BA Politics and International Relations
Entry requirements
A level: ABB IB: 32 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 HL subjects
About this course
BA Hons in Politics and International Relations, a politics and international relations degree centred on the study of political systems, global governance, and international diplomacy. Core topics include Statistics, Research Methods, Policy Analysis, Historical Research, Communication & Writing, Critical & Analytical Thinking, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, and Global & Comparative Perspective. The course is informed by department research strength, ranking second in the UK for Research Power in Politics according to REF 2021. The first year covers foundational concepts through compulsory modules such as Origins and Foundations of International Relations, Parties, Populism and Protest, Global Governance and International Institutions, and Policy Lab, alongside optional choices spanning philosophy, economics and sociology. The second year builds on this with core modules including Reshaping Global Order, Theories of Power and the State, and Understanding Political Research, alongside diverse options covering authoritarianism, global capitalism, and the Politics of the Global South. The final year centers on independent research through the Politics and International Relations Dissertation module. Students can further tailor their studies by choosing from advanced optional modules such as Critical Political Theory, Parliamentary Studies, Policymaking in the Real World, and The Politics of Borders and Migration.
Modules
- Origins and Foundations of International Relations
- Parties, Populism and Protest
- Global Governance and International Institutions
- Policy Lab
- British Politics: Political Ideas in Action
- Critical Perspectives on Global Politics
- Political Theory for a Troubled World
- Global Challenges in World Politics
- Medieval and Early Modern Worlds
- History of Philosophy: Ideas that Shaped the West
- Foundations of Microeconomics
- Thinking Sociologically
- Reshaping Global Order
- Theories of Power and the State
- Understanding Political Research
- Authoritarianism, Repression and Resistance in the 21st century
- Democracy, Dictatorship and Everything in Between
- Global Capitalism and its Discontent
- Global Superpowers
- Philosophical Perspectives on Politics and Economics
- Politics of the Global South
- War, Peace and Modernity
- Who Governs Britain? Policy, Politics and Political Change
- Employability, Purpose and Social Impact (Discovery module)
- Global Challenges and Collaborative Solutions (Discovery module)
- Taking an Idea and Making it Happen (Discovery module)
- Politics and International Relations Dissertation
- Critical Political Theory
- Critical Studies of War and Security
- Democracy Under Pressure
- Environment and Development
- Europe and America
- Parliamentary Studies
- Policymaking in the Real World
- Politics of Latin America and Africa
- Politics of the Middle East and Asia Pacific
- Russia and China
- Security, Strategy and Technology
- The Politics of Borders and Migration
- The Politics of Crises and the Future of Governance
- Queer Futures (Discovery module)
- People Power and Collective Action (Discovery module)
- Confronting the Climate Crisis (Discovery module)
- Artistic Fusions (Discovery module)