MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy
About the course
The MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy investigates a broad range of policy issues related to the institutions and processes of global governance and diplomacy – at international, transnational, state, and domestic levels.
The MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy will equip you to understand and explain global governance and diplomacy, and will prepare you for a career in these areas and beyond.
By focusing on the institutions and processes of global governance and diplomacy, you will not only develop a comprehensive big-picture view of world politics but also specialise on topical aspects and make an original contribution based on your own research.
Course structure
An overview of the course structure is provided below. Details of the compulsory and optional elements of the course are provided in the Course components section of this page.
The course comprises a foundation course, two option courses from a list of choices, a course on research methods, and a dissertation.
Over the duration of the course, you will benefit from a series of plenary lectures and other events. The speakers discuss important issues of global governance and diplomacy and/or provide research-led presentations followed by discussion.
The degree is academic in style but teaches highly topical and relevant real-world phenomena and has enabled past cohorts of students to seek professional employment.
You will find further information, including further details about course offerings, on the departmental website (See Further information and enquiries).
Most of the department's teaching takes place in small classes to encourage active participation and enable students to learn from each other. Teaching styles vary and include lectures, seminars, workshops, and student presentations. Reading for a seminar class is normally in the order of five to seven articles, or 100-150 pages per week.
Students and staff are passionate about research for graduate dissertations, which are due in late May or early June. Your general and dissertation supervisor(s) will support you in your academic development and you will meet them regularly. In addition, you will have a college advisor whom you may consult on issues concerning your personal wellbeing.
As a student on the course, you will be able to attend a wide range of public seminars organised within the department and a great variety of events across the University. In particular, the Global Governance and Diplomacy Public Speaker Series brings diplomatic practitioners and academic scholars to the department for public lectures. These enable students to interact with experienced professionals and to discuss new perspectives on current diplomatic events and global governance challenges.
The degree's series of Plenary Lectures familiarises you with the research of core staff, sometimes followed by a social event. Transition to graduate life is helped by a voluntary Coaching Colloquium where students can discuss academic concerns in a friendly atmosphere.
Attendance
The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students to support with learning and research, as well as guidance on what technology to bring with you as a new student at Oxford.
In addition to the world-class resources of the Bodleian Library, the Social Sciences Library is nearby offering study spaces, discussion rooms, printing and IT facilities and research support. It has considerable print and digital strengths in development studies and a specialist librarian on staff. As alumni of the University, students can sign up for access to online journals through JSTOR.
The department provides hot-desking areas with desk-tops and printing, as well as Wi-Fi access. Technical support is available through the department, your college and the University's IT Services, which also offer training courses. Course materials are available online via Canvas, the University's Virtual Learning Environment.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Oxford Department of International Development. It is not possible, in all cases, to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Oxford Department of International Development.
Assessment
During the course, you will receive regular feedback on practice essays. Such feedback does not count towards your final mark but prepares you for the formal assessment of your performance. Each of your option courses will be examined by an essay completed in the term break after either your first or second term. The foundation course and research methods course will be assessed by examination at the end of your third term. Your final mark will be aggregated from the results of these examinations and the mark for your dissertation.
Graduate destinations
The degree prepares you for a career in diplomacy and/or transnational and regional institutions of governance such as international organisations, nongovernmental organisations, and private sector firms interacting with these institutions. It also provides the basis for further education, including doctoral studies.
Graduates of the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy have joined the United Nations and other international organisations, such as the World Food Programme, the diplomatic service of the UK and other countries, government departments across the globe, NGOs like Oxfam and WWF, and the private sector in fields ranging from investment to energy.
Changes to this course
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Course components
Compulsory study
You will:
- undertake a foundation course which is a two-term course running over 16 weeks and covering fundamental issues of global governance and international diplomacy;
- undertake a two-term course on qualitative and quantitative research methods in the social sciences; and
- research and write a dissertation under the direction of a supervisor, to be submitted towards the end of the final term..
Options
You will choose two option courses from a list of choices. The option courses cover important aspects of global governance and/or diplomacy. Availability of options varies from year to year but the following options have been offered in previous years:
- Religion and World Politics
- Peacebuilding and Statebuilding
- Political Economy of Institutions and Development
- Global Trade and Finance
- Power, Conflict and the Arts
- Global Environmental Governance
- Diplomacy and Virtual Reality.
Each option consists of eight two-hour seminars.
Entry requirements for entry in 2026-27
Proven and potential academic excellence
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our guidance to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
We know that contextual factors can make it difficult for candidates to demonstrate their full potential. This course is taking part in an initiative to use contextual data to help us to better understand your achievements in the context of your individual background. For further details, please refer to the information about improving access to graduate study in the How to apply section of this page.
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. Contextual data may also be used in the assessment of studentships.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class undergraduate degree with honours, typically in a social science subject.
The MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy is one of the most competitive master’s degrees in Oxford’s Social Sciences division. Selection happens on the basis of excellence. Almost all successful applicants have a first-class degree or equivalent, but, in exceptional cases, we may balance this against significant other accomplishments.
We value students with diverse academic backgrounds and are happy to consider students who have not specialised in a social science. Active diplomats are welcome to apply, although it should be noted that everyone competes for admission on equal terms with all other applicants.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.8 out of 4.0.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Relevant working experience is desirable but not essential.
- An ability to work independently is essential.
- Publications are not expected or required for admission, but you may list any on your application form.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| TOEFL iBT* including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced† | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency‡ | 191 | 185 |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 165 | 155 |
*Changes to the TOEFL iBT test are being introduced on 21 January 2026. The University will not accept TOEFL tests taken from that date to meet the English language condition until a review of the revised test has been completed. Our Application Guide provides full details of the tests we accept.
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
‡Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process for this degree.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Funding
For entry in the 2026-27 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,100 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the December deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding, loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.
Costs
Annual course fees
The fees for this course are charged on an annual basis.
Fees for the 2026-27 academic year at the University of Oxford
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £32,020 |
| Overseas | £40,710 |
What do course fees cover?
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional costs information below.
How long do I need to pay course fees?
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year fees will usually increase annually, as explained in the University’s Terms and Conditions.
Where can I find more information about fees?
Our fees and other charges pages provide further information, including details about:
- course fees and fee liability;
- how your fee status is determined; and
- changes to fees and other charges.
Information about how much fees and other costs will usually increase each academic year is set out in the University's Terms and Conditions.
Additional costs
There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. However, as part of your course requirements, you will choose a dissertation topic. Depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel costs within the UK, and other research expenditures. It is also possible that an optional field trip within the UK might be organised. You will need to meet the additional costs associated with the dissertation research and the optional trip (if you choose to take part), although you will be able to apply for small grants from your department to help you cover some of these expenses.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for full-time study
For the 2026-27 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,405 and £2,105 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (if dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and periods of high national inflation in recent years make it harder to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2026-27 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation.
A breakdown of likely living costs for one month during the 2026-27 academic year are shown below. These costs are based on a single, full-time graduate student, with no dependants, living in Oxford.
| Lower range | Upper range | |
|---|---|---|
| Food | £315 | £545 |
| Accommodation | £825 | £990 |
| Personal items | £160 | £310 |
| Social activities | £50 | £130 |
| Study costs | £35 | £90 |
| Other | £20 | £40 |
| Total | £1,405 | £2,105 |
For information about how these figures have been calculated as well as tables showing the likely living costs for nine and twelve months, please refer to the living costs page of our website.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
The following colleges accept students on the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application, including advice to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the December deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
It is neither necessary nor customary for you to contact potential supervisors or other academic members of staff before you apply. Incoming students are informed about their supervisor at the induction sessions in early October.
General questions about the course should be directed to the course administrator via the contact details provided on this page.
Improving access to graduate study
This course is taking part in initiatives to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, to ensure that all candidates are assessed fairly.
Contextual data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used as part of an initiative to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Referees:
Three overall, of which at least two must be academic
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
A helpful reference will speak to your intellectual ability, academic achievement, academic writing ability, suitability for this programme of study, motivation and any other information that is deemed to be relevant.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Statement of purpose:
From a minimum of 500 words up to a maximum of 700 words, ideally on one page
Your statement of purpose must be written in English.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
State your motivation and how you believe the degree may contribute to your professional development and/or academic career. Indicate an awareness of the structure of the degree, including by stating the options courses that you are most interested in. You should also indicate, if ever so briefly, what your dissertation topic might be.
Written work:
Two essays, from a minimum of 1,500 words to a maximum of 2,500 words each
You should submit two academic essays or other writing samples, usually from your most recent or ongoing degree. Extracts from longer pieces of work are acceptable and should be prefaced by a short note that puts them into context. If you submit two extracts, they should not come from the same piece of work. All writing samples must be in English.
Writing samples are assessed for understanding of the subject area; understanding of problems in the area; ability to construct and defend arguments; power of analysis and expression; and familiarity with standard academic working techniques.
It is preferable, though not mandatory, that the writing samples relate closely to the subject matter of the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy.
Please start each writing sample with a title. If possible, display the word count at the end of each writing sample. The word limit includes any bibliography or footnotes if there are any. Multi-authored work is not acceptable.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice.
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.