Global Diplomacy
Central and South America | Europe | North America | Russia and Eastern Europe
The global diplomacy MA programmes provide both wide-ranging intellectual skills, and direct practice-based experience for the analysis of solutions to many of today's global problems.
Diplomacy forms the centre of international relations, and these programmes are designed to support those interested in careers in foreign service, transnational organisations and global non-governmental organisations.
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You will have the opportunity to engage with rigorous practical skills and a thorough conceptual understanding of the challenges to global society. With inputs from leading academics as well as international practitioners with experience in the UK FCDO, US State Department, other Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations. This will allow you to influence professional situations in providing well founded solutions to challenging global issues.
You will join one of four programmes: Central and South America; Europe; North America; or Russia and Eastern Europe, allowing you to focus on diplomacy practices and policies within a specific region set against a global context. By studying these programme pathways, you will gain a historical understanding and contemporary awareness of the practice of Global Diplomacy and the diplomacy of their chosen region.
The academic team are committed to the promotion of excellence in teaching, scholarship and research and are hugely experienced in working with online learners.
By studying the global diplomacy programmes, you will gain:
- the ability to demonstrate an in-depth critical understanding of the nature and development of global and regional diplomacy, as applicable, drawing on a variety of contributing disciplines.
- an advanced understanding of changes in global and/or regional diplomacy and procedures and the relationship of those changes to contemporary international politics.
- a sound grounding in both theoretical and empirical approaches to debates in global diplomacy and regional differentiations so that you will have the competencies and skills to analyse global events using a mixture of theoretical and empirical tools.
- a detailed knowledge of issues in global diplomacy and/or the region in historical and contemporary contexts. By providing a thorough grounding in the subject, you will be made aware of the importance of relevant topics to a sophisticated understanding of global events and political developments.
In some countries, qualifications earned by distance and flexible learning may not be recognised by certain authorities or regulators for the purposes of public sector employment or further study. We advise you to explore the local recognition status before your register.
The global diplomacy programmes create opportunities to take your career further. You will have the opportunity to blend a strong conceptual understanding with rigorous practical skills. This combination will enable you to enhance your place in the workforce as an expert in global diplomacy.
Programme details
Programme structure, modules and specification
The MA Global Diplomacy: Central and South America, MA Global Diplomacy: Europe, MA Global Diplomacy: North America and MA Global Diplomacy: Russia and Eastern Europe consist of four modules and a dissertation as follows:
- Two core modules (30 credit modules each):
- Art of Negotiation and
- Economics, Politics, Society: Central and South America; or
- Economics, Politics, Society: Europe; or
- Economics, Politics, Society: North America; or
- Economics, Politics, Society: Russia and Eastern Europe
- Two elective modules derived from the list of those available
- Dissertation module (60 credit module)
All students will normally study the core module/s first. All assessments for each module will normally be submitted before a student may progress to a subsequent module.
- View modules for Global Diplomacy: Europe
- View modules for Global Diplomacy: North America
- View modules for Global Diplomacy: Central and South America
- View modules for Global Diplomacy: Russia and Eastern Europe
Key dates
This programme has two intake dates per year: April and October.
How you study
These programmes offer a variety of highly engaging online learning materials and activities. Your learning experience will be facilitated by a dedicated associate tutor, an accessible learning platform, opportunities for reflection so you can map and understand your own progress, and enhanced online student support.
Each module, with the exception of the dissertation, has six online assessments (e-tivities), which comprise a range of different written and reflective tasks within a dedicated framework for learning and giving each student the best possible chance to succeed to the best of their abilities.
Online support
When you register, you will have access to the Student Portal which is the gateway to your learning. You will then be able to access your University of London email account and other key resources including:
- The Student Guide provides information which is common to all students and gives useful information about your relationship with the University of London through to graduation.
- The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) offers online learning support and other study materials.
- Your university Online Library provides access to over 100 million academic digital sources comprising E-books, E-journals, conference proceedings, etc. In addition, students have access to items on request which are not held in the library via the library's Inter-Library loans service with the British Library.
- Senate House Library provides free reference access for all registered distance and flexible learning students.
Study materials
All resources and support are provided through the VLE. This allows you to fit your studies around your work commitments. There is no need to purchase any additional textbooks.
Student support
We are committed to delivering an exceptional student experience for all of our students, regardless of which of our pathway you follow in your studies.
You will have access to support through:
- The Student Advice Centre – provides support for application and Student Portal queries.
- TalkCampus – a peer support service that offers a safe and confidential way to talk about whatever is on your mind at any time of day or night.
Learning and assessment
The way we learn, underpins our programme and places the student at the centre of the learning experience through a range of tailored assessments, known as e-tivities. These assessments are carefully calibrated to meet the module and programme level learning outcomes. More details can be found on individual module pages and within the programme regulations.
Entry requirements
For your application to be considered you will need the following:
- A minimum upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) from an acceptable institution.
- Or relevant professional experience.
We will consider each application on its own merits.
We accept qualifications from around the world. If you have an appropriate professional award rather than a degree, we will consider this on an individual basis.
Our Admissions Panel will consider whether any alternative/incomplete qualifications or work experience you have are suitable for entry to the programme.
English Language requirements
If your first degree was not taught in English, you will need to provide evidence of language ability. You will meet the English language requirement if you have passed any of the following within the past three years:
- (IELTS) International English Language Testing System with an overall score of 7.0 or above, including a minimum of 7.0 on the written sub-test.
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) with an overall score of 67 or above, including a minimum of 67 attained on each of the reading, writing, speaking and listening elements.
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English.
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English with an overall score of 185 or above, including a minimum of 185 attained on each of the reading, writing, speaking and listening sub-tests.
- (TOEFL) iBT Test of English as a Foreign Language with an overall score of 95 or above, including a minimum of 24 attained on the reading and writing skills sub-tests and a minimum of 25 attained on the speaking sub-test and 22 attained on the listening sub-test.
- Duolingo: must achieve an overall score of at least 130.
Computer requirements
We set minimum basic computer requirements because your study resources are accessed via the Virtual Learning Environment and it is vital that you can access this regularly.
More about Computer requirements
Please see the individual module outlines for information concerning specific software requirements.
Fees
The programme fees below refer to the October 2022 and April 2023 session only and are effective from 1 January 2022.
Disclaimer: Currency conversion tool.
If you pay the full programme fee at the point of registration, this covers your registration fee, all module fees, and offers a discount on the individual components of the qualification.
You can also spread out your payments. In the first instance, you pay for registration plus your first-year modules. In subsequent years, you pay for each new module you take.
Additional Costs
You will also need to budget for:
- Textbooks (could extend to around £300 per year)
- Tuition costs if you study at a Recognised Teaching Centre
Please note: all student fees shown are net of any local VAT, Goods and Services Tax (GST) or any other sales tax payable by the student in their country of residence. Where the University is required to add VAT, GST or any other sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the fees shown during the payment process. For students resident in the UK, our fees are exempt from VAT.
Further information on Sales Tax.
Your payment provider may apply additional transaction fees. (If in doubt, please check with them before making a payment.)
Further information about fee payment options can be found in the “How to pay your fees” link above.
Academic leadership
Programme Director
Dr Ashley Cox
Dr Ashley Cox is a Lecturer at SOAS, University of London, where he has been since 2014. He is the Programme Director for Global Diplomacy. Prior to joining SOAS, Dr Cox studied for his PhD at the University of Leicester where he was also a senior Tutor for online learning.
Dr Cox’s research focuses on foreign policy diplomacy and the security of the United States he has published a book on the topic of Wilsonian interpretations of American conflicts. And supervises several PhD students in the field.
Dr Cox is a supporter of online learning, not only as a vehicle for widening access to Higher Education but also for the opportunities it offers for enhancing experiential learning.
Funding your study
Without the cost of moving to London, studying for your University of London degree anywhere in the world represents excellent value for money.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for Refugee and Displace Persons to study this programme.
