MPhil International Relations Scope in Pakistan: Universities

Quick Facts

Degree Level	MPhil
Discipline	International Relations
Offered By	17 universities in our directory

An MPhil in International Relations is a two-year research master’s combining advanced IR theory and research methods with an original thesis on international politics, security or foreign policy.

Research Areas

Common specialisations include foreign policy analysis, international security and strategic studies, international political economy, international law and organisations, regional studies covering South Asia, the Middle East, China and Central Asia, and non-traditional security including climate, migration and health.

Pakistan’s foreign policy environment — relations with China, India, Afghanistan, Iran, the Gulf states and the United States — provides directly consequential research material, and there is an established domestic policy community engaging with it.

MPhil or MS?

Pakistani universities use both titles for the two-year research master’s that follows a four-year bachelor’s, and HEC treats them as equivalent 18-year qualifications. MPhil is the more traditional and usually more thesis-weighted designation. Confirm which applies to your discipline and whether a thesis is compulsory, since that governs PhD eligibility.

Career Scope in Pakistan

Graduates work in policy research institutes and think tanks, foreign affairs and government policy roles, international organisations and the UN system, development and donor agencies, journalism and foreign affairs analysis, organisational risk and government relations, and university teaching.

Worth noting plainly: IR is a heavily subscribed field and analyst positions are fewer than graduates. Entry to the Foreign Service runs through CSS, open to any discipline. Differentiation comes from regional and language expertise, methodological capability, and a track record of published analysis rather than the degree alone.

Admission Requirements

A minimum of 16 years of education in a relevant discipline, plus the university’s subject test and usually an interview. Check the specific programme page for current requirements and deadlines.

Where You Can Study This

17 universities
10 cities
7 public
10 private

University	City	Sector	Duration	Fees whole programme
Bahauddin Zakariya University	Multan	Public	2 years	—
Bahria University	Islamabad	Public	2 years	—
Kinnaird College for Women	Lahore	Public	—	254,000 (2026)
Quaid-i-Azam University	Islamabad	Public	2 years	—
University of Gujrat	Gujrat	Public	—	—
University of Peshawar	Peshawar	Public	2 years	—
University of Sargodha	Sargodha	Public	—	—
Abasyn University	Peshawar	Private	—	328,000 (2026)
Al-Hamd Islamic University	Quetta	Private	2 Years	—
DHA Suffa University	Karachi	Private	—	—
GIFT University	Gujranwala	Private	—	—
Minhaj University	Lahore	Private	—	—
Preston University, Karachi	Karachi	Private	—	—
Preston University, Kohat	Kohat	Private	—	—
Qurtaba University of Science & Information Technology	Peshawar	Private	—	—
Riphah International University	Islamabad	Private	1.5 Years / 32 Credit Hours	—
University of Central Punjab	Lahore	Private	—	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an MPhil and an MS?

Both are two-year research master's degrees treated as equivalent 18-year qualifications by HEC. MPhil is the more traditional designation and usually more thesis-weighted; MS is more common at newer and private universities.

Does an MPhil in IR help with joining the Foreign Service?

Entry runs through the CSS examination, which is open to graduates of any discipline and confers no advantage by degree. The MPhil is useful preparation for the syllabus and for policy research careers, but it is not a pathway into the Foreign Service in itself.