International Relations

International relations is the study of how states, international organisations, civil society groups and other actors interact in a world where no single authority governs everyone. It asks fundamental questions about power, security, cooperation and justice: why do wars start, how do trade agreements hold together, what gives international law its force, and how do shared problems such as climate change or migration get addressed across borders? Engaging seriously with these questions requires you to draw on history, political theory, economics and sociology, making international relations one of the genuinely interdisciplinary subjects in the social sciences.

At Coventry University you will study this three-year full-time programme with two distinctive structural features. A sandwich year is built into the course, meaning a period of professional placement is embedded in your studies, giving you direct experience of working in an international context before you graduate. A year abroad is also included, and the programme is designed for students who want to understand global affairs not just in the abstract but through engagement with real organisations, movements and policy environments.

Work placement opportunities are embedded throughout, and the combination of academic study with applied experience is central to the programme's approach.

You will study the major theoretical frameworks in international relations, from realism and liberalism to constructivism and critical approaches, and apply them to contemporary cases in foreign policy, global governance, security studies and development. Research skills, analytical writing and the ability to engage with competing interpretations of events are developed throughout.

Graduates move into careers in international organisations, government departments, foreign ministries, NGOs, journalism, development agencies, think tanks and advocacy organisations. Roles in diplomacy, policy analysis, humanitarian work, conflict resolution, international trade and human rights are all realistic destinations. Many students continue their studies at postgraduate level, specialising in areas such as security studies, development, international law or global governance.