Politics and International Relations

Politics and international relations together form a field that asks how power is organised, exercised and contested, from the workings of local government to the dynamics of global order. Politics concerns the rules, institutions and conflicts through which societies make collective decisions, while international relations examines how states, international organisations and non-state actors interact across borders. Together they give you the conceptual tools to make sense of elections, wars, trade agreements, human rights conventions and the forces that shape public life.

At Nottingham Trent University, this three-year full-time programme takes you through the core theories and methods of both disciplines. You will study the major political ideologies, the design of democratic and non-democratic institutions, and the history and current state of the international system. You will engage with debates about justice, sovereignty, development, security and the environment, learning to apply different theoretical frameworks to real political events.

The programme develops your capacity for evidence-based argument, critical reading of political texts, and clear written and oral communication, skills that are in demand across many sectors.

Graduates with a background in politics and international relations go on to careers in government, the civil service, journalism, policy analysis, non-governmental organisations, international development, law and business. The analytical skills and awareness of global affairs that the degree provides are valued wherever organisations need people who can understand complex environments and communicate clearly about them. Further study at masters or doctoral level is also a well-trodden route, with postgraduate programmes in international relations, public policy, law and security studies all natural progressions from this undergraduate foundation.