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You are here: Home1 / Master in Contemporary Diplomacy

Master in Contemporary Diplomacy

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  • Starting: 29 January 2024
  • Application deadline: 15 October 2023
  • Duration: 16 to 20 months
  • Overview
  • Entry requirements
  • Programme structure
  • Fees and scholarships
  • How to apply
  • Why enrol?
  • €400 Early Bird discount available by 1 June!

Diplo’s online master in diplomacy programme guides you through the theoretical and practical building blocks of diplomacy and policymaking, with a focus on contemporary issues and challenges. 

If you are involved in diplomacy, governmental/non-governmental, public/private sectors, civil society, academia, or global policy and politics, this programme is ideal for you as it provides practical skills and knowledge for effective engagement in international processes. 

Participants can focus on contemporary diplomacy or select internet governance as an area of specialisation within this programme, which is delivered in cooperation with the Univesity of Malta.

Conducted entirely online, the MA programme in diplomacy consists of three phases: 

  1. Introductory workshop
  2. Online courses
  3. Master’s dissertation

During the introductory workshop phase and the online course phase, participants engage in class discussions and practice-based exercises. 

Small group sizes promote learning together and drawing on the experience and knowledge of other participants and lecturers, enabling you to immediately put your new knowledge into practice. Assessment is based on contribution to class discussions and on assignments within each course.

Dissertation: Writing your thesis is an individual activity that you will conduct at your own pace, with the personal guidance of a supervisor.

This master’s programme is delivered by Diplo’s faculty members, practising and retired diplomats and experts with vast theoretical knowledge, expertise, and rich practical experience.

Start your application

Please provide your details to receive further instructions from our Admissions Team.

Entry requirements

Applicants for the Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy must meet the University of Malta prerequisites for postgraduate study.

Academic requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject with at least Second Class Honours

English language requirements

  • TOEFL Internet-Based Test (iBT)
    Minimum requirements: 95 overall, with a writing score of at least 24, obtained within the last two years
  • Academic IELTS Certificate
    Minimum requirements: 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in each element, obtained within the last two years
  • Cambridge English Proficiency Advanced Certificate
    Minimum requirements: Grade C or better

Programme structure

This online master’s in diplomacy involves 16 to 20 months of online study, including writing a dissertation. 
Areas of study range from the basics of diplomacy, such as Bilateral Diplomacy and Public Diplomacy, to more contemporary topics like Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity (click here to see the entire list of courses).

The programme is organised in three phases:

  • Phase I: The introductory workshop that is delivered in late January/early February.
  • Phase II: Following the workshop, you will attend five online courses, each lasting ten weeks.
  • Phase III: The final phase includes writing your master’s dissertation.

The programme is awarded 90 ECTS credits: 15 for the introductory workshop, 45 for 5 online courses (9 ECTS each), and 30 for the dissertation. Please see the University of Malta accredited courses list to learn more about this option.

Phase I: Introductory workshop

The introductory workshop focuses on building skills for various policy and diplomacy processes. It sets the stage for the entire programme in which you will get to know other course participants and faculty members, providing you with a new professional network that will be of high value for your current and future work.

The workshop takes place over a two-week period. You should expect to spend five to six hours of study time per day during this period, which will include reading and discussing course materials, attending live meetings via a video-conferencing platform, joining group exercises, and completing assignments.

The exact schedule for 2024 programme will be shared with applicants in January 2024.

Phase II: Online courses

During this phase, you are required to complete five online courses of your choice, each lasting ten weeks. Participation in the courses involves seven to ten hours of study time per week. The online class groups are small and provide space for intensive discussions with course lecturers and classmates, as well as effective collaborative learning.

Courses cover a wide range of both traditional and contemporary topics in diplomacy, many of them not taught elsewhere. See our tentative list of courses within the MA/PGD programme.

After successfully completing the introductory workshop and your selected five courses, you may choose between receiving your Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy (PGD) or proceeding to write your master’s dissertation to acquire an MA degree.

Note: In order to qualify for an MA thesis, you must achieve an average mark of at least 65% for all five online courses.

Phase III: Master’s dissertation

You will be required to prepare a 25,000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice under the personal online guidance of a research supervisor selected from Diplo’s faculty members. You may decide whether to write your dissertation over a four- or eight-month period. Candidates who chose an internet governance specialisation within the MA programme need to write their dissertations on an internet-governance-related topic.

You can read more about how to apply for the master’s dissertation here.

Fees

The fee for the Master in Contemporary Diplomacy is €10,800 and has two parts:

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy: €8,200
  • After the successful completion of their Postgraduate Diploma, participants who choose to write their MA dissertation pay an additional fee of €2,600.

The fee covers:

  • Application and registration fees
  • Tuition fees for the introductory workshop and five online courses
  • Access to all course materials via Diplo’s online classroom
  • Online access to the University of Malta’s e-journal collection
  • Personal interaction via the online classroom with course lecturers, staff, and other participants
  • Use of Diplo’s online databases and resources
  • Online technical support
  • For the MA dissertation, the personal supervision of one of our faculty members and support from Diplo staff

Scholarships and financial assistance

You may be eligible for one of the following funding opportunities:

(I) Diplo alumni are entitled to a 20% reduction in tuition fees. Financial assistance does not cover the additional fee for the master’s dissertation.

(II) Applicants from developing countries can be awarded a limited number of partial scholarships (up to 50%) for the Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy fee. Financial assistance is not available to cover the additional fee for the master’s dissertation.

To apply for a scholarship, please include your CV and a motivation letter with your application package. The motivation letter should include:

  • Details of your relevant professional and educational background
  • Reasons for your interest in the programme
  • Reasons why you feel you should have the opportunity to participate in this programme, and how your participation will benefit you, your institution, and/or your country.

(III) Maltese applicants can benefit from up to 70% off the fee in tax credits as part of the Get Qualified scheme. The credit can be set off against personal income.

How to apply

Complete applications must be received by 15 October 2023. Please note that by sending your application package, you are confirming that you have read Diplo’s Privacy Policy. Diplo will process and share your personal data with third parties (including the University of Malta) for admissions and academic matters, finance, and administrative purposes in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

Required documents

The following documents should be sent by email to admissions@diplomacy.edu: 

  1. University of Malta application form filled out in full (download form). At the top of the form, please indicate ‘February 2024’ as the start date. For Section A, please indicate the correct course code and title:
    • Master in Contemporary Diplomacy (PMCDIPFDL8); or 
    • Master in Contemporary Diplomacy (Internet Governance) (PMCDIGVFDL2)
  2. Draft research proposal of around 500 words (relevant to Section F of the application form). You can revise or change your final research proposal before beginning work on your MA dissertation.
  3. Certified true copies of your degree(s) and official transcripts. Documents need to be certified by a legal professional or a diplomatic or consular officer, or any other professional of good standing and must be apostilled by the relevant authority in your country. 
  4. English translations of degree(s) and transcripts, if not in English, signed and stamped by a translator. 
  5. English language proficiency certificate:
    • TOEFL Internet-Based Test (iBT) (minimum requirements: 95 overall with a writing score of at least 24, obtained within the last two years)
    • Academic IELTS Certificate (minimum requirements: 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each element, obtained within the last two years)
    • Cambridge English Proficiency Advanced Certificate (minimum requirements: Grade C or better)
  6. Please indicate on the application form if you are still waiting for your English language proficiency results.
  7. A certified true copy of the personal details pages of your passport.
  8. If you are requesting partial financial assistance, please include your CV and a motivation letter (300–400 words) with your application. The motivation letter should include details of your relevant professional and educational background; reasons for your interest in the programme; and why you feel you should have the opportunity to participate in this programme, i.e. how your participation will benefit you, your institution, and/or your country. Please note that all financial assistance is partial. We do not offer full scholarships. Financial assistance is only available to applicants from developing countries.

Once the applicant is accepted by the University of Malta, the following documents must be sent by registered mail to DiploFoundation (attn: Ms Tanja Nikolic), Anutruf Ground Floor, Hriereb Street, Msida MSD 1574, Malta:

  1. Certified true copies of degrees and transcripts
  2. Translations of documents that are not in English
  3. Certified true copy of your English language proficiency certificate
  4. Certified true copies of the personal details pages of your passport

Please ensure that your application package is complete, as we cannot process incomplete applications!

Late applications will be considered if space remains in the programme. Please contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu if you wish to submit an application after the deadline or if you have  questions about the application process.

Start your application

Please provide your details to receive further instructions from our Admissions Team.

Why enrol?

Here are the top 6 reasons to enrol in Diplo’s master’s in diplomacy and internet governance:

MA strana ikona relevant

Relevant

Courses cover both traditional and contemporary topics in diplomacy and digital policy, and are taught by faculty with vast theoretical expertise and practical experience.

MA strana

Flexible

Tailor your study plan to your career goals. From our broad selection of courses, choose those that are the most relevant for your current and future work and goals. The programme additionally allows you to choose between a postgraduate diploma and a master’s degree.

MA strana ikona practical and affordable

Practical and affordable

The programme is conducted online, and you can continue to work while earning a postgraduate degree.

MA strana ikona personalized

Personalised

Small class sizes provide personalised feedback from lecturers and let you learn from the experience and expertise of other course participants.

MA strana ikona effective

Effective

The programme is highly rated by former students who have seen immediate and lasting benefits, both in their personal development and career advances.

MA strana ikona accredited

Accredited

The degree is awarded by the University of Malta and has a European postgraduate accreditation which is recognised worldwide.

Diplo: Effective and inclusive diplomacy

Diplo is a non-profit foundation established by the governments of Malta and Switzerland. Diplo works to increase the role of small and developing states, and to improve global governance and international policy development.

 
 

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