Overview One of the main goals of the Department International Relations at KNU is to educate and train graduates capable of contributing to the future development of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq in the turbulent and complex arena of the contemporary world in political fields.

To this end, the BA program in International Relations creates an exciting and supportive learning environment where students can develop a robust, critical knowledge of the major theoretical and methodological issues related to the study of politics and international relations, while also acquiring the competences that will make them competitive in a wide range of professional areas. Special emphasis is placed on equipping students with the necessary skills to start a successful career in the sectors of public management and diplomacy.

Delivered by a cohort of passionate and highly qualified academics coming from internationally re-known universities, the BA program in Global Politics and Diplomatic Studies also allows students to undertake internships and to gain work experience, thereby increasing their employability. Graduates from the Department of Politics and International Relations have found positions in several professional areas including government administration, international organizations, diplomatic representations, no-profit, media, and the business sector.

 VISION

International relations department searching to build a base of innovators and specialists in politic science, international relations, and diplomacy to form a distinguished scientific base in legal areas related to the knowledge and implementation of good governance and to prepare plans for the development of the educational tools to ensure the fulfillment of the highest quality requirements in Kurdistan, Iraq and the world.

MISSION

The elevation in all improvement of legal culture needs the high quality of the students as being classified among higher scientific standards. The department of international relations is also having the duty with selecting well-experienced academic staff and faculty with advanced academic titles, as well as preparing a well-established library, using modern teaching and training methods theoretically and practically that containing E-Learning and the modern standard methods of communicating information, keeping pace with the latest legislation.

Job Prospects 

Students in this Department have the opportunity to participate and get positons and jobs in public and private institutions in the Kurdistan Region. Graduates from the Department of international relations have found positions in several professional fields, including positions in political parties and public sectors and administration in the institutions of legislative and executive authorities in KRG and Iraq especially in the Ministry of Foreign affairs and in KRG Department of Foreign Relations (DFR) in diplomatic fields, also in private sectors such as media, governmental and non-governmental organizations in both national and international levels.

Program structure

The structure of the study in the international relations department is (4) years studying with a total (30) subjects including all basic information related to the political and international relations field. The department aims through this structure prepare specialists in the practice of diplomacy and international relations by teaching various subjects (Introduction to International Relations– Principles of political economy – Introduction to diplomacy – Human Rights – political systems – history of international relations – diplomatic missions – public international law – political economy – diplomatic immunity – Middle East politics – strategic plans – economical international relations – international negotiation - political sociology, security studies- Ethics and Public Policy) in addition to prepare two highly qualified in international relations and encouraging scientific research in above areas and playing an influential role in the movement of society and the state in the legislative, executive and judicial areas as well as participating with the administration of the state in spreading political awareness, achieving good governance and protecting rights in society through its graduates assuming political, administrative decision-making positions.