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Studies & Degrees in International Organizations

International organizations are bodies set up to work across national borders. The best known are intergovernmental organizations, created by states through a treaty, such as the United Nations, the European Union or the World Trade Organization, which the UN describes as a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements. Alongside them are international non-governmental organizations, created by private citizens or associations. The University of Groningen sums up the field in a few figures: 193 UN member states and over 6,000 governmental and non-governmental organizations.

As a subject, it looks at how these organizations are created, financed and governed, how they take decisions and what they can and cannot make states do. The United Nations is a good example of the complexity involved: the UN system comprises the UN itself and many funds, programmes and specialized agencies, each with its own area of work, leadership and budget, and the specialized agencies are autonomous organizations that work with the UN. Students combine political science, history, economics and international law, and usually a foreign language.

Qualifications and levels

Few degrees carry the name of the subject. It is normally studied within international relations, political science, international law or international business.

  • Bachelor's degrees. The BA in International Relations and International Organization (IRIO) at the University of Groningen lasts 36 months, has 180 credits and is taught in English. It covers the place of politics, history, economics and law in international relations and the role of international organizations, and students start or improve a foreign language, with Spanish, French, Chinese and Russian among the options. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits.
  • Master's degrees. Groningen's master's track in International Relations and International Organization lasts 12 months and has 60 credits, starts in February or September and leaves room for a placement at a public or private organization. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
  • Business-oriented programmes. The Master in International Business at EAE Business School has 60 ECTS credits, is taught full-time in Spanish or English and, on its Madrid campus, opens with a module on geopolitics and new business. It approaches the international environment from the point of view of a company, not of public policy.

Admission to a master's requires a bachelor's degree. Groningen accepts applications from graduates in the social sciences and from internationally oriented degrees such as international relations, regional studies, European or international law, or history. EAE asks for a bachelor's degree or an equivalent earlier qualification.

Where to study it

The directory lists 2 active schools for this subject: the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and EAE Business School in Spain, with campuses in Barcelona and Madrid. Many other universities teach the subject inside degrees in international relations or law, so it is worth looking at those subject pages as well.

At Groningen the fee for EU/EEA students is €2,694 for the 2026-27 academic year. Non-EU/EEA students pay €14,000 for the bachelor's programme and €19,900 for the master's. EAE is a private school and sets its own prices; ask the school for the current fee and for the recognition the qualification has on each campus.

Careers

Groningen is frank about what its bachelor's degree does: it does not train students for one specific job, and most graduates go on to a master's programme. Many of its graduates become policy advisers for national governments, NGOs and international organizations, and others work in business, research, media and communication.

Working inside an international organization usually means passing its own selection process. The EU institutions, for example, distinguish between permanent staff, called officials, who are recruited after passing selection competitions, and non-permanent staff on fixed-term contracts. Each organization publishes its own requirements for nationality, languages and experience, so check them on its official careers site.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a degree called International Organizations?

Rarely. The subject is usually part of a degree in international relations, political science or international law. One example that names it is the BA in International Relations and International Organization at the University of Groningen.

How long do the studies take?

The Groningen bachelor's degree lasts 36 months (180 credits) and its master's track 12 months (60 credits). In Spain a bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and an official master's degree 60, 90 or 120.

Does a degree guarantee a job at the UN or the EU?

No. International organizations recruit through their own procedures; EU officials, for example, are recruited through selection competitions. A degree is a requirement for many posts, not a guarantee.

Can I study it in English?

Yes. Both Groningen programmes are taught in English, and EAE Business School offers its Master in International Business in Spanish or English.