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Studies & Degrees in Diplomatic Studies

Diplomatic studies is the study of how states and international organisations deal with each other: negotiation, representation, foreign policy and the rules that govern them. It is a specialisation of international relations with a practical edge. Besides theory, students practise the working methods of a foreign ministry or an embassy, such as drafting, negotiating, protocol and consular work.

The subject is interdisciplinary. The Diplomatic Academy of Vienna (Diplomatische Akademie Wien - Vienna School of International Studies) builds its master's on political science, international and economic relations, contemporary history, and international and European law. Languages are the other pillar: most programmes expect students to work in English and at least one more language.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. Diplomacy is usually studied within a bachelor's degree in international relations or political science. The International Relations BA (Hons) at London Metropolitan University includes modules such as Modern Diplomacy: Communication, Representation, Negotiation, The New Diplomacy and Public Diplomacy and Global Influence, plus language modules in Arabic, French, Spanish or English. It asks for a minimum of grades CCC in three A levels. In the United States the subject can also be a minor: Susquehanna University recommends its international relations minor to students interested in diplomacy.
  • Master's degree. This is the most common level for a named diplomacy qualification. The Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky, established in 1959, teaches a 30 credit hour master's that can be completed in three semesters, with diplomacy as one of four concentrations. The Master of Advanced International Studies in Vienna is a two-year joint master's degree with the University of Vienna. The University of Nairobi offers a Master of Arts in Diplomacy with blended delivery; it asks for a first degree of at least Second Class Honours Upper Division, with alternatives for other applicants.
  • Postgraduate diplomas and specialist courses. The Diploma Programme of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna lasts one year full time and has 60 ECTS credits; tuition for 2026-27 is EUR 16,400, applicants sit an entrance exam, and the first application deadline is 15 January. In Spain, Instituto Séneca in Madrid runs an online course on international, diplomatic and consular affairs of 250 hours over six months. According to the school, it leads to a Título de Especialista Universitario issued by the Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM); ask the school what recognition that title has.

A degree does not make a diplomat

Foreign services recruit through their own selection procedures, normally open only to their own nationals, and no degree in diplomacy gives direct entry. In Spain the selection process for the Carrera Diplomática takes place at the Escuela Diplomática, a public institution of the foreign ministry. In the United Kingdom the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office recruits graduates through the Diplomatic and Development Fast Stream of the Civil Service. In Austria the Diplomatic Academy states that its Diploma Programme is strongly recommended as preparation for a graduate-level career in the foreign ministry. Some countries train their diplomats at a dedicated university: the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent, established in 1992, operates under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.

Where to study diplomatic studies

SpainExchange lists 22 active schools for this subject. Six are in the United States, three in Spain, two in Lithuania and two in Austria, with single schools in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Hungary, Kenya, Morocco, South Korea, Nicaragua and Uzbekistan. In Spain the schools are Instituto Séneca and the Escuela Internacional de Protocolo in Madrid and the Instituto Europeo Campus Stellae in Santiago de Compostela; these are private centres for postgraduate and professional training, not the state Escuela Diplomática. In Lithuania, Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas has a Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy.

English is the main language of instruction in most of these schools, including Vienna, where some courses are given in French and German. The Spanish centres and the Universidad Americana in Managua teach in Spanish.

Careers

The Patterson School lists the usual destinations: national diplomatic services, international organisations, parliaments and non-governmental organisations, and also regional and local government, think tanks, foundations, journalism and business. The diplomatic service itself is a small employer: the UK foreign ministry, for example, employs around 17,300 staff in its diplomatic and development offices worldwide. Most graduates therefore work in the wider field of international affairs. Protocol and event management, institutional relations and consular administration are further options, especially from the Spanish specialist schools.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a degree in diplomatic studies to become a diplomat?

No. Foreign ministries select candidates through their own procedures, such as the selection process held at the Escuela Diplomática in Spain or the Diplomatic and Development Fast Stream in the United Kingdom. A degree in the field is preparation, not a licence.

How long does a master's in diplomacy take?

Between one and two years. The Diploma Programme in Vienna takes one year (60 ECTS credits), the master's at the Patterson School three semesters, and the Master of Advanced International Studies in Vienna two years.

Which languages do I need?

English is the working language of most programmes. The Diplomatic Academy of Vienna also teaches some courses in French and German, and London Metropolitan University includes language modules in Arabic, French or Spanish in its degree.

Can I study diplomacy online?

Yes, at some schools. Instituto Séneca offers its 250-hour course online, and the University of Nairobi combines face-to-face teaching with distance learning in its Master of Arts in Diplomacy.