PhD in
International Relations Theory
Examine the ideas behind global affairs.
Contribute new perspectives on international order.
Explore power, identity, norms and the theoretical foundations of global interaction. Develop an original conceptual contribution through sustained scholarly inquiry, critical interpretation and individual faculty supervision.
Program Facts
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Relations Theory at Monarch Switzerland is a fully online, part-time doctoral programme offered through Monarch Global Research Institute, with a standard duration of 36 months. Designed for experienced professionals and aspiring researchers, it enables doctoral study alongside a career without the need to relocate.
- Institution
- Monarch Switzerland
- Department
- Monarch Global Research Institute
- Award
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Relations Theory
- Study Mode
- Fully Online
- Standard Duration
- 36 Months
- Study Format
- Part-Time
- Designed For
- Experienced Professionals and Aspiring Researchers
- Residency
- No Relocation Required
- Language
- English
- Institution Location
- Switzerland
This doctoral program may be completed fully online, including the doctoral defence. No relocation is required. Candidates may select an in-person doctoral defence when offered by Monarch.
An extended-duration pathway is available. Completion depends on research progress and fulfilment of the programme’s academic requirements.
Beyond the events.
Understand the ideas that shape them.
Why do global actors behave as they do—and which assumptions shape our understanding of power, cooperation and change?
The PhD in International Relations Theory is devoted to investigating and advancing the theoretical foundations of global political, economic and social interaction. Candidates develop conceptual frameworks and interpretive models that deepen understanding of the international system.
Anchored in political philosophy, sociology, international political economy and historical analysis, the programme examines the ideas, norms, identities and power structures behind interstate behaviour, multilateral cooperation, conflict and global governance.
A doctorate centred on theoretical contribution.
The emphasis is on interpretation, explanation and conceptual refinement—not simply describing current events or producing operational policy accounts. Candidates engage critically with established and emerging traditions to develop an original scholarly argument.
Different traditions.
Deeper questions.
Engage with realism, liberalism, constructivism, the English School, critical theory, postcolonial perspectives, feminist IR and emerging interpretive approaches. Potential areas of inquiry include:
Power and international order
The theoretical foundations of authority, hegemony, resistance and change within the international system.
Norms, identity and discourse
How ideas, identities and shared understandings shape global actors and international relationships.
Cooperation and institutions
Conceptual perspectives on multilateralism, global governance and the organisation of collective action.
Security and global change
Interpretations of conflict, security and geopolitical transformation across regional and global contexts.
Political economy and regionalism
The relationship between political authority, economic interaction, integration and international order.
Ethics and global responsibility
Normative questions concerning justice, rights, responsibility and the values shaping international affairs.
Your theoretical focus, research question and methods are refined with faculty during proposal development.
An independent voice
in international relations scholarship.
Theoretical mastery
Develop historically informed understanding of established and emerging debates on power, order, norms and global governance.
Interpretive methods
Strengthen qualitative, historical and interpretive research skills, including discourse analysis, case studies and process tracing where appropriate.
Global systems insight
Connect regional developments and geopolitical transformation with wider patterns of international order and change.
Normative reasoning
Critically examine how values, rights, responsibilities and justice shape foreign policy and international cooperation.
Scholarly engagement
Build your scholarly identity through research dialogue, conferences and opportunities for publication in the Monarch Research Paper Series and other outlets.
Original contribution
Develop theoretical creativity and intellectual independence to construct and defend a coherent contribution to international relations theory.
From theoretical orientation
to a contribution of your own.
Five stages combine sustained supervisory dialogue with formal academic milestones, supporting the development of a rigorous and original argument.
Preparation
Immerse yourself in IR traditions, identify conceptual tensions and develop your interpretive and analytical foundations.
Proposal
Define the theoretical problem, assumptions, scope and framework of your inquiry for formal Academic Committee review.
Research
Engage deeply with conceptual debates and philosophical, sociological or historical foundations while developing your theoretical contribution.
Dissertation
Synthesise your framework, analysis and argument into an original manuscript situated within international relations scholarship.
Viva voce
Prepare through the Presentation Preparation Module, then present and defend your dissertation before the Academic Committee.
Research alongside professional life.
Fully remote, asynchronous study allows candidates to work from their home country without mandatory residency. Optional doctoral workshops in Switzerland provide opportunities for research support and scholarly exchange.
The M.Phil. pathway.
Master-in-Passing
Candidates completing all doctoral requirements receive the M.Phil. in Research in passing upon conferral of the PhD, recognising mastery of research design, theoretical framing and analytical competence.
Master-in-Exit
Candidates concluding before PhD completion may qualify for an M.Phil. as a terminal award by submitting a completed five-chapter master’s thesis and satisfying the relevant academic requirements. This award does not require an original contribution to knowledge.
Bring your intellectual preparation.
Define your theoretical ambition.
Applicants hold a recognised bachelor’s or master’s degree in International Relations, Political Science, International Political Economy, Political Philosophy, Sociology, History, Security Studies or a closely related field.
Applicants from other disciplines may be considered where they demonstrate significant academic or professional engagement with theoretical, analytical or conceptual work relevant to international relations.
Strong academic writing, engagement with abstract ideas and readiness for independent inquiry are central. Experience in diplomacy, academia, policy analysis, NGOs, IGOs, military or related strategic fields is an asset, but is not required. Formal proposal development takes place within the programme under faculty supervision.
Two timelines.
One scholarly standard.
Select a pace that aligns with your professional responsibilities while maintaining the same supervision standards and degree outcomes.
Standard pathway · 36 months
A structured three-year pathway supporting sustained progress through the doctoral milestones.
Extended pathway · 60 months
A five-year pathway offering a more gradual research pace alongside professional and personal commitments.
Global systems.
Distinct scholarly perspectives.
These graduate profiles illustrate research engaging with international security and political economy. Their awarded degree titles are shown below.
Dr. Lori C. Stroud
United States / UAE · PhD in Business Research / International Relations
Drawing on more than two decades of experience in national security, cyber operations and multinational intelligence leadership, Dr. Stroud’s doctoral research examined the interaction between cyber-intelligence capability, human analytic performance and organisational resilience.
Her work connects high-stakes security environments with wider questions of cyber governance, transnational risk and global systems, illustrating how doctoral inquiry can engage the evolving digital dimensions of international relations.
Dr. Caroline Ntara
Kenya · PhD in International Business Research
Dr. Ntara’s dissertation, Economic Integration and Multilateral Trade Gains: An Examination of the East African Community (EAC) Common Market Protocol, explored the relationship between political commitments, institutional capacity and regional economic outcomes.
Through documentary analysis, policy review and international business theory, her research examined barriers to integration and opportunities for EAC partner states within the global trading system.
What idea about international order
will you take further?
Speak with Monarch about your intellectual interests, academic preparation and a research pathway in international relations theory.