International Relations and Politics with a Foundation Year

International relations and politics together examine the structures and dynamics of political life at every level, from the formal institutions of the state to the informal norms and power relationships that shape how the world is governed. Politics asks how authority is legitimised, how decisions are made, and how citizens hold power to account within different systems of government. International relations extends that inquiry across borders, asking how states interact, what drives conflict and cooperation, and how global challenges are addressed in a world without a single government.

At the University of East Anglia, this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, building the analytical and academic skills you need before entering the main degree. The foundation year is designed to give you a solid grounding in the concepts, methods, and reading practices that the discipline demands, so that you arrive at the first year of the degree confident and well prepared. From there, you will explore political theory and philosophy, comparative politics, British and European politics, international security, foreign policy, global governance, and the politics of development and human rights.

UEA has a well-established reputation in the social sciences, and students benefit from a genuinely engaged research culture. A typical entry tariff of 120 points makes the programme accessible.

Graduates of international relations and politics programmes enter careers in the civil service, diplomacy, international organisations, journalism, the law, think tanks, political parties, NGOs, and the private sector in roles where an understanding of political and international dynamics is valued. The analytical and communication skills the degree develops are transferable across many fields. Further study at master's level in international relations, security studies, political science, or public policy is a well-trodden path for graduates who want to develop specialist expertise or pursue research careers.