Course summary
On our BA Politics and International Relations degree, you’ll study the workings of society and governments around the globe, including questions of power, justice, democracy, empire, security, revolution, activism, and identity. Our curriculum stretches from Africa to America to Britain and Europe. You’ll gain insights into change and continuity in national and global governance, how leaders and politicians have influenced such processes, and how the directions and decisions of political parties and institutions have affected the lives of ordinary people. You’ll explore the impact of individual leaders like Tony Blair and Vladimir Putin alongside the role of international organisations and alliances, as well as wider issues of international conflict and world peace, consumption and trade, crime and terrorism, and media and communication. At every level history and historical theories of change will be integrated into your understanding. In addition to the focus on politics and international relations, you’ll also gain a range of transferable skills to equip you for your graduate future. Your use of data analysis and different sources from government documents to focus groups plus innovative assessments that include, but go far beyond, the traditional essay, will give you an impressive narrative to tell in future job applications. As such, you’ll emerge with a degree that will equip you for a career working for a political party, in diplomacy and other parts of the civil service for international organisations, or in other jobs as varied as hedge fund trader or teacher. Lectures, seminars and classroom time are a vital part of our BA Politics and International Relations degree, but you will have the opportunity to broaden your wings. In your time at ARU, you could access the original documents of figures such as Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill (held in the city of Cambridge where you’ll be taught) and see how they handled the big international and political crises of their day. You could hear leading politicians speak at the Cambridge Union or at the various political clubs across the city, or access the latest journal articles and books in libraries across town to give you up to date insights into today’s politics. And you'll have the option to study a language or undertake a work placement as part of your course, to further equip you with skills, knowledge and experience to prepare you for your graduate future. Careers As a BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations graduate, you could go on to work in a variety of fields, including local government, charities, NGOs, and European and international organisations and agencies. You might also explore career paths in public service, the criminal justice system, future energy policy and planning, security, negotiation and peacekeeping, or communication and media. As part of your degree you have the option to learn a language, through our Anglia Language Programme. This can boost your employability in international areas such as UN conflict resolution and diplomacy. You could also learn more, develop a specialism or start an exciting career in research with our MA International Relations, MA Sociology or MA Criminology. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees. Employability and personal career development Informed by employers, our courses support an integrated approach to employability. You’ll have opportunities to develop the skills and abilities they are looking for and gain a deeper understanding of how your academic learning relates to the world of work through Live Briefs and Ruskin Modules. You will need to dedicate time outside of your course to develop your employability, through placements, internships or volunteering or through our partner scheme Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange (SHoKE). You can add this experience to your CV and talk about it in interviews to give you that all important edge.
Modules
Year 1 Core modules: Introduction to Politics and International Relations; Global Affairs; A History of Now; Political Thought. Year 2 Core modules: The Research Toolkit: Design and Delivery; From World War to Cold War; Give Peace a Chance: Fundamental Issues and Perspectives on Contemporary International Relations; Ruskin Module. Year 2 Optional modules: The United States in the Twentieth Century; EU Economy; Intoxicants and Intoxication; The British Empire 1783-1919; International Human Rights Law; From Welfare State to European State: Britain 1906-1975; Mobilities and Migration. Year 3: Placement. Year 4 Core modules: Undergraduate Major Project; Hitler to the Hashtag: Political Communication in Peace and War; From Theory to Practice: International Relations in the 21st Century; A Global History of Government and Society, 1945-1999; Research Communication. Year 4 Optional modules: Gender and Sexuality in Britain, 1880-2000; Race, Racism and Cultural Identity; From Communism to Consumerism: Russia since 1917; Global Feminisms; From Workhouses to Universal Credit: The Past, Present and Future of the British Welfare State; The Era of Thatcher and Blair; The Making of Modern Media; Comparative and Global Criminal Justice; Counter-Terrorism Policing; Organised Crime. Modules are subject to change and availability.
Assessment method
We’ll assess you using a combination of essays, exams, case studies, optional work experience and presentations.
How to apply
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- L204
- Institution code:
- A60
- Campus name:
- Cambridge Campus
- Campus code:
- C
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
https://aru.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/politics-and-international-relations
Student Outcomes
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
England | £9250 | Year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
Republic of Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Provider information
Anglia Ruskin University
East Road
Cambridge
CB1 1PT