International Relations and Chinese
International relations and Chinese is a degree that takes on particular significance in the contemporary world, as China's role in global affairs, its economic and political relationships with other states and its growing influence in international institutions has become one of the defining features of early twenty-first century geopolitics. Understanding that role requires both the analytical frameworks of international relations, which explain how states, institutions and non-state actors interact within the international system, and the linguistic and cultural access that comes from genuine proficiency in Mandarin Chinese.
At the London School of Economics, this four-year full-time programme combines theoretical and applied learning with a particular emphasis on China's place in the international community. The LSE is one of the world's leading institutions for the social sciences, and its international relations teaching is informed by research at the frontier of the discipline. You will develop your Mandarin to a level of genuine proficiency, studying the language alongside the political, cultural and historical context of China and the Chinese-speaking world.
The programme trains you to negotiate diplomatic relations in Chinese and other international settings, reflecting the professional and applied ambitions of the degree.
You will engage with the major theoretical frameworks of international relations alongside specific knowledge of Chinese foreign policy, China's relationships with other major powers, and its role in international institutions and governance.
Graduates move into diplomacy, international business, journalism, think tanks, government China analysis, international organisations, finance and consultancy. The combination of IR training and Mandarin proficiency from one of the world's leading social science universities is highly competitive. Postgraduate study in international relations, Chinese studies, international law or area studies is a natural option.