Academic Programme

ESD offers an eight-month post-graduate certificate programme in the theory and practice of International Relations and Diplomacy. In this programme, students acquire the academic and practical skills necessary for a successful career in the international arena.

Learning outcomes of the student:

  • she/he has an overview of international relations theories, knows how to compare, contrast and analyse them;
  • grasps the main topics of international relations (foreign policy, security policy, international law, European Union, international economics
  • grasps the main topics of the priority regions of international relations, such as Asia, Africa, Middle-East, Russia, the United States;
  • has acquired practical skills in the field of diplomacy – diplomatic skills, protocol, public diplomacy, intercultural communication, international negotiations.

Target group and requirements: students who are interested in international relations. The student holds at least a BA degree and his/her level of English both in oral and written form enables him/her to participate actively in class and study independently at home.

Volume of studies: 2023/24 curriculum consists of 63 credit points. The student needs to complete 60 points minimum in order to graduate. The volume of studies (63 credit points) consists of 336 academic hours of classroom work and approximately 700 academic hours of independent work.

Learning process: courses are taught 4 afternoons per week, usually Tuesday to Friday, 4.45-7.45 PM, in English. Classroom based work is either in lecture or seminar format, in case of practical courses various exercises will be conducted. Course content and list of reading material per course can be found on Moodle. *ESD has the right to make changes in the curriculum if there is a need. All the changes will be communicated timely to the students.

Class environment: classroom, equipped with all the necessary items, e.g. projector, PC, screen, board, speakers, accommodates 25-30 people.

Completion of studies: Examination criteria for the courses can be found in the curriculum. The successful student (having obtained minimum 60 credit points) will be awarded a certificate and an academic record. The latter will not be awarded to the student in case of any unfulfilled duties towards ESD, such as unpaid study fees. In case the student does not manage to collect necessary credit points, he/she will be awarded a proof of only positively passed courses. Students taking individual courses will also be awarded a proof.

Lecturers: Courses taught at ESD will be conducted by Estonian and foreign experts.

Information about tuition fees and scholarships is provided here.

17 JANUARY 2023 – 16 JUNE 2023

SubjectLecturerInstitutionTimeCPForm of examination
EU History, Institutions, and Policy-MakingStefano Braghiroli, PhDUniversity of Tartu, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies17.01-20.01.23
24.01-27.01.23
6Essay 24.02.23
Exam 06.03.23
Diplomatic Skills IIMichael Roberts, MACentre for Political and Diplomatic Studies, Ambassador (ret) UK31.01-03.02.233In-class grading
Foreign Policy AnalysisAmb ret Taavi Toom20.02-23.02.233Essay 20.03.23
US Foreign PolicyMatthew Crandall, PhDTallinn University07.03-10.03.233Essay 27.03.23
Contemporary AfricaMorten Bøås, PhD Norwegian Institute of International Affairs20.03-23.03.233Essay 16.04.23
The MENA Shatterbelt: Between Domestic Turmoil and Power ProjectionWolfgang Mühlberger, MASenior Advisor MENA & Strategy at CMI28.03-31.03.233In- class group work+
Essay 30.04.23
Asia-Pacific and the Great Power RebalancingMonika Reinem, Pirgit Laanpuu03.04-06.04.233Essay 07.05.23
Intelligence and Counterintelligence: An Overlooked Dimension of Foreign Relations
Ivo Juurvee, PhDInternational Centre for Defence & Security (ICDS)
11.04-13.04, 08.05.233In- class presentation
08.05.23
Defense and Security in Northern Europe: Current Baltic, Nordic and Arctic Security IssuesMartin HurtICDS25.04-28.04.23
3Essay 21.05.23
Diplomatic and Consular LawRené Värk, Dr. IurUniversity of Tartu02.05-03.05, 05.05.236Exam 29.05.23
Cyberspace Considerations for National and International Security
Amb Shota Gvineria
Baltic Defence College
09.05-12.05.23
3Presentation 12.05.23
Public Diplomacy interactive training
Amb ret Taavi Toom16.05-19.05.23 TBC
3Class attendance
Public speaking and Communication with Media
Hannes Rumm
Estonian journalist23.05-26.05.23 TBC
3In-class presentation

11 OCTOBER 2022 – 15 DECEMBER 2022

SubjectLecturerInstitutionTime
16.45 - 19.45 PM
CPForm of examination
Small States in International RelationsMatthew Crandall, PhD
Tallinn University11.10-14.10.223Essay 31.10.22
International EconomicsMeelis Kitsing, PhD
Estonian Business School18.10-21.10.223Essay 15.11.22
International Relations
Martin Brown, PhDVisiting Researcher, Department of Law (International Relations), TalTech25.10-28.10.223Policy Brief 24.11.22
International Negotiations
Paul Meerts, PhD
Clingendael, Netherlands Institute of International Relations01.11-04.11.223In-class grading
Diplomatic Skills I
Amb ret Michael RobertsCentre for Political and Diplomatic Studies, Ambassador (ret) UK15.11-18.11.223In-class grading
International LawRené Värk, Dr. Iur
Tartu University29.11-02.12,
13.12-16.12
6Exam 23.01.23
Protocol and EtiquetteRiina AasmaHead of Protocol, Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia
05.12-07.12,
09.12.22
3Course work 31.01.23
SubjectLecturerInstitutionTime
16.45 - 19.45 PM
CPForm of examination
International Negotiations
Paul Meerts, PhD
Clingendael, Netherlands Institute of International Relations10.10-13.10.233In-class grading
Small States in International RelationsMatthew Crandall, PhD
Tallinn University17.10-20.10.233Essay 05.11.23
International RelationsMartin BrownVisiting Researcher, Department of Law (International Relations), TalTech24.10-27.10.233Policy brief 20.11.23
International EconomicsMeelis Kitsing, PhD
Estonian Business School07.11-10.11.233Case study 27.11.23
Economic DiplomacyHele KarilaidMoFA15.11-17.11; 30.113Country report 07.01.24
International LawRené Värk, Dr. Iur
Tartu University20.11- 23.11
27.11-29.11; 01.12.23
6Exam
11.12.23
Cybersecurity: Technology, Diplomacy and LawMerle Maigree-Governance Academy05.12-08.12.233Cybersecurity baseline15.01.24
Protocol and EtiquetteRiina AasmaHead of Protocol, Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia
12.12-15.12.233Course work 28.01.24
SubjectLecturerInstitutionTimeCPForm of examination
EU History, Institutions, and Policy-MakingStefano Braghiroli, PhDUniversity of Tartu, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies16.01-19.01, 23.01-26.01.246Essay 26.02.24
Exam 04.03.24
Cyberspace Considerations for National and International Security
Amb Shota Gvineria
Baltic Defence College
30.01-02.02.243Presentation 02.02.24
Essay 18.02.24
Defense and Security in Northern Europe: Current Baltic, Nordic and Arctic Security IssuesMartin HurtICDS05.02-06.02;
08.02-09.02.24
3Essay
01.03.24
Intelligence and Counterintelligence: An Overlooked Dimension of Foreign Relations
Ivo Juurvee, PhDInternational Centre for Defence & Security (ICDS)
13.02-15.02, 26.02.243Group work 26.02.24
Foreign Policy AnalysisAmb ret Taavi Toom27.02-01.03.243Essay
22.03.24
US Foreign PolicyMatthew Crandall, PhDTallinn University05.03-08.03.243Essay
Date 31.03
Asia-Pacific and the Great Power RebalancingMonika Reinem12.03-15.03.243Essay
Date 07.04
The MENA Shatterbelt: Between Domestic Turmoil and Power ProjectionWolfgang Mühlberger, MASenior Advisor MENA & Strategy at CMI02.04-05.04.243Essay
Date TBC
Public and Digital DiplomacyAmb ret Taavi Toom09.04-12.04.243In-class grading 12.04.24
Public speaking and Communication with Media
Hannes Rumm
Estonian journalist16.04-19.04.243In-class grading 19.04.24
Diplomatic SkillsMichael Roberts, MACentre for Political and Diplomatic Studies, Ambassador (ret) UK07.05-10.05.243In-class grading 10.05.24

Estonian School of Diplomacy
Rävala pst 12
10143 Tallinn
ESTONIA