International relations

The goal of the “International Relations” educational program is to train highly qualified undergraduate specialists in international relations who possess a basic understanding of contemporary global processes in the political, economic, and diplomatic spheres.

Graduates will be able to conduct analytical research on international processes, develop well-founded foreign policy recommendations, and participate in expert consulting activities.

They will be able to understand the main directions of foreign policy, the specifics of their diplomacy, and their relations with Kazakhstan.

Graduates will be able to navigate the current dynamics and prospects for the development of the international relations system; apply the principles of diplomatic etiquette and protocol in practice; and use professional foreign languages ​​in intercultural communication.

Educational Program Code: 6B03101

Academic Degree: Bachelor of Social Sciences

Elective Subject on the UNT: World History and Foreign Language

Model of Study: Full-time, Full-time with shortened period of study

Duration of Study:

Based on Secondary Education:

• 4 years, 3 years (depending on the individual study plan)

Based on Technical, Vocational, and Post-Secondary Education:

• 3 years, 2 years (depending on the matching of the related educational program/college degree specialization)

Based on Higher Education:

• 3 years, 2 years (depending on the matching of the related educational program/previous degree specialization)

The educational program “International Relations” is a full-cycle program: Bachelor’s degree – Master’s degree

• Study of two foreign languages ​​(English as the primary language, Chinese/Turkish as an elective). Students will study foreign languages ​​throughout their studies, starting in their first year
• Develop knowledge of the specifics of the professional activities of government agencies involved in international relations – the MFA of the RK, government bodies of the RK, as well as organizations working in global politics and the global economy
• Study of the main foreign policy directions of leading foreign countries, and the specifics of their relations with Kazakhstan
• Skills in monitoring the dynamics of the main characteristics of international security systems, analyzing the characteristics and development of globalization in the context of national and international security
• Understanding the architecture of international systems, the ability to define the goals and principles of international and regional organizations, and assess the role and influence of international institutions on Kazakhstan’s foreign policy

Turan University operates a Center for Cooperation with International Organizations, which hosts various events for both students and faculty.

For students majoring in International Relations, lectures and master classes are conducted by V. Samek, a representative of the UN Department of Global Communications, and A. Arenova, Head of the Political Cooperation Department of the Representative Office of the MFA of the RK in Almaty. Separate training sessions are also held at the UN Office in Kazakhstan.

Students majoring in International Relations annually participate in the international conference TURAN MUN, which aims to consolidate their theoretical knowledge and develop practical skills necessary for professional work.

Students majoring in “International Relations” annually participate in academic mobility programs at leading universities in Poland, South Korea, Turkey, and the United States.

Students of the “International Relations” program win prizes in national undergraduate and graduate research competitions and are awarded certificates for active participation in international scientific and practical conferences.

The High School of international relations and diplomacy houses the Center for regional studies and the “Civilization Turan”, which conducts active research.

• Certificate/diploma with transcript (original + copy)
• Certificate of completion of the Unified National Test (UNT)
• Copy of ID card
• 6 3×4 photographs
• Vaccination record (Form 063/U)
• Medical certificate 075-U + certificate from a drug treatment center, mental health center + chest X-ray
• Copy of military registration or military ID (if available)

External partners:

• Arel University (Turkey)
• Kastamonu University (Turkey)
• Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies (ANKASAM)
• Istanbul University (Istanbul)
• Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)
• Volgograd State University
• Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod
• Free University of Varna (Poland)

 Internal partners:

• UN Office in Kazakhstan
• Representative Office of the MFA of the RK in Almaty
• Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the RK (KISI)
• Red Crescent Society of the RK
• Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC)
• Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the RK, R.B. Suleimenov of Oriental studies
• Institute of Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies, Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Eurasian Research Institute
• Kazakhstan Center for Humanitarian and Political Conjuncture
• Association of Bolashaq International Scholarship Recipients

• Assistant
• Diplomat
• International Cooperation Specialist
• International Relations Specialist
• Foreign Policy Observer
• Expert Analyst
• Global Politics Analyst
• Protocol and Event Planning Specialist
• Translator
• Senior lecturer

The master’s program in the areas of 7M03101- International Relations (master’s degree is a scientific and pedagogical direction), 7M03105 – International Relations (master’s degree is a specialized direction) provides an opportunity to study and evaluate world politics, explore and analyze the dynamics of the development of national, regional and global aspects of international relations.

The educational process in educational programs 7M03101-International relations (master’s degree – scientific and pedagogical direction), 7M03105 – International relations (master’s degree – specialized direction) is organized according to the following forms of training: specialized master’s program – 1 year; Scientific and pedagogical magistracy – 2 years of study.

The language of studying is Kazakh, Russian, English. Graduates are awarded the academic degree Master of Social Sciences in the educational program 7M03101 – International Relations (master’s degree – scientific and pedagogical direction) and Master of Social Studies in the educational program 7M03105 – International Relations (master’s degree – profile).

In the framework of the educational program 7M03101-International Relations (Master’s program – scientific and pedagogical direction), 7M03105 – International Relations (Master’s program – specialized field) from 2017-18 academic year, students are offered the choice of educational areas:

• Area 1 – China’s foreign policy and international relations
• Area 2 – Foreign policy and international relations of Turkey

Students are given the opportunity to choose an additional foreign language: Chinese or Turkish, as well as the entrepreneurial component.

Academic degree: Master of social sciences

Specialty code: 

7M03101 – scientific and pedagogical direction

7M03105 – specialized direction

Entry exams: comprehensive exam + foreign language

Form of studying: full-time

Period of studying: 1 and 2 years after higher education

Eductional programs:

• Internship programs for master students with good grades
• Scientific courses in English
• Language club that helps students improve their English, Chinese, Turkish
• Leading Foreign Professors
• Professors with extensive experience in the embassies of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Participation in the University projects and its partners (MUN, AISEC, Mevlana)

Current and exclusive courses:

• Chinese language
• Turkish language
• Features of scientific research of international relations
• Actual problems of international relations
• PRC/Turkey foreign policy priority strategy
• Theory of international relations
• Theory of postcolonialism
• Political vocabulary of the Chinese language
• Political vocabulary of the Turkish language
• Modern political system of China
• Modern political system of Turkey
• Central Asia in world politics
• Central Asia in the world economy and energy
• Turkey in the system of modern geopolicy
• China in the system of modern geopolicy
• Central Asia in the modern geopolitical system
• Eurasian studies

The specifics of the educational program is an in-depth study of foreign languages – English and the language of the country of specialization, which are Turkish and Chinese. At the same time, the language training of master students is enhanced through the introduction of multilingual education. Undergraduates are taught courses in English on the theory and history of international relations: “Theory of international relations”, “Theory of postcolonializm”, “Nation and History”. Also introduced courses on the study of Chinese or Turkish: “Chinese (Turkish)”, “Political vocabulary of the Chinese (Turkish).”

Our partners:

External partners

• Arel University (Turkey)
• Kastamonu University (Turkey)
• Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies (ANKASAM)
• Istanbul University (Istanbul)
• Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RPANEPA)
• Volgograd State University
• Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N. I. Lobachevsky
• Free University of Varna (Poland)

 Internal partners

• UN Office in Kazakhstan
• Representative Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty
• Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KISI)
• Red Crescent Society of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Regional Environmental Center of Central Asia (CAREC)
• Institute of Oriental Studies named after R.B. Suleimenov Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• “Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies” Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Eurasian Research Institute
• Kazakhstan Center for Humanitarian and Political Conjuncture
• Association of Stependiates of the Bolashaq International Stependia
• Center for Scientific Information and Political Analysis

International programs:

• Arel University (Turkey)
• The University of Kastamonu (Turkey)
• Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences
• Eastern Mediterranean University (Northern Cyprus)

Our master students make internships, go to summer schools of our partners. They also participate in the AISEC volunteer project, in the project of the Turkish government of Mevlan.

Career prospects:

The knowledge allows graduates to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, embassies and consulates of the Republic of Kazakhstan, various government bodies and organizations of the Republic of Kazakhstan working in the field of foreign relations, world politics, international organizations and transnational corporations.

• Assistant Consultant in the field of regional policy and economics
• Foreign Policy Observer- interpreter
• Assistant interpreter
• Lecturer of secondary and higher educational institutions