School of International Relations and Media Studies

Our mission

We seek to provide students with a world-class education that cultivates critical, analytical and practical research skills suitable for an increasingly globalized world. Upon graduation, our students are equipped for a career within a range of professional fields or to pursue graduate studies at a leading higher education institution.

Our school emphasizes critical thinking, ethical decision making, and the effective use of English to communicate these ideas. These core elements are embedded within the context of an interdisciplinary, collaborative, and multicultural learning environment, which places our students in an advantageous position as they develop a foundation for their academic and professional careers.

Our vision

Our programs are a direct response to a growing global demand for graduates who have the skills to engage with and understand the complexities of an increasingly interconnected world.

Our broad-based student learning goals

Students will:

Cultivate the knowledge and skills necessary for them to thrive in their chosen professional fields.
Become independent thinkers, capable of applying critical perspectives to not only academic research and scholarship but also, outside the classroom, to civic matters, making them responsible and productive citizens.
Expand their understanding of a globalized world, developing, through engagement with people of varying socio-cultural backgrounds, strategies to adapt and succeed in a multicultural environment.
Be creative and imaginative, daring to be themselves.
Develop an ethical and culturally sensitive attitude towards the world around them.

Our intended student learning outcomes for the International Relations Programs

Upon graduating, our students will:

Think theoretically and analytically about contemporary issues in international affairs.
Possess the quantitative analytical skills required for a professional in this field of study.
Conduct research and produce original research papers.
Demonstrate an understanding of the conceptual and empirical issues associated with international and European economic and social policy and their application in international relations.
Communicate effectively in English, proving proficient at conveying information both orally and via the written word.
Possess expertise in utilizing software applications and information technology to conduct research.
Exhibit proficiency in collaborating with others, especially in multicultural settings.
Prove capable of applying appropriate problem-solving and decision-making strategies while balancing ethical considerations in the public and private sectors.
Demonstrate a considerable capacity to think critically about international relations and international economic developments, trends, and events.

Our intended student learning outcomes in the Media and Communication programs

Students will be able to:

Identify, contextualize, and critically evaluate theoretical developments in the study of communication.
Assess the impact of new information technologies on media systems.
Understand and be able to comprehensively explain the principles and theories of public relations.
Recognize techniques and strategies used by speakers to inform, persuade, and entertain.
Understand the divisions of the fields of communication and media studies.
Analyze messages in the mass media in terms of rhetorical value.
Plan and execute full-scale public relations and advertising campaigns.
Be able to effectively write, report on events, and conduct interviews.
Utilize their skills to design research projects – indicating hypotheses, best data collection methods, and the most appropriate ways to analyze data.
Apply Public Relations research methods in different situations.
Communicate effectively about quantitative and qualitative research, both orally and in writing.