The two-year master’s degree is a joint program between the Freie University Berlin, the Humboldt University Berlin and the Potsdam University.  The program is internationally oriented and was founded in 2003.

International relations is a sub-discipline of political science. It deals primarily with the external relations of states (foreign policy), the relations between states (international politics and international systems), and increasingly with the interaction of non-state actors across national borders.

The program aims to prepare students for the complexity of world politics in the 21st century, and thus for a wide range of professional activities in administration, political consulting, business and academia, by providing them with academic and professional skills, both theoretical and practical. Through the cooperation of three renowned universities, students benefit from a comprehensive range of courses that encompass a broad spectrum of theoretical approaches, subject areas, and distinctive regional expertise.

The focus is on teaching central theories and methods, skills and abilities for scientific work as well as empirical expertise in the field of international politics. Other thematic foci include international organizations and institutions, international economic relations, comparative foreign policy and regional analysis, EU studies, and peace and security policy. In order to get an even more concrete idea of the content of the program, it is advisable to take a look at the current course catalog of the MAIB.

The Master's program in International Relations is designed as a four-semester full-time program. Three semesters are devoted to deepening and broadening existing knowledge in a wide variety of courses. The fourth semester is devoted to writing a master's thesis. Half of the core courses are offered in German and half in English. In addition, a six-week full-time internship is mandatory. Upon successful completion of the program, students are awarded the academic degree Master of Arts (M.A.).