Law with International Relations with a Year in Industry

Law with international relations is a degree that recognises how deeply legal systems are embedded in and shaped by the international environment. Law trains you in the analysis of legal rules and their application, developing the rigorous argumentative and analytical skills that legal practice demands. International relations extends that framework to examine how states and other actors interact globally, how international law is made and enforced, and how the political, economic, and security dimensions of the international environment shape the legal questions that matter most.

The combination is particularly valuable for those interested in areas where domestic and international law intersect.

At Royal Holloway, University of London, this four-year, full-time programme includes a year in industry and a year abroad, giving you both substantial professional experience and international academic exposure alongside your legal and international relations studies. The Law and Criminology department and the Politics, International Relations and Philosophy department both have strong reputations for research and teaching, and for engaging with policymakers, the legal profession, government, and public bodies. That outward-facing orientation means the programme is firmly connected to the professional and policy worlds your studies are preparing you for.

Graduates are well placed for careers in legal practice, particularly in areas such as public international law, trade, commercial law, human rights, and environmental law. The international relations component also opens routes into diplomacy, the civil service, international organisations, think tanks, journalism, and policy research. Many graduates complete further professional legal training before entering practice, while others go on to postgraduate study in international law, international relations, or global affairs.