International Studies (BA)

Continuing your studies

If you want to continue your academic studies after completing the International Studies bachelor's, the next step is a master’s degree (MA) at a Dutch or international university. Leiden University offers an excellent environment in which to pursue your master's.

Choosing a master’s programme

Leiden University has around 70 academic disciplines, together offering more than 250 master’s specialisations. You may choose a programme that connects directly to your bachelor’s, or branch out into a different discipline. In addition to one-year master’s programmes, Leiden also offers two-year research master’s programmes.

Visit the Leiden University Master’s website to find an overview of all programmes, as well as practical information about Master’s Open Days, how to apply, deadlines, tuition fees and much more.

Masters at the Faculty of Humanities

Are you interested in continuing your studies at Leiden University’s Faculty of Humanities? You can choose from a wide range of master’s programmes in:

Many of the Humanities master's programmes have specific admission requirements for graduates from the BA International Studies. Check the Admission Requirements page of the programme of your interest to learn more.

Discover all Humanities master’s programmes.

Master programmes elsewhere in the Netherlands or abroad

There are many opportunities to pursue a master’s. You can choose to do a master’s programme at another university in the Netherlands or at a university abroad. Many of our students continue their academic education in the EU, the US or elsewhere, while Leiden University remains a popular choice for further study.

If you have obtained a bachelor’s degree from Leiden University and want to do a master’s programme elsewhere, you will have to go through an application and/or selection procedure. You can find more information on the website of the university in question.

Aisha Hassan

Alumna

"International Studies has made me realise how interesting policy making is, I went on to do a master’s in Development Studies at Wageningen University. My specialisation now is Politics and Government, but within that track Africa is still my personal focus. My future plans? I am really interested in doing research, which means that I may choose to continue in an academic environment. The skills I learned in International Studies are of great use during my master’s here in Wageningen, I can really practice what I learned during my time in The Hague."

Ugnė Mikalajūnaitė

Alumna

"I am currently studying and working at the Yenching Academy of Peking University, where I do a master’s degree in China Studies. Leiden has lot of partnerships with international universities and organisations and they keep you informed about upcoming work or study opportunities. This is how I found out about my current master’s programme."