The course is designed to introduce students to the major international relations (IR) theories as a way to make sense of the complex issues constituting ‘the international’. It covers the major theoretical paradigms, including Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism etc. as well as indicating the most common qualitative and quantitative research methods. The course consists of a lecture and a seminar, during which theoretical approaches and basic research methods in international relations are discussed respectively. After completing the course, students not only have the essential knowledge and skills of how to use concepts and theories within IR, but are also familiar with methods of investigation and ways of data gathering and preparing a research plan.