Skip navigation
Global Politics and International Relations at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 20262026 - 2027
Apply

There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

16Aug
Birkbeck, University of London - Clearing Open Day 2025
Undergraduate
3Sep
Birkbeck, University of London - September Open Evening
Undergraduate

Course summary

Our BA Global Politics and International Relations provides you with a strong foundation in international politics and an in-depth understanding of pressing global challenges of our time. You will explore contending approaches to international relations as well as evolving regional and global political dynamics. You will also develop essential verbal and analytical skills to help significantly expand your career options. Why choose this course?

  • Our academics in this field are outstanding researchers publishing in major academic journals and contributing to public debate in the wider arena.
  • The diversity of our staff and student body provides you with a unique learning environment to gain insight into political and economic dynamics around the globe.
  • We have built a strong reputation for more than 50 years for the excellence of our teaching and research in politics and international studies.
What you will learn This course focuses on political changes that are sweeping the globe, transforming politics across countries as well as relations between states. You will receive a grounding in key concepts and theories and study the core institutions and processes of the international political and economic system, and challenges posed by global problems including:
  • the climate crisis
  • the rise of new powers and intensified inter-state tensions
  • transformations in the nature of warfare
  • new policy directions in response to shifts in the world economy.
How you will learn Teaching is delivered via lectures, seminars and workshops in small groups. You can study this course full- or part-time and choose your own timetable for the core/compulsory modules selecting whether to study them in the daytime or evening. Foundation Year classes are available in the evening only. Foundation Year If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Highlights
  • Some of the world’s most famous libraries are on our doorstep in Bloomsbury, and you can walk down to Whitehall, where Parliament and the UK’s most influential and important think-tanks and centres of political research and analysis are located.
  • Our courses are designed to encourage independent thinking and hone your argumentative, analytical and critical skills, while our teaching uniquely moves across boundaries between subjects, encompassing, among others, economics, history and sociology.
  • Our affiliated research centres, the Centre for British Political Life, the Centre for the Study of Internationalism, and the Centre for Political Economy and Institutional Studies, serve as important platforms for exchange within a community of scholars with shared interests.
Careers and employability On successfully graduating from this course you will have gained an array of transferable skills, including:
  • a robust understanding of contending perspectives on global affairs
  • advanced ability to comprehend, evaluate and communicate qualitative and quantitative information
  • critical analytical thinking and independent research skills to convey complex arguments in a concise and effective manner.
Graduates can pursue career paths in academia or roles in:
  • local and national government
  • the diplomatic service
  • international organisations
  • the voluntary sector in NGOs
  • media and journalism
  • the private sector in corporations, banks, or research and consultancy.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Coursework and examination.

How to apply

14Jan

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

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential. FOUNDATION YEAR DEGREES Our 'with Foundation Year' route is designed to give you extra support as it provides you with an additional year (full-time) or two years (part-time) of supported study. This is an ideal route if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree. Once you successfully complete your Foundation Year studies, you will automatically advance onto the main degree. ALTERNATIVE ENTRY ROUTES Students achieving more than 50% in modules taken as part of Birkbeck’s Certificate of Higher Education in Politics and International Studies are normally given entry to the degree, and the modules taken can be credited to the degree.

English language requirements

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
65%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
80%
Go onto work and study

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

No fee information has been provided for this course

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

To be confirmed
Global Politics and International Relations at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS