International Relations

International relations is the academic discipline that examines how states, international organisations, non-governmental bodies, and other actors interact in the global system. It asks how foreign policy is made, how international institutions are constructed and maintained, what drives conflict and cooperation between nations, and how power is distributed across a world of unequal states. The discipline draws on history, political science, economics, law, and sociology, and it engages with the most significant challenges facing humanity, including nuclear proliferation, climate change, global inequality, migration, and the changing nature of sovereignty and international order.

At Leeds Beckett University, this part-time programme includes a year abroad, giving you the chance to engage with international affairs from an international vantage point and to develop the comparative awareness that a globally oriented discipline demands. You will study the major theoretical frameworks of international relations, including realism, liberalism, constructivism, and critical perspectives, alongside the historical development of the international system and its contemporary dynamics. You will also engage with specific regional and thematic issues, developing the ability to apply theoretical frameworks to concrete cases and to analyse international events with the rigour and depth the discipline requires.

International relations graduates pursue careers across diplomacy, the civil service, international organisations, journalism, non-governmental organisations, international business, and the financial sector. The analytical and research skills the degree develops, combined with an understanding of how the international system works, are valued by employers in any organisation whose activities cross national borders. Teaching, public affairs, policy analysis, and humanitarian work are further destinations.

Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in international relations, global politics, security studies, development studies, or international law, and some pursue diplomatic careers through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office or through international organisation graduate schemes.