Program Description
About the course
The Politics and International Relations degree brings together the broader study of politics and political ideas with the question of how states interact with each other on the global stage. It evaluates the key questions related to transnational issues such as globalization and the environment and the actors engaged in them. Politics and International Relations is a very dynamic subject, which places a special emphasis on the international and global dimension of politics. In an ever changing world, new challenges are constantly arising – from terrorism and security to climate change and pandemics – and we therefore seek to engage with live issues in the world as they evolve and change over time. We actively encourage debate and discussion amongst our students, encouraging a stronger awareness and appreciation of different points of view. In doing so, we explore the key ideas, institutions and issues that can help us to understand politics in an international, national and local context. You will be taught by staff who are experts in their field, who will teach you to engage with political research and develop the capacity to be an independent, critically-minded scholar and equip you with transferable skills to take into the world of work.And study does not just take place in the classroom and the library. We also organise fieldtrips to relevant local, regional and national institutions as well as organising events with guest speakers and practitioners (conditions permitting). Recent visits have included a trip to the UK Parliament, Brussels, and Berlin along with visits and talks from key experts, academics and campaigners.There are also opportunities available to study abroad as part of our exchange programme and to visit overseas development projects as part of the University’s Global Hope initiative.
Course structure
Teaching on this degree is structured into lectures, interactive student-led seminars, and tutorials which in your first year typically have 10 students. Regular study skills classes are also provided in the first year to support you in your transition into Higher Education. You also have regular meetings with a supervisor when engaged in your final year research project. In addition, there are local, national and international fieldtrips organised in order to enhance your learning.In your first year of study there are approximately 12 teaching hours each week which reduces to approximately 10 in your second and third years. You are also expected to spend a number of hours studying independently each week, as well as studying in groups to prepare for any group assessments that you may have. Overall, you should expect to spend an average of 40 hours per week devoted to your studies, including taught hours, independent work and group work where relevant.
