"I chose Leiden because of the university's good reputation for the subjects that I am interested in. Furthermore, I valued the opportunity to be able to combine different interests and the possibility to engage with critical approaches to law and international relations. The location between Amsterdam and The Hague is certainly also a plus."

What is it like to work in Brussels

"It is exciting, challenging and sometimes surprising when the Brussels bubble opens up new opportunities you have not even thought of before."

I decided to study International Relations because I wanted to gain a better understanding of foreign affairs. The MA specialisation Global Order in Historical Perspective offers a unique perspective on how the current global order and political architecture came about and gives you a better understanding of the role international institutions play (and do not play) in myriad international issues that remain relevant today.

Before the master’s programme I studied International Studies. There is some degree of overlap between the two, as both programmes for example cover IR theory and are conscious to avoid Eurocentric perspectives. The main difference, however, is that in International Studies you specialise in particular areas of the world, whereas in International Relations you choose a thematic specialisation and focus more on the role of international organisations. As a history enthusiast this thematic specialisation was exactly what I was looking for.

My advice to prospective IR students would be to do an internship and start early considering what kind of work would suit them. IR is both a broad and competitive field and it helps to have some idea of where your interests lie and what you think you would enjoy doing before graduating.

"Being from my own cultural background, from the U.S., I came to Leiden with a certain view on the world. Through studying International Relations I acquired much more cultural sensitivity about certain issues. I learned about the impression the U.S. leaves on the world, which opened up my world to different viewpoints.”

Recruiting students for our study abroad programmes

"I currently work at CISabroad, a studying abroad organization that has affiliations with over 200 U.S. universities. For the most part I recruit students for our study abroad programmes, but I also arrange the logistics of some of the student trips abroad."

Inspirational lecturers

" As a lecturer I found Lindsay Black very inspirational. He is a very smart man and I owe him a drink or two for being so helpful during the process of writing my thesis."