You will develop analytical, communication and management skills that will enable you to work with a wide range of organisations.

You will be able to interpret issues, confidently lead others and provide informed insights into future directions of policy and practice on a variety of levels in public and private spheres. 

You also get to enjoy the flexibility of blended learning. You can undertake this degree through face-to-face classes at our Melbourne City campus or through a mix of online and on-campus learning, depending on the elective subjects you choose. You will have the opportunity to undertake short on-campus intensives, as well as overseas study tours.

This degree has industry links that come in the form of guest lectures, advice, internships and course material delivery.

Strong connections exist with a range of agencies and organisations, including the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Red Cross, Care Australia, Oxfam, World Vision, RedR, and Australian Volunteers International.

As part of your studies, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with industry through:

• simulated professional projects
• research projects addressing real issues faced by an organisation or community
• feedback from practicing professionals on individual and group work.
  
• exposure to related RMIT research centres
• optional industry placement.

There are many opportunities for working across borders and across cultures in this degree.

You will be able to undertake an internship with an international organisation overseas or in Australia, while being mentored by both the host organisation and RMIT lecturers. You will be able to join study tours run by RMIT and short in-country programs offered by our international partners, as well as online industry projects.

You will also have the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at one of our many exchange partner universities.

The knowledge and skills you will acquire throughout this degree and how they can be applied in your career are described in the learning outcomes.

Core first-year subjects provide a conceptual foundation in key features of the contemporary global system, focusing on governance, development, security, and sustainability.

As part of your studies, you will complete one or two of the following specialist streams:

Build professional capabilities essential to designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating international development projects, which help communities, cities and countries adapt to complex and changing environments. This specialisation draws on RMIT’s extensive and longstanding linkages with development organisations in Australia, Asia, and the Pacific.

An analytical and critical approach to problem-solving will prepare you to develop appropriate technological and community-based responses to issues such as infrastructure development, informal settlements, environmental degradation, and the rural-urban interface. This stream equips you with knowledge and skills required for policy development, planning and program management roles with national and local governments, international development agencies, commercial consultancies, and nongovernment organisations.

You will develop detailed knowledge of key contemporary security challenges and the tools to be able to assess risk and propose effective responses to a range of threats. Compared with traditional international relations degrees that focus on the role of nation states in international affairs, this stream prepares you to engage with threats to the security of individuals, communities, organisations, and states through an interdisciplinary approach that considers the impact of technology, social change, political conflict, transnational crime, and environmental change.

You will acquire an understanding of the ways in which organisations prepare for and respond to major humanitarian crises, such as conflicts, natural disasters, and pandemics. You will develop skills in risk assessment, preparedness planning, project management, and reconstruction that will prepare you for roles in governments, international organisations, and humanitarian agencies.

In addition, a broad set of optional subjects drawn from across the university allows you the flexibility to develop your knowledge and technical skills in ways that suit your interests and career aspirations. You can choose from internationally-oriented subjects including media and communications, engineering, architecture, public policy, leadership and management, economics, project management, criminology, and languages.

The capstone research project enables you to synthesise and integrate your knowledge, connect theory and practice, and demonstrate your holistic achievement of the course learning outcomes. This individually negotiated project provides you with the research skill base for engagement in further learning in a research degree, or in life-long learning pursuits, allowing you to confidently contribute to an industry that is constantly evolving.

You will have the opportunity to undertake capstone research projects aligned with the work of RMIT’s research centres, including the Centre for Urban Research, the Social Equity Research Centre, the Australian APEC Study Centre, the Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation, the Sir Lawrence Wackett Defence and Aerospace Centre, the Centre for International Development and the European Union Centre of Excellence.