26Apr
UndergraduateUniversity of Plymouth has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Open days
Course summary
Understand the roles of democracy, freedom and security in the 21st century near the site of the 2021 G7 Summit. Our programme is not just about helping you understand politics and international relations; it's about building your critical thinking to empower you to be part of a change. Hone your skills with our unique practical assessments that immerse you in mock-ups of real-world scenarios. Our students have gone on to key policy and political roles locally and nationally.
- Challenge and expand your world view. Ask the difficult questions about environmental crises, war, or development in the global south. Debate contemporary worldwide issues, current affairs and major political events. Explore the evolution of democracy and the international system.
- Learn from experts. Be inspired by teaching rooted in research. Work closely with engaging and experienced staff that are leading experts in their fields; areas of expertise include popular protest in the Middle East, NATO and security studies, the politics of China, global environmental politics and the politics of the European Union.
- Broaden your horizons. Travel the world through our international student exchange programme. From the Czech Republic and Poland, to Canada and the USA, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to gain insights into international relations worldwide.
- Design your degree. Integrate innovative modules from across the School of Society and Culture, focussing your degree on areas that interest you and making your degree your own.
- Connect with the political environment. Our field trips and guest speakers will help you connect more directly with the world of politics at home and abroad.
- Enhance your skills. Build practical skills to take into your future through varied and innovative assessments.
Modules
In your first year you will investigate the most pressing issues facing our world, where they have come from and the international systems and political and economic ideas that shape our contemporary world. You’ll explore the evolution of politics, current affairs, climate crises and major political events in historical and regional contexts. By the end of year one you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to help you thrive in your degree programme, having gained vital research techniques and analysed the relationship between politics and international relations via innovative and engaging forms of assessment. In your second year immerse yourself in the issues that you care about in the world and use your newfound knowledge and skills to analyse global systems. Learn how to do foreign policy analysis and explore concepts of national and human security, identity and global political economy. You will explore contemporary debates and develop a critical mindset, evaluating evidence and scrutinising arguments to take your knowledge further in ways that you can apply in your future career. Or you can put your global mindset into practice, studying abroad with our international student exchange programme. In your third year, you’ll do comprehensive research on a topic of your choice with expert supervision that helps bring together the skills developed on your journey so far. You’ll deepen your knowledge of politics and IR by studying topics including NATO, the media, understanding conspiracies and post-truth politics, environmental politics, the politics of the USA, the Middle East, the EU, or Africa. Or you can make your degree your own, choosing modules from across our school that interest you the most. By the end of your degree, you will be making your mark, ready to be a part of the change. The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry and up to date information can be found on our website.
Assessment method
For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.
Qualified teacher status (QTS)
To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:
- Course does not award QTS
How to apply
29Jan
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
- Year 2
- Year 3
Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)
Please contact the institution at [email protected] or 01752 585858.
International applicants
The University of Plymouth has a dedicated International Student Advice (ISA) service who will support you from the day you accept an offer at the University, right through to graduation. They will offer help and advice so you can get the most out of your studies, and your time in the UK, visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/services/international-students/international-student-advice for more information. Once you have applied through UCAS, your conditional offer letters will also be sent to you by email, so be sure to enter your current email address on your application and to check this email regularly. You'll need your unconditional letter, and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that we'll send you, when applying for your student visa to the UK. A tuition fee deposit will be required before we'll send you the CAS. We're a licenced Sponsor under the Points Based System. To comply with our duties as a Sponsor, we're required to check other aspects of your application in addition to your academic achievements, for example any previous studies, financial status and your immigration history in the UK. For course entry requirements (inc. English requirements) please refer to the specific page for the course you are interested in (www.plymouth.ac.uk/study). A recognised English language qualification (e.g. IELTS) would be required or successful completion of one of the University's pre-sessional English Language courses. Check our country pages to find out more about application from your specific home country www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/study/international-students-country-guides. International fees, please visit our fees and funding pages www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/fees. If you have any questions please contact [email protected].
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 104 - 112 points
A level
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DMM
Access to HE Diploma
Scottish Higher
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - D*D - D*D*
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Scottish Advanced Higher
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 26 - 28 points
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
Extended Project
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H1
T Level - M
GCSE Maths and English Grade C/4 or above required.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | With 5.5 in all elements. |
Full details of English Language requirements can be found on our website.
English Language Requirements
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/how-to-apply/english-language-requirements
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
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
For all information about tuition fees, please visit our fees and funding pages at www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/fees
* Fees are correct at the time of publication and may be subject to change.
Provider information
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth
PL4 8AA