Politics and International Relations

Discover how governments and global systems shape the world. Build analytical skills in data, research, & politics, with placement & study abroad options. The BSc Politics and International Relations is a three-year degree, with an optional extra year for a placement or study abroad.

You’ll explore the political systems, global dynamics and research approaches that shape international and domestic life - from institutions and decision-making to power, conflict and cooperation. Through critical theory, case studies and applied analytical work, you’ll build the insight and practical skills to interpret data, understand complex political and international issues, and engage confidently with real-world policy and political decision-making. The BSc Politics and International Relations trains you to analyse the forces shaping global power and governance.

You’ll study foreign affairs, public policy, elections, negotiation, conflict, terrorism, and international cooperation - exploring how political systems operate across borders, institutions, and ideologies. Learn from leading academics in a department where research informs governments, international organisations, and NGOs, and discover how evidence drives real-world decisions. You’ll get hands-on with political data - analysing, interpreting, and applying it through independent research and collaborative projects - giving you the practical and analytical skills that employers in policy, research, and consultancy value highly.