IE has decided to launch a one-year, full-time Master in International Relations whose first edition will start in October 2008. It will be entirely taught in English and will take place in IE’s Madrid urban campus. The Master’s has been approved by the Spanish academic authorities and the degree will have official recognition. The program is aimed at making a real difference in its field. Its ground-breaking profile is based on a unique combination of factors:

– Madrid’s position as a major capital in the European Union and as a reference in the Spanishspeaking world and
– IE methodological excellence and entrepreneurial character.

The European Union is not only the most successful of all international organizations. It is also an ideal testing ground for the international relations student: an immense and crowded forum where all sorts of cross-border issues are debated and adjudicated every day.

That is why a salient feature of the program is a week-long field trip to Brussels, where all major EU institutions (Parliament, Council, and Commission) will be visited and studied in situ. The trip will be carefully prepared during the two courses that are monographically dedicated to the analysis of European arrangements and procedures, which include a full-day negotiation simulation exercise.

IE relies heavily on the case method, allowing students to apply theoretical tools to real-world problem-solving. The case method is particularly suited for the study of international relations and will be followed in most of the program’s courses. Even courses that require significant stretches of lecturing will be participant-centered. The Master’s small size (a maximum of 30 students will be admitted) will decisively enhance the interactive nature of all classes.

In addition, one of the program’s four academic areas will cover the different skills and languages hat are necessary for the successful performance of international functions. A particularly innovative course will deal with multicultural teambuilding, multilingual communications training, negotiation in international forums, and other competencies that should be in the â??travel boxâ? of every internationally-oriented professional.

Finally, IE’s Master in International Relations is designed to enable students to participate successfully in international projects that require the cooperation of different actors in the public and private sectors, including non-governmental and civil society organizations.

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