The international relations discipline of Nankai University can be traced back to the Department of Political Science established in 1923. Department of political science was revoked in 1949 and re-founded in 1984.In 1994 ,the Department of Political Science at Nankai University began to admit undergraduate students in international politics. Department of International Relations was founded in June 2003, consisting of three former research offices of international relations, international politics, and diplomatic research.

Currently we have 17 professors in the department, including 4 full professors (PhD advisors), 8 associate professors, and 5 assistant professors. Our faculty is active and competent with a reasonable structure of age and subareas. All professors have PhD degrees and have visited, studied, and participated in international conferences abroad. Wang Jisi, Qin Yaqing, Wang Yizhou, Feng Shaolei,and Xu Bu used to work in the department. Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the late former President of South Korea Kim Dae-jung, late famous theorist of international relations Kenneth Waltz and the Peter J. Katzenstein and David Lake have been honorary professors of the department.

We are especially strong in international theories and methodology, global governance and integration, European Union studies, American foreign policy, and China-US relations. Our faculty conducted several key national and provincial research projects and achieved important findings. We focus on research in theories and policy analysis in international relations and extend studies on regional research. Besides continuing research on US and European studies, we are conducting studies in other regions such as Southeast Asia, South Asia, Middle Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin American, and studies in strategic security and nontraditional security.

Currently, the department admits undergraduate students in international studies, master students in international politics, international relations, and diplomatic research, doctorate students in international relations and post doctorate researchers. Now there are more than 110 undergraduate students, 80 master students, and 20 doctorate students, among whom there are more than 10 international students. Courses include Introduction to International Relations, History of International Relations, Contemporary International Relations, Theories of International Relations, International Political Economics, International Organization, International Laws, Diplomatic Research, Contemporary Chinese Foreign Relations and Diplomatic Policy, etc. We focus on training of scientific research methodology, readings of classical theories, and advanced research. Since June 2010, the New Vision Journal, edited by the students, has become an important forum for students to develop their academic interests and abilities. 

The department is devoted to cultivate professionals with basic understanding of political science and fundamental theories and knowledge of international relations. The ability of independent research and work is especially emphasized. Students are expected to work the area of administrative management, diplomacy, foreign affairs, publicity, international communication and international commerce in central and local governments, mass media, public organizations, and enterprises. Our graduates also work in universities and research institutes, many of whom have become active researchers in their current working organizations. Meanwhile, many excellent alumni of the department are working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, distinguished universities in China and abroad, mass media and enterprises.

The department collaborates closely with many departments in the other countries such as United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, Poland, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia. Under the framework of the Nankai-Glasgow Joint Graduate School, the "Master of International Relations Program", which is a cooperation between the Department of International Relations and the Department of Political Science of the University of Glasgow has achieved high social recognition.