International Relations and Organisations (BSc)
Why Leiden University
The Political Science degree programme at the University of Leiden has a strong academic reputation. You will be taught in an international classroom by experts in their field.
Study at a world-class university
Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands and enjoys an excellent worldwide reputation built up over more than four centuries. Since 1575 we’ve provided sound personal education for hundreds of thousands of students from all over the world. We’ll do our utmost to give you the best possible support. And if you can and want to do more, we’ll challenge you every step of the way. For many years, we’ve been among the leaders in Dutch university rankings and we are currently to be found in a variety of top international rankings too.
More reasons to choose Leiden University
The Hague: Center of politics and international relations
If you choose to study International Relations and Organisations in The Hague, you will be at the very centre of where it is all happening. As the seat of government, The Hague is the city when it comes to politics and diplomacy. Here, for example, you’ll find all ministries, the embassies and consulates, the International Criminal Court, Europol, the Peace Palace, the Clingendael Institute and the many UN tribunals. Consequently, the city is home to a large international community.
The Hague is not just a cosmopolitan city of expats. It is also a multicultural city, a city of contrasts, a city with history, a city of creative and enterprising students who look beyond their boundaries, and who envision a role on the international stage.
Unique training and an international career
In addition to acquiring substantive knowledge, you will develop your academic and professional skills in statistics and research methods. You will also train your skills in text and discourse analysis, as well as in debating.
By studying the dynamics of politics and the underlying mechanisms, you are building a foundation that will benefit you in your future career, whether as part of an international organisation, or as a journalist or consultant.
Engaged and professional lecturers
You will be working with engaged lecturers, who will inspire you to intertwine social sciences theories with international political practice. They are experts in their fields and have extensive practical experience through their advisory work for government and international organisations.
High standards and innovation
The International Relations and Organisations (IRO) programme reflects our embedment in tradition and drive for innovation: on the one hand, IRO offers a new and unique bachelor’s curriculum; on the other, our high-ranking staff and state-of-the-art approaches have proven themselves in our other Political Science bachelor’s and master’s programmes.