International Relations Schools and Programs in Madrid, Spain
About International Relations Schools and Programs in Madrid, Spain
International Relations studies how states, international organisations, companies and civil society act across borders. Students combine political science, international law, economics, history and languages to understand diplomacy, conflicts, trade and global governance. As the capital, with the ministries and the embassies, Madrid offers the widest choice of programmes in this field in Spain, from official bachelor's degrees to master's programmes taught in English.
How the degree is organised
In Spain, International Relations is an official bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits, usually four years. Official master's degrees (máster universitario) have 60, 90 or 120 credits. Universities and institutes also offer their own programmes (títulos propios), which are not official degrees. The ministry's Registro de Universidades, Centros y Títulos (RUCT) lists 36 bachelor's degree records under the search "relaciones internacionales", current and older ones, so you can check whether a programme is official.
Where to study International Relations in Madrid
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid: a public university whose official bachelor's degree in Relaciones Internacionales is taught at the Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Sociología on the Somosaguas campus. The RUCT also lists its official master's degree in Relaciones Internacionales: Gobernanza Global y Estudios Regionales.
- Universidad Pontificia Comillas: a private university with an official bachelor's degree in Relaciones Internacionales.
- Universidad CEU San Pablo: offers an official bachelor's degree in International Relations and European Union. Its Real Instituto Universitario de Estudios Europeos teaches an official master's degree in International Relations and a master's degree in Geopolitics, Security and Defence.
- IE: IE Universidad has an official Bachelor in International Relations and an official Master in International Relations, both registered with English titles in the RUCT.
- Instituto Séneca: offers postgraduate programmes such as a Máster en Formación Permanente in international affairs, geopolitics and diplomacy, a university lifelong-learning qualification rather than an official master's degree.
- American and international campuses: Schiller International University teaches a four-year BA and an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy in English in Madrid, and Saint Louis University's Madrid campus offers a B.A. and an M.A. in Political Science. These lead to the home institution's degree, not a Spanish official degree.
Admission and recognition
Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply first to UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' records and runs the tests needed to enter a Spanish bachelor's degree. Each university then sets its own admission process. Public universities teach mainly in Spanish, while several private universities and the American campuses teach fully or partly in English, so check the language before applying. If you hold a foreign degree and want to take a master's, you can ask the ministry for a declaration of equivalence, which certifies the academic level of your degree (bachelor's or master's).
Careers
Graduates work in diplomacy and public administration, international organisations, NGOs and development cooperation, international departments of companies, consultancy and risk analysis, journalism and research.
Frequently asked questions
Can I study International Relations in English in Madrid?
Yes. IE Universidad registers its bachelor's and master's degrees with English titles, and Schiller International University teaches its BA and MA in International Relations and Diplomacy in English. Public universities teach mainly in Spanish.
Is there a public university with this degree in Madrid?
Yes. The Universidad Complutense de Madrid teaches the official bachelor's degree in Relaciones Internacionales and an official master's degree in the field.
How long does the bachelor's degree take?
Four years. Spanish bachelor's degrees generally have 240 ECTS credits.
Is a "Máster en Formación Permanente" an official master's degree?
No. It is a university's own qualification. Official master's degrees are called "Máster Universitario" and appear in the RUCT.