University of Portsmouth has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
This is a Connected Degree Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course. Overview Examine the major issues affecting the world. Discover why nation states rise and fall. Take a closer look at the factors behind international conflict, and learn the role state leaders, NGOs, civil society and activists play in solving these problems. On this BA (Hons) International Relations degree, you'll explore topics like global migration and the rise of populist politics. You’ll learn the skills required to play your part in improving equality and enacting positive change. And after graduation, you’ll be ready for careers in local and national government, security, tech, intelligence, and with international charities and institutions like the UN. Course highlights
- Learn from staff at our Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR), whose research directly impacts government policy
- Create policy briefing papers offering recommendations to practitioners on major recent international issues, such as the Ukraine Crisis, the 'MeToo' movement, the rise of terrorist organisations and the Arab Revolutions
- Attend events and talks led by people working in NGOs, local, national and international government, and journalism
- Go on field trips to locations such as the Houses of Parliament
- Take part in a simulated ‘academic conference’, where you’ll present a paper that will be discussed with your peers
- Have the chance to study abroad at one of our partner institutions – including Science Po Strasbourg (France), Maastricht University (Netherlands), Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) and University of Szeged (Hungary)
- On this course, you can study history or international development alongside your international relations degree
- local and central government
- embassies
- non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- security services
- international organisations, like the United Nations (UN)
- international charities like War Child, Amnesty International or the Red Cross
- policy research and think tanks
- media and international business consultancy
- political risk analysis
- public relations
- voluntary organisations
- management
- banking and financial services
- tourism
- director of Language Studies for an international school
- political researcher, Houses of Parliament
- assistant to Member of Parliament
- civil servant, the Cabinet Office
- senior policy advisor, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- communications officer, House of Commons
- local government administrator, Government of Jersey
- public affairs consultant
- bilingual consultant
- multilingual project coordinator
- translator
- social researcher
- information officer
- conference producer
Subject options
This course offers the following subject options:
- International Relations with Development Studies
- International Relations with History
Modules
Year 1 Core modules in this year include:
- Critical Thinking and Professional Identity (40 credits)
- Global Development (20 credits)
- Key Themes in International Relations (20 credits)
- Political Thought (20 credits)
- The Making of the Global South (20 credits)
- Bending the Truth a Little? Researching Politics and International Relations (20 credits)
- International Thought (20 credits)
- A History of US Foreign Policy: From the Great War to 9/11 (20 credits)
- Analysing Foreign Policy (20 credits)
- Development and Democracy in Latin America (20 credits)
- East Asian States and Societies (20 credits)
- Empire and Its Afterlives in Britain, Europe, and Africa (20 credits)
- Engaged Citizenship in Humanities and Social Sciences (20 credits)
- Global Security (20 credits)
- Intercultural Perspectives On Communication (20 credits)
- Marketing & Communication (20 credits)
- Modernity and Globalisation (20 credits)
- Nationalism and Migration: Chaos, Crisis and the Everyday (L5) (20 credits)
- News, Discourse, and Media (20 credits)
- Principles of Economic Crime Investigation (20 credits)
- Professional Experience L5 (20 credits)
- Puritans to Postmodernists: American Literature (20 credits)
- Russia, Central Europe and the World (20 credits)
- The Geopolitics and Geo-Economics of Africa (20 credits)
- Transitional Justice & Human Rights (20 credits)
- Us Politics (20 credits)
- Wildlife Crime: Threats and Response (20 credits)
- Security Challenges in the 21st Century (20 credits)
- Decolonial Politics and Theory in International Relations (20 credits)
- Dissertation (International Relations) (40 credits)
- France in the World: Global Actor Or Global Maverick? (20 credits)
- Global Capitalism: Past, Present and Future (20 credits)
- Global Health (20 credits)
- Independent Project (International Relations) (20 credits)
- International Security in the Asia-Pacific (20 credits)
- Major Project (40 credits)
- Ngos and Social Movements (20 credits)
- Professional Development: Recruiters and Candidates (20 credits)
- Professional Experience L6 (20 credits)
- Race, Rights & Development: Global Perspectives On Inequality & Social Justice (20 credits)
- Religion and Politics in Global Perspective (20 credits)
- The European Union: a Global Power in the Making? (20 credits)
Assessment method
You’ll be assessed through: written exams coursework article reviews essays projects briefing papers simulations, podcasts and creative videos individual and group presentations 10,000 word dissertation You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future. The way you’re assessed may depend on the modules you select. As a guide, students on this course last year were typically assessed as follows: Year 1 students: 25% by written exams, 8% by practical exams and 67% by coursework Year 2 students: 35% by written exams, 7% by practical exams and 58% by coursework Year 3 students: 3% by practical exams and 97% by coursework
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)
We welcome applications for advanced entry. If you’d like to apply for advanced entry, you need to select the required year when you complete your UCAS application.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 104 - 112 points
A level - BBC - BCC
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)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Scottish Advanced Higher
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 25 points
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H3, H3, H3, H4, H4 - H3, H3, H3, H3, H4
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
GCSE/National 4/National 5
T Level - M
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5. |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162. | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162. | |
| PTE Academic | 62 | An overall score of 62 with a minimum of 59 in each skill. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 79 | 79 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing. |
| Trinity ISE | Pass | Trinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components. |
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| EU | £9535 | Year 1 |
| England | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| International | £17200 | 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
Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship
Placement Year and Year abroad (at the time of publishing for 2025/26):
UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £1,430
EU – £1,430
International (Non-EU) – £2,875.
Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. Please check the course page on our website for the most up to date fee information
All fees are subject to annual increase.
For more information about fees, go to port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance/tuition-fees-living-costs-and-other-study-costs
Provider information
University of Portsmouth
University House
Winston Churchill Avenue
Portsmouth
PO1 2UP