Diplomatic Studies (Taught)

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.

The MSt in Diplomatic Studies is a taught course combining academic and vocational study. Customised for professionals, it equips participants with the knowledge and skills they require to conduct diplomacy in a complex, interdependent world.

The Oxford University Diplomatic Studies Programme (DSP) is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious diplomacy programmes.

Diplomatic Studies Programme (DSP) participants are typically mid-career diplomats who resume their careers on successful completion of the course, but applications are also accepted from candidates with professional experience and academic qualifications in related fields. The annual intake has an international reach, and participants come from a wide range of countries. This creates a rich and immersive experience, where students learn as much from their peers as they do from the world-class scholars and practitioners who lecture on the programme. The resulting networking opportunities are a major attraction of the DSP.

Every DSP participant is encouraged to take advantage of the broad range of opportunities available to them as a member of the University and one of its colleges, such as attending lectures, engaging in debates and participating in Oxford’s numerous clubs and societies.

Course structure
The course comprises four taught courses and requires the successful completion of a dissertation. The programme is delivered through a variety of lectures, seminars, workshops and small group tutorials.

As part of the course in diplomatic practice, the DSP normally includes study visits to government departments, international organisations and business and media institutions in the United Kingdom and Europe. A study tour to Ireland or Scotland may also take place.

Optional, supplementary English language classes are offered to help non-native speakers of English, polish their oral and written proficiency in the language.