Politics and International Relations

Politics and international relations examines the structures of power and the dynamics of conflict and cooperation that shape human societies at every level, from local government to global institutions. Politics explores how authority is organised, exercised and contested within states, looking at political theory, institutions, parties, voting behaviour, policy-making and the relationship between citizens and governments. International relations extends that analysis to the relations between states, examining diplomacy, security, trade, international law, global governance and the forces, including climate change, migration and technological disruption, that are reshaping the international order.

At Aberystwyth University, this four-year full-time programme with an integrated year studying abroad is delivered by the world's first Department of International Politics, a department with more than a century of engagement with the most pressing questions in global affairs. You will study the full breadth of the discipline, from political theory and comparative politics to security studies, international political economy and global environmental politics. The year abroad gives you the opportunity to study in a different academic and political culture, deepening your understanding of international relations from a perspective beyond the UK.

Graduates from politics and international relations programmes pursue careers across the civil service, the diplomatic service, international organisations, journalism, NGOs, think tanks, policy research, law, the military, finance and the private sector. The analytical, research and communication skills developed through the discipline are highly transferable, and graduates are equipped to contribute to the understanding and management of the complex, rapidly changing world that the programme addresses. Postgraduate study in international relations, politics, security studies, international law or diplomacy is a well-established next step for those who want to specialise or pursue research and academic careers.