University of Kent, Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS)

 

Students come from all over the world to study advanced international affairs at the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS). The school’s atmosphere and programs are international, with a European flavor.

BSIS offers a flexible, interdisciplinary curriculum based in Brussels, Europe’s capital city. In Brussels, students benefit from exposure to NATO and other international organizations, the European Union, the European Parliament, a variety of NGOs, think tanks, and more. The location gives students a unique opportunity to engage in internships with some of the world’s leading organizations, even while pursuing their graduate degree.

Flexibility is a hallmark of BSIS: Programs may be tailored to suit individual needs. As a multidisciplinary graduate school of the University of Kent in the U.K., BSIS brings together the disciplines of politics, international relations, law and economics to allow in-depth analyses of international problems such as conflict, security, development, migration, and the political economy and legal basis of a changing world order. Kent is the only British university with a campus in Brussels.

BSIS is international, interconnected with Brussels, interdisciplinary, and interactive in its approach to learning.Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, academic director, University of Kent, Brussels School of International StudiesIn addition to choosing among seven different MA programs and two LLM programs, BSIS students may select a secondary area of focus. For example, a student might combine international law and international migration, or pursue a degree in international development with a secondary focus on international conflict and security. BSIS also offers three PhD programs.

Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, academic director, associates the school with four “I’s”: “BSIS is international, interconnected with Brussels, interdisciplinary, and interactive in its approach to learning.”

In addition to its wide range of program choices, BSIS offers a friendly, diverse, and cohesive community of approximately 250 students from about 55 different countries. Students benefit from close access to professors, a research-active environment, and exposure to practitioners from Brussels-based organizations.

During their graduate studies at BSIS, students are encouraged to take advantage of the many tours, conferences, seminars, and receptions taking place in Brussels to meet and network with contacts in their field. Such networking can provide excellent opportunities for students to develop their research or get a foot in the door with organizations in their area of interest.

Students may enroll beginning in either September or January. The MA program requires a year of study, with extended options available.

Extended options include the University of Kent’s Two Capitals program, which allows them to spend their first year in Brussels and then broaden their international perspective by spending their second year in either Washington, D.C., or Beijing. In Washington, D.C., students pursue an additional master’s degree from Virginia Tech’s Alexandria, Va., campus. In Beijing, students may spend a year or a semester studying at China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU), which is China’s top foreign affairs institute. The program in Beijing includes the opportunity to study Chinese language and culture.

Master’s Degrees offered: See Program Directory

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