UNDERSTAND THE PAST TO PREPARE THE FUTURE


An all-round education is what awaits you at International History and Politics (IHP). You will study today’s international affairs and new diplomacies in their historical context; obtain world-regional expertise; and acquire critical practice-related intellectual skills.

In the heart of International Geneva, the IHP department boasts a unique collective profile. Its faculty’s range of expertise in global and international history and politics sets IHP apart from all other International Affairs and History programmes.

IHP stands out for:

  • An unbeatable faculty-to-student ratio (2024: 1:4).
  • Combining academic knowledge and practice-related intellectual skills;
  • Exploring global challenges and international issues from multiple world-regional viewpoints;
  • A wide range of thematic courses: the modern and contemporary global and international history of politics; development; diplomacy, conflict and security; environment; health; humanitarianism; commerce and finance; and culture.
  • The opportunity to take courses also in the other four IHEID departments: Law, Economy, Political Science & International Relations, and Anthropology&Sociology
  • The chance of being selected to study at one of 43 IHEID-wide exchange partner institutions on all continents for a one-semester stay abroad.
     

The graduates of IHP department’s MA and PhD programs have found success both in academia and across the international field, from NGOs to business, international organisations, governments, and more.

BUILDING A CAREER


90% of our students find work within four months of graduation. A degree in international history and politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute provides a set of tools for a practical career in multiple sectors:

  • international cooperation, including national administrations working on international issues (ministries of foreign affairs, trade, economy, health, central banks, etc.),
  • intergovernmental as well as non-governmental organisations
  • international business (notably multinational companies), the finance sector, consulting and public relations agencies
  • university-level teaching and research, think tanks, international foundations, media, etc.

Our alumni have secured employment with the European Commission, Médecins sans frontières, HSBC, World Economic Forum, UBS and elsewhere. Others have taken up doctoral, post-doctoral or faculty positions at Cambridge University, Princeton, Boston University and the University of St Andrews, to mention just a few.


Where our Master's programme alumni (2019-2022 cohort) are employed one year after graduation:

A cosmopolitan ENVIRONMENT


With roughly 1,000 students from 100 countries are enrolled in our various programmes, the Geneva Graduate Institute is home to students from all over the world. We are serving a very diverse community in the heart of International Geneva: nearly 20-25% of people in the Swiss city are connected to an international institution. The Institute’s close ties with the international community are reflected in the five social science disciplines taught here, all imbued with a global perspective. 

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MASTER IN INTERNATIONAL HISTORY AND POLITICS 

120 ECTS

  • Two-year programme exploring the key dimensions of international history and politics, and historiography
  • Provides students with up-to-date critical, analytical and methodological tools
  • Combines coursework, workshops, research and a dissertation
  • Can lead to a career as an international historian, a practical career in politics and diplomacy or work in the private sector


HOW TO APPLY   LEARN MORE

PHD IN INTERNATIONAL HISTORY AND POLITICS 

 

  • Four-year programme
  • Combines coursework, seminars, preliminary thesis and doctoral thesis
  • Equips students with the analytical, conceptual and methodological tools to successfully complete original book-length research
  • Access to Digital Skills workshops for comprehensive training in relevant technological tools and methodologies.


HOW TO APPLY   LEARN MORE

TUITION FEES


MASTER PROGRAMME 

  • Swiss residents: CHF 5,000 per year 
  • Non-residents: CHF 8,000 per year
  • Possibility to apply to scholarships

PHD PROGRAMME TUITION FEES

  • First year: CHF 3,000 
  • Subsequent years: CHF 1,000
  • All PhD admission offers come with a four-year financial support package.
  • PhD students who obtain full funding from an externally funded research project led by one of our faculty members, may also be admitted. Externally funded research projects usually refer to those supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. They are announced and administered by our research centres. 

The Graduate Institute strives to support talented scholars from around the world with financial aid to enable our MA and PhD students to complete their studies with less pressure.
 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES