Diploma in Global Affairs
Course Overview
The Diploma in Global Affairs is a 9 to 12 month UK Level 4 practitioner foundation programme covering international security, trade, development, climate diplomacy and the multilateral system. The syllabus draws on Chatham House, Overseas Development Institute and Institute for Government working conventions and prepares students for entry-level roles across UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office adjacent teams, NGOs, think tanks and public affairs consultancies.
By graduation you will have produced short country risk assessments, drafted a policy brief on a live UK foreign policy question, staged a supervised negotiation exercise, and written a Diploma dissertation on a chosen global affairs theme.
Key Features
- Curriculum aligned with British International Studies Association and Chatham House-style analysis.
- Case-room seminars set against live FCDO, ODI and Institute for Government material.
- Structured negotiation and simulation exercises across UN and G20 formats.
- Applied writing training in short country notes, policy briefs and briefing packs.
- Guided reading in international political economy, security studies and development.
- Articulates into an LSLPE Advanced Diploma or Higher Diploma in international studies.
- Three parallel study modes for career changers and working practitioners.
What You Will Learn
- Read a country against its constitutional, economic and security profile.
- Assess UK foreign policy positioning across bilateral and multilateral forums.
- Trace a live climate, trade or humanitarian negotiation through its main stages.
- Structure a Chatham House-style briefing note fit for a senior audience.
- Analyse the global economic architecture and its UK-facing implications.
- Present a defensible policy recommendation on a live international question.
- Design a short country or thematic risk register.
- Structure a Level 4 Diploma dissertation on a chosen global affairs theme.
Who This Course Is For
- Career changers moving into UK international affairs work.
- Certificate holders in politics or international studies moving to Level 4.
- Working professionals in NGOs, humanitarian aid and public affairs.
- Journalists and communications officers covering international affairs.
- International applicants preparing for senior-track UK study.
Career Pathways
- International Development Officer at an NGO or programme delivery body.
- Political Analyst supporting a think tank or consultancy.
- Public Affairs Consultant on international regulatory matters.
- Programme Manager at an international body or charity.
- Global Affairs Analyst for a professional services firm.
- Think Tank Researcher on international policy questions.
- Public Sector Consultant supporting Whitehall projects with an international remit.
The LSLPE careers service links Diploma students to think-tank, FCDO-adjacent and international body employers each year.
Entry Requirements
- A Level 3 qualification (A-levels, BTEC, Access to HE) or equivalent, OR a relevant LSLPE Certificate.
- GCSE English at grade 4/C and Mathematics at grade 4/C or equivalent.
- IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers, or equivalent.
- A personal statement outlining your progression aims for the Diploma in Global Affairs.
- Applicants with relevant policy, campaigning or research experience are encouraged to reference it at application.
Why Study at LSLPE
The Diploma in Global Affairs is taught in central London within a short tube ride of Chatham House, the Foreign Office, the ODI and the LSE-adjacent think-tank ecosystem. Cohorts are small, tutors are visible, and seminars are argued in public in the case-room and select-committee tradition.
Three parallel study modes let career changers, working practitioners and international applicants complete the Diploma in Global Affairs without leaving employment, and the LSLPE careers service refreshes its BISA and Chatham House-aligned curriculum links annually.
Apply for Diploma in Global Affairs
Step up to a UK Level 4 Diploma at LSLPE with three intake windows a year. Admissions responds within one working day to Diploma in Global Affairs applicants. Enrol Now
