Global Conflict in the Modern Era (MA)

Career preparation

Our goal is to prepare you to make a difference in your future career.

Knowledge and transferable skills

The master’s programme in International Relations at Leiden University aims to equip you with a range of important transferable skills and knowledge that will help you stand out in your future career. Your specialised knowledge is complemented by a broad and contextual understanding as well as critical-thinking skills that can be applied to complex conceptual problems. In class, we encourage every student to participate in discussions to develop their ability to clearly and confidently articulate their ideas as well as fine-tune their logic and reasoning abilities. Other skills you may encounter in the various International Relations courses are:

Collaboration
Persuasion
Research
Self-directed learning
Creative thinking

Career preparation activities

The following activities will help you to thoroughly explore your future career options:

Introductory interview with coordinator of studies
Introduction to the the Humanities Career Service
Internship information session
Humanities Career Event
Activities of study association, ISSA
Guest lectures of alumni
Workshop ‘Insight into your skills’
Workshop ‘How do I find a job?’
Workshop ‘CV and letter’

Internships

You will have the opportunity to gain experience working an as intern in an organisation in the Netherlands or abroad. This experience is highly valued within international organisations, as are strong communication skills. Organisations where students from the MA International Relations programme may find an internship include:

Security Policy Department (DVB) of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dutch Ministry of Defense
NGOs, for example Gender Concerns International or NGO’s focused on humanitarian aid
Think tanks, such as the Netherlands Institute for International Relations ‘Clingendael’, the International Centre for Counterterrorism and the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies around the world (Latvia, Washington, USA, South Africa, etc)
European institutions - examples include Estonian presidency of the European Union, internships for members of the European Parliament
Media outlets such as Een Vandaag in Hilversum.
Netherlands Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Please note that you will need to find your own internship, follow an internship procedure for approval, and that pursuing an internship may have consequences for the date of your graduation.

Humanities Career Service

Our staff can help you identify both the career that is right for you, and the necessary steps to get you there. Our team at Humanities Career Service provide all Leiden University humanities students with professional advice and guidance on everything from internships and career planning to job applications. Humanities Career Service also organises regular workshops on topics such as effective interview skills and creating a successful CV.

Online Career Week

The first Online Career Week was organised in May 2020. Every day there were 2 events that students could sign up for.

For example, there was a Q&A with interns. Three interns working for respectively Philips, the Dutch Mission to the UN, and the World Economic Forum provided the participants with information on their internships, the application processes and working from home. In addition, a live webinar CV writing took place, and students were able to schedule an appointment with a career counselor for personal advice.