Course summary

Are you interested in how global problems happen and what potential solutions there could be? Do you wonder why and how governments and international organisations make the decisions they do? Our politics and international relations course helps you understand these types of challenges. Through critical reading and discussion, you will develop your knowledge of the contemporary world at local, regional and global levels. In addition, your studies will give you transferable skills in problem solving and the ability to think independently. On graduation you will have practical research capabilities and knowledge that you can apply in a number of professional settings in the political sphere and beyond. As a member of United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), we are fully committed to supporting and contributing to UNAI's values by undertaking student-led activities related to the ten UNAI Principles. On this Politics and international relations degree you will study in detail the workings of government and the realities of global geopolitics. You will examine how political institutions interact with the societies they govern and how values and resources are allocated in various contexts, both nationally and internationally. Over the course of your studies, you will gradually develop your critical reading and debating skills. Simulated diplomatic situations are a core element of the course, and by taking part, you will enhance your abilities to build arguments successfully and work as part of a team. These simulations also give you the opportunity to put what you have learnt in your theory-based modules into practice. In the final year of your studies, you will produce a dissertation, in which you investigate an area of interest related to politics and international relations. This is your chance to demonstrate your practical research skills as well as your grasp of relevant theories and current issues. The foundation year course is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to continue onto your Honours degree. You will study a range of subjects that will underpin your future study and also gain valuable experience of university life, with full access to campus facilities. Successful completion of the year allows you to progress straight onto Level 4 of this course.