchers who undertake fieldwork, most will generally conduct such activity in their second year. A maximum of three terms’ fieldwork is usually permitted in a full-time PhD programme. Fieldwork of longer than 12 months has to be approved by the SOAS Pro-Director for Research and Enterprise.

Training beyond year 1

Throughout the process of research design, fieldwork, and writing, Doctoral Researchers are expected to maintain regular contact with their supervisors.  Writing the dissertation is the student’s work alone, supported by regular meetings with the supervisor(s) and participating in a write-up seminar for advanced PhD students.

The Department strongly encourages Doctoral Researchers to participate in workshops offered outside SOAS and to attend and present at conferences organised by the major research associations in their field (some limited funding available).

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Teaching is an important part of doctoral training for PhD Doctoral Researchers considering an academic career. The Department aims to offer advanced Doctoral Researchers the possibility to work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) on one of the courses offered in the Department for a maximum of two years.

Duties involve seminar teaching, holding office hours, and marking. Doctoral Researchers taking on the responsibility of a GTA post are expected to have completed a GTA training module offered by the Doctoral School, typically in October.

Teaching and learning

The primary building block of the PhD programme is the relationship between student and supervisor. Students are admitted on the basis of the expressed willingness of at least one member of staff to serve as the main supervisor for the student's project. 

From the student's entry in the programme, the supervisor assumes primary responsibility for monitoring and supporting the student’s progress towards the completion of the degree. Every research student also has an associate supervisor, another member of staff with a close interest in the student’s region and/or sub-field of the discipline. The Department’s research tutor oversees the PhD programme and is available for discussing general problems.

In addition to the training programme noted above, they may attend an MSc course relevant to their research. Research students are also encouraged to participate in the Department seminars, where invited scholars from other institutions give presentations, and they have access to many other seminars and lectures held throughout SOAS.

Language training

The School’s language training facilities are also available for students to develop or improve research-relevant language skills. Since 2012, research students have exclusive access to the facilities and services offered by SOAS’ Doctoral School.

Most PhD students spend some time doing fieldwork in the regions of their research. The Department and the School, through their various connections with individuals and institutions in the universities and governments of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, facilitate this work with personal contacts and introductions as well as (limited) funding.

For more information about the PhD programme in the Department of Politics and International Studies, see the MPHIL/PHD research handbook.

PDF document, 455.33KB

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes.

However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. 

Scholarships

Fees and funding, fees for 2023/24 entrants per academic year.

Please note that fees go up each year.

See  research fees  for further details.

In the last REF cycle (2014-2020), about a quarter of our PhD graduates embarked on successful academic careers, taking up positions in universities in the UK and across the world, including the LSE, University of Cambridge, University of Birmingham, Queen Mary University of London, Lahore University of Management Sciences, the American University in Beirut, Korea University, Abu Dhabi University, Sabanci University, the American University of Sulaymaniyah, University of Freiburg, Sciences Po, Leiden, and the Leibniz Zentrum Moderner Orient in Berlin.

Many of our PhDs have found employment in non-academic institutions ,  including the   Crisis Management Initiative, the Open Society Foundation, the Institute for Druze Studies in Haifa (Israel), the Institute for Security Studies in Dakar (Senegal), the Centre for Alternative Policy Research and Innovation in Freetown (Sierra Leone), the Centre for Policy Research in Delhi (India) and the Centre for International Digital Policy at Global Affairs Canada. Other PhD graduates have gone on to work as foreign-policy officials in the UK, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Nigeria, South Korea and Egypt

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Reframing Justice after Atrocity

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