The Department of International Studies endeavors to provide young women with the knowledge and skills required for the study of international affairs that would lead them to challenging and rewarding careers in research organisations,government, multinational corporations,non-governmental organizations and think tanks.

This is the first programme of its kind under the aegis of the University of Madras and the only women’s college offering this unique Master’s degree programme.The Department was started in 2002 by foresighted and enthusiastic academicians under the able leadership of Dr. Sr .Annamma Philip fmm,Principal of the college who has spearheaded many such innovative programmes.

The programme was envisaged by a team of enthusiastic faculty from the Department of History and experts from other colleges in Chennai. Dr.Kamala Aravind, Dr.Patrica Gabriel(Presently Head, Department of History), Dr.Lawrence W Prabhakar,Associate Professor,Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Ms.Vimala Stephen, Ms.Radhika Nathan, Ms.Dolly Thomas and Ms.Deepa Alexander all from the Department of History, Stella Maris College were instrumental in creating this new Master's Programme.

The Masters programme in International Studies was initiated at a crucial juncture when there were major transitions in the global scenario. There were several systemic changes that were taking place in the post cold war era and the opening up of the global economy which drew the nations of the world into a web of interdependence.The new patterns that were emerging raised several compelling and imperative questions. This culminated in the creation of the Department of International Studies that would fulfill the need for a specialised branch of study which would analyse and examine the changing paradigms in international relations.

The department endeavours to provide a broad and liberal perspective combined with research and analytical tools to understand the complexities of the political,cultural, economic and social forces that shape international affairs.The curriculum is designed to include both practical and theoretical components and includes workshops,foreign language courses and area studies. In its efforts to forge long term national and inernational colloborations with Universities and research institutions, the department has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Institut Catholique d’ Etudes Supèrieures, Nantes, France.

The department has firmly and fully dedicated itself to enhancing academic scholarship and to also provide students with a professional and well-informed approach to compelling issues of international character. In the process we have been able to successfully bring together at common forums,discussions and other platforms a wide community of academicians,scholars and experts in the field of International Relations from India and from other countries.