International Relations and Music

International relations and music is an unusual combination, but one with genuine intellectual merit. International relations examines the global political system, asking how states, international institutions, and non-state actors interact, how conflicts arise and are resolved, and how the norms, laws, and power dynamics of the international order shape what is possible for different peoples and societies. Music examines the organised use of sound across cultures, time periods, and traditions, developing both analytical skills and cultural understanding of one of humanity's most universal and varied creative practices.

At the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, this three-year full-time programme benefits from SOAS's extraordinary depth in non-Western cultures and music traditions. The music strand at SOAS is distinctive in the UK for its engagement with the music of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the wider world alongside Western classical and popular traditions, which means that studying music here connects directly to the international and cross-cultural concerns that animate international relations. You will develop skills in musical analysis, music history, and ethnomusicology alongside the theoretical and empirical tools of international relations.

The programme includes a foundation year, providing a structured entry route.

Graduates from international relations programmes go on to careers in diplomacy, international organisations, journalism, development, the civil service, and policy research. Those who combine this with music studies may find particular roles in cultural diplomacy, arts and international development, broadcasting, arts administration, and international cultural organisations. Further study at postgraduate level in international relations, ethnomusicology, music, or area studies is available for those who wish to develop specialist expertise.