Major Topics Covered in this Diploma Program include:

Module 1 - Introduction to International Relations

• Understanding International Relations, what IR is (or is not), the vocabulary of IR
• State and non-state actors and structures in International Relations
• Levels of analysis in IR, individual, domestic, international, global
• Key historical contexts and events in IR

Module 2 - Realism and International Relations

• Explaining realism, classical realism, neorealism, assumptions of realism
• Hard power, soft power, coercion, power politics, the national interest
• Anarchy, egoism, the balance of power, bipolar and multipolar systems
• Statecraft, statespeople and rationality, game theory, structure of the international system

Module 3 - Liberalism

• Liberalism in theory and in practice, main themes, harmony, cooperation, balance, anti-conflict
• Liberalism and levels of analysis, interdependence and republican liberalism, internationalism
• Interdependence, peace, democratic and authoritarian states, liberty, ideology, government
• International regimes and alliances, economic, environmental, security and dead-letter regimes

Module 4 - Social Constructivism

• Terminology, meta-theory, epistemology and ontology, learning, knowledge, reality, bias
• History of social constructivism, challenging Realism and Liberalism, individualism and materialism
• Identity, social structures, constructivists and the social world, reality and human rights
• Constructivism and the international system, actors, knowledge, symbols, rules, concepts, an explanation for human and state change

Module 5 - Foreign Policy & Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA)

• State, foreign and domestic policy, foreign policy and trade, diplomacy, military and defence, foreign aid, international environmental policy
• Policies, decisions and events, precedent and past decisions, policymakers, key leaders, military leaders, intelligence agencies, diplomats, corporations, NGOs
• Diplomacy, diplomatic relations, diplomatic immunity, power, alliances, coercion, public diplomacy, the media
• Analysis of foreign policy and foreign policy decisions, the Rational Actor model, the Bureaucratic model, the Psychological Belief-system model, approaches to risk

Module 6 - War and Conflict

• Armed conflict, political groups, interstate war, conventional warfare, the “Rules of War”, total and limited war, civil war or intra-state war
• The causes of war, context and circumstances, a theoretical framework to study war, militarism, nationalism, ideology, religion, ethnicity, territory, control of government, economic gain
• Ethnic conflict, groups, identity, genocide and ethnic cleansing, nationalism-based conflict, ideological conflict, fascism, revolutions, religious conflict, fundamentalism
• How wars have changed, new tactics and technology, justifications for war, realpolitik, pacifism

Module 7 - Human Rights and International Law

• Defining rights and law, state governments, sovereignty and international law, approaches based on religion, philosophy, political revolutions, civil movements, humanism and collective society
• Political rights, economic and social rights, collective rights
• Private and public international law, sources of law, treaties, UN charter, the United Nations, reasons for obeying international law
• International human rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, humanitarian Intervention, rights and conventions relating to refugees, the International Criminal Court, crimes against humanity, war crimes

Module 8 - Globalisation

• Globalisation as a process and a condition, globalisation and interconnectedness, IR theories and globalisation
• Economic globalisation, business across international borders, multinationals, outsourcing, supply chains, negative consequences, global division of labour
• Political globalisation, interdependence and cooperation, cultural globalisation, urban culture
• Globalisation and the environment, resource problems, pollution, green technology, climate change, deterritorialisation, internationalisation, liberalisation, technological revolutions

Module 9 - Critical Theories of International Relations

• Aims of critical theories, emancipation, poststructuralism, language, truth and power
• Marxism, Marxist theory compared to communist systems, material conditions, the economy, structures, global capitalism, labour, culture and ideology, imperialism
• The Frankfurt School, social and linguistic affects, power and culture, wealth, knowledge, the educated elite
• Green politics, environmental protection, social progress and economic development, green and sustainable government policy-making, green theorists

Module 10 - Development

• Development as a process, developed and developing nations, development projects, poverty, measurements of poverty, human development index (HDI)
• Orthodox development, money-based, encouraging capitalism, alternative views of development, human-centred empowerment, self-reliance, sustainability, diversity, social inclusion
• Foreign assistance and investment, political, humanitarian and economic reasons, donors, types of aid
• Criticisms of foreign development, loan repayments, heavy debts, exploitation, control, debt-trap diplomacy

Module 11 - Feminism and Gender

• Gender as a social construct, cultural interpretations, gender-based historical and current stereotypes, gendering and gender norms
• Feminism as a theory, sexism, the history and waves of feminism, equality feminism, difference feminism
• Using a gender lens on global politics, analysis and challenging gender norms, gender mainstreaming
• Patriarchy, the instrumentalist and structuralist approaches, law, inequality, philosophy, gender and economics and politics

Module 12 - Postcolonialism

• Conditions in the global South, expressions of poverty, migration and asylum-seeking, basic human needs
• Imperialism and colonialism, empires and colonies, decolonisation
• Postcolonialism, wealth distribution, cultural and economic effects of colonialism, supposed advantages and disadvantages of colonialism
• Challenging the eurocentrism of IR, imperialism and development, modern structures and old-style colonialism, world-systems theory, the core, the semi-periphery, the periphery

Your CIC Fee includes:-

• Your enrolment/registration with Cambridge International College, and your own detailed and professionally-written and illustrated comprehensive International CIC Core Study Publication.
• A detailed, professional ‘Study & Training Guide’ with full instructions on how to study to achieve success and gain top results.  The Guide includes detailed advice on how to answer Tests and Examinations.
• A ‘Past Paper/Questions’.
• The Final Examination** sat under Invigilation/Supervision in your own area - full details, guidance and explanation of how your Examination will be arranged and how Invigilation is conducted will be provided when you register.  Note, CIC arranges Examinations in over a hundred countries worldwide for thousands of Members every year; it is a flexible, straightforward process and will be arranged when YOU are ready to write your Examination.  **An Assignment Option is available instead of an Exam for the ‘Covid-19’ (Corona) virus period - currently until 30th June 2020.
• Your personal page on CIC’s Member Services website with access to results, despatch details, advice and guidance, and more: www.cambridgeinternationalcollege.co.uk
• Regular information and news including: Newsletters with details of special offers and new Programs and much more; and Competition Forms; by email and post.
• Everything needed for your Study & Training success is included in the CIC Fee.

Additionally:

• Further Study and Training Advice, and Assistance is available before, during and after CIC Study & Training; Members may ask CIC’s team of experienced Consultants for advice on further study and Programmes to improve career prospects and advancement. 
• CIC’s experienced and helpful staff can assist with numerous special requests, such as reference/recommendation letters and transcripts, and more, by post and email.

• Administrative Management Honours (Higher) Diploma 21 months (flexible)
• International Business & Trade Diploma 12 months (flexible)
• Business Development Honours (Higher) Diploma 21 months (flexible)
• International Business & Administration (EBA) EBA: Executive Business Administration 3 years (flexible)
• Public Administration & Management Diploma 12 months (flexible)

The Program will be valuable to men and women in - or looking for - a role or career in a wide range of different areas, private or public, governmental or trade and industry, national and international.  International relatins is closely linked to development and social and societal issues, so these are careers areas which will benefit as well from this Program.

Related and wider studies are offered by CIC in all aspects of management, administration, strategy and development, and this Program will be of benefit to those wishing to study public administration, international relations, governmental science or politics with other institutions. 

There is a wide range of options for further study - see the "Related Courses" section for suggestions - which include Honours Diplomas, ABA & Baccalaureate Programmes, and the 'Double Award' EBA & BBA Bachelor degree Programme.  You are welcome to ask the College for advice, and of course you can see details of these Programmes on this website.