Politics and International Relations and Psychology

Politics and International Relations combined with Psychology is a degree that brings together the study of political power and global affairs with the science of individual and social behaviour. Politics and International Relations examines how governments function, how states interact, how international institutions operate and how questions of power, security and cooperation are played out at the domestic and global level. Psychology examines the mental processes and behaviours of individuals and groups, exploring how people think, decide, respond to social pressure and form the political opinions and attachments that are central to democratic life.

The two disciplines connect deeply: understanding voters, leaders, diplomats and citizens requires both the political frameworks of IR and the behavioural insights of psychology.

At the University of Strathclyde, this four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad and places you in a department with a strong research reputation in both political science and psychology. You will study government and policy, international relations, security and conflict alongside psychology modules covering cognition, social behaviour, decision-making and individual differences, developing a distinctive analytical perspective that draws on both disciplines. The year abroad broadens your comparative understanding considerably, giving you the opportunity to study politics and psychology from a different national perspective.

Graduates from Politics and International Relations with Psychology programmes go on to careers in government, public service, diplomacy, communications, public affairs, NGOs, human resources, political consultancy, journalism and academic research. The combination of political understanding and behavioural insight is particularly relevant to careers in campaigning, public opinion research, policy design and behavioural economics. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in political psychology, international relations, psychology or public policy, building specialist expertise that deepens their career options.