BA Politics and International Relations
About this course
BA (Hons) in Politics and International Relations, a politics and international relations degree centred on political ideas, institutions, and global governance systems. Core topics include Research Methods, Legal Analysis, Historical Research, and Critical & Analytical Thinking. Students can choose to undertake an optional professional placement year working with external organisations or spend an optional year studying abroad at a partner institution. The first year covers core foundations through compulsory modules such as Doing Politics: Participation, Campaigning, and Change, Introduction to Development: Understanding Global Inequalities, Introduction to International Relations, Sites and Spaces of International (dis)order, and Thinking Politics: Concepts, Ideas and Ideologies, alongside optional choices like Democracy and Development in Asia and Africa. The second year advances into specialized topics with compulsory modules including Mapping Global Change and Decolonial Futures, Political Research and Practice, The Politics of Inclusion / Exclusion, and Theorising Politics and International Relations, with options such as British Politics: Crisis and Possibilities and Global Security. The final year centers on independent research through the compulsory Dissertation module, alongside advanced compulsory studies like Justice, Ethics, and World Order(s) and Policy and Practice, while optional modules allow students to explore areas such as American Power in a Multi-Polar World and Foreign Policy and Diplomacy in a Changing World.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A Levels – CCC (96 UCAS Tariff points). T levels –96 UCAS Tariff points. International Baccalaureate – 96 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis. BTEC Extended Diploma – MMM. BTEC Diploma – DD. Access – 96 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course. If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component. We also welcome applications from students who are taking a combination of qualifications listed above. For further information, please contact Course Enquiries.
What students say
Based on about 18 final-year students who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 93%
- Learning opportunities: 92%
- Assessment and feedback: 90%
- Academic support: 87%
- Organisation and management: 85%
- Learning resources: 90%
- Student voice: 84%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 45 students who started
- Continued on course: 75%
- Left higher education: 20%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 5%
What graduates do next
Based on about 8 graduates who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 75%
- Working and studying: 5%
- Further study: 10%
Most common jobs
- Business and public service associate professionals: 40%
- Sales occupations: 15%
- Managers, directors and senior officials: 15%
- Administrative occupations: 10%
- Elementary occupations: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 65%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 55%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 25%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 130 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 1%
- North West: 2%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 1%
- East Midlands: 2%
- West Midlands: 2%
- East of England: 7%
- London: 71%
- South East: 11%
- South West: 4%
- Wales: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 60 students who started
- A levels: 92%
- Baccalaureate: 2%
- Access course: 2%
- Other HE qualification: 5%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Silver for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Doing Politics: Participation, Campaigning, and Change
- Introduction to Development: Understanding Global Inequalities
- Introduction to International Relations
- Sites and Spaces of International (dis)order
- Thinking Politics: Concepts, Ideas and Ideologies
- Democracy and Development in Asia and Africa
- Feminist Political Thought
- Governance and Institutions: From the Local to the Global
- Labour and Migration in the World Economy
- Mapping Global Change and Decolonial Futures
- Political Research and Practice
- The Politics of Inclusion / Exclusion
- Theorising Politics and International Relations
- British Politics: Crisis and Possibilities
- Gender, Sexuality and Global Politics
- Global Political Economy
- Global Security
- Governance in Europe
- Humanitarian Intervention and International Relations
- Rethinking Development and Sustainability
- Dissertation
- Justice, Ethics, and World Order(s)
- Policy and Practice
- American Power in a Multi-Polar World
- Development Futures
- Foreign Policy and Diplomacy in a Changing World
- Governing Crisis
- Politics and Development in the Middle East
- Security, Secrecy and the State: The War on Terror and its Aftermath
- The Politics of Protest: Social and Political Movements Today
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Politics and International Relations at University of Westminster earn?
The median salary is £26,000 after 15 months, £25,500 after 3 years, £31,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £24,000 and £38,000. The £31,000 median after five years is £3,000 less than the UK median for Politics.
What do graduates of BA Politics and International Relations at University of Westminster do next?
95% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2022-23).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Politics and International Relations at University of Westminster?
93% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2024-25.
What grades do I need for BA Politics and International Relations at University of Westminster?
The typical offer is CCC at A level. The average entrant had 92 UCAS points.
Does BA Politics and International Relations at University of Westminster include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional placement year and an optional year abroad.
How many students continue on BA Politics and International Relations at University of Westminster?
75% of students continued into their second year, and 20% left higher education.