Interdisciplinary study in international relations and political studies at Jagiellonian University

Located in Kraków, Jagiellonian University is Poland’s best higher education provider. It’s the country’s oldest university and one of the oldest in Europe, equipped with a long and fascinating history.

From its founding as Kraków University on May 12, 1364 by the Polish King Casimir the Great, to the clandestine education offered to 800 students throughout the second world war after the Nazis closed the university, Jagiellonian in its many guises has remained an academic pillar of Europe.

Today, the institution benefits from its central European location in the historic and beautiful city of Kraków – a hotspot for graduate employment with its booming job market.

The Faculty of International and Political Studies is home to the broad field of political science and regional studies, with particular focus on cultural aspects, and is one of the university’s most international and dynamically-developing departments.

The duality of the faculty’s interests enables interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary studies related to global regions, which in turn deepens the analysis of political issues through reflection on social, economic and cultural problems.

The plethora of BA and MA programmes includes courses such as a BA in International Relations and Area Studies, a BA in Global and Development Studies, an MA in TransAtlantic Studies and an MA in International Security and Development.

Jagiellonian University

Jagiellonian, through the Centre for European Studies, also collaborates with a variety of universities worldwide to create unique courses, such as the MA in European Studies: Central and Eastern European Studies, the Double Degree Master’s Programme in Law and Politics (in partnership with Kobe University) and the Joint MA Degree in International Relations: Europe from the Visegrad Perspective (in partnership with Brno University, Pecs University and Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica).

The faculty’s motto is “We teach how to understand the world from an interdisciplinary perspective”.

This interdisciplinary perspective is clearly woven throughout the faculty and is extremely beneficial in the field of international relations and political studies, allowing for collaboration with foreign universities to create courses covering the multi-faceted nature of international cultural study.

Not only are the courses interdisciplinary and multi-faceted – so is the student body. The faculty provides a very multicultural academic environment educating about 600 foreign students from over 50 countries. This breadth of experiences and backgrounds within class makes for intense discussion, new perspectives and innovative ideas.

Jagiellonian University

The Faculty of International and Political Studies gives a great opportunity for development through:

• Publications in scientific journals, like Politeja – issued by the faculty, full of articles on political science, international relations and cultural studies.
• Domestic and international conferences, also events organised by the faculty’s students, like the yearly Jagiellonian University International Model United Nations or the Festival of Diplomacy.
• Research grants, like:
• The research project EU3D: EU Differentiation, Dominance and Democracy (#EU3D), which will study the future of political integration in Europe.

• The research project Populist rebellion against modernity in 21^st-century Eastern Europe: neo-traditionalism and neo-feudalism (POPREBEL), which will focus on explaining and contextualising the recent rise of populism in Central and Eastern Europe from a variety of perspectives: social, cultural, political and economic.
• The Jean Monnet Networks REACTIK project, which aims to broaden the field of European integration studies by incorporating the domain of European Cultural Diplomacy and European Culture Policy. The project will develop an inter-regional, collaborative academic space to enhance the study of European cultural diplomacy.

There are also plenty of elective courses for students to choose from each semester, meaning you can tailor your course to your interests.

Students of the faculty also have the exciting option to study abroad during their degree to experience the culture and language of another country, broadening their horizons and deepening their understanding of international relations within the Erasmus+ Study Programme, plenty of bilateral agreements and many other international projects.

Jagiellonian University

As an international student at Jagiellonian’s Faculty of International and Political Studies, you’ll feel well and truly welcomed in your new country of Poland, supported by great opportunities to travel and also the crucial framework required to learn the local language during your studies.

This is an unparalleled opportunity to discover and learn about the particular issues faced by various countries, cities, political groups, social and ethnic minorities first-hand, helping you shape the direction your career will take post-graduation.

For these reasons, the Faculty of International and Political Studies is one of the highest-ranking European centres for Political Science, according to the prestigious Excellence Ranking conducted by the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHE).

So, if you’re looking to study anything within the broad and fascinating field of International Relations and Politics – whether you’re looking to focus on Europe or further afield – consider studying at the prestigious and welcoming Jagiellonian University in Poland.

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