B.A (Hons.) in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy

What is BA in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy?

It is an undergraduate programme focused on international relations, geopolitics, diplomacy, and global governance, preparing students for careers in foreign policy, international organisations, and public policy.

A four-year BA (Hons.) in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy is a globally aligned undergraduate programme that provides a strong conceptual and empirical foundation in International Relations, geopolitics, and the multilateral world order. Amid evolving global conflicts, alliances, and regional dynamics, the programme equips students to interpret international developments and understand how states engage in global negotiations and diplomacy.

The BA in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy integrates perspectives from Political Science, International Relations, international law, climate studies, and global governance, helping students analyse the political, economic, and strategic dimensions of global affairs. The curriculum explores India’s foreign policy, international security, diplomacy, global political economy, and international organisations, offering an empirically grounded understanding of global realpolitik. The programme also builds foundational understanding of governance and public administration systems, relevant for students exploring policy and government careers.

• Global and Transdisciplinary curriculum: The program is built around a global curriculum offering a wide range of training to students from various disciplinary perspectives, equipping students with both depth and breadth of conceptual understanding to grasp the intricacies of International Relations.
• Global Faculty: Learning from faculty holding PhDs from prestigious universities in India and abroad, ensuring curated mentoring throughout the undergraduate journey.
• Experiential Learning and Empirically Driven Coursework Pedagogy employed in this program extends beyond the classroom to link theories with ground realities and includes field visits, case discussions, co-curricular exercises, and real-world simulations.
• Expert-driven academic inputs: Diplomats, foreign policy experts and practitioners are invited to deliver masterclasses on contemporary subjects, providing students with firsthand knowledge of how foreign policy and diplomacy operate in the real world. 
• Global Pathways: Active collaborations with well-known universities worldwide enable students to explore international pathways through immersion programs, exchange opportunities, and degree progression for higher education.
• Career Skills Students will develop: analytical skills, the ability to interpret and analyze data, understand international negotiations, international relations, states' behaviour, and global politics—skills that will serve them well beyond university.

Students explore diverse career pathways across diplomacy, global policy, governance, and international affairs. The programme prepares graduates for roles in:

• Foreign policy research organisations
• International development institutions
• International financial institutions
• Transnational NGOs
• Global think tanks
• Policy consulting firms
• Climate diplomacy and sustainability organisations

The programme also provides a strong foundation for careers in governance and public administration, particularly in policy, civil services, and institutional roles.

The programme builds strong theoretical, analytical, and research capabilities, enabling students to pursue careers in diplomacy, foreign policy, governance, and international affairs. Graduates can explore pathways such as:

• Civil Services and Public Policy
• Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs
• Think Tanks and Policy Research
• Corporate Strategy and Consulting
• International Organisations
• Higher education and research

The BA (Hons.) in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy at UPES supports placement and career readiness by developing strong analytical, research, and problem-solving skills. Students gain a deep understanding of geopolitics, international relations, and policy frameworks.

Through industry collaborations, academic partnerships, and experiential learning,  graduates are prepared for roles in diplomacy, policy research, consulting, and international organisations and governance-related domains.
 

Click here for detailed Fee Structure.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Elective Options (Choose Any One)

• Public Policies, Governance, and Institutions
• Indian Political Thought
• Peace and Conflict

Semester 4

Elective Options (Choose Any One)

• Citizenship and Human Rights
• Discourses on Justice
• Political Theory
• Digital Politics

Semester 5

Elective Options (Choose Any One)

• Politics, Technology and Surveillance
• The Economical Truth: Politics of Information and Disinformation
• Applied IR and Geopolitics

Semester 6

Elective Options (Choose Any One)

• Gender and Politics
• International Security
• Information and Emerging Technologies
• Politics and Sports

Semester 7

Semester 8

Interested students must meet the minimum eligibility criteria for the BA (Hons.) in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy programme:

• Minimum 50% marks in Class X and XII (any stream)
   

Selection for admission to the BA (Hons.) in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy programme at UPES is based on CUET-UG / Personal Interview.