Undergraduate students in a Politics group study session, Monica Partridge building

Politics and International Relations BA

University Park Campus, Nottingham, UK

Course overview

How do relationships between nations shape our world? Who holds power, and how do political processes impact our daily lives?

Our BA Politics and International Relations course will help you answer these questions and more. Studying the core areas of comparative politics, political theory, and international relations, helps you gain a comprehensive understanding of how politics shapes domestic and global issues.

You'll explore different theories and learn how they inform policy decisions, developing critical thinking, analytical, and research skills that are highly valued in various professional fields. Our graduates go on to work across the private, public, and charitable sectors in a range of roles, from parliamentary assistants and councillors to civil servants, researchers, and data analysts.

With optional modules, you can tailor your degree to your interests and career goals, exploring specialist areas such as social justice, global security, and secret intelligence. You also have the option to take a specialised quantitative methods pathway that includes training in data science, giving you an extra edge in the job market.

Through this course you'll broaden your understanding of domestic and global politics and develop the skills you need to make a positive impact in the world.

Indicative modules

Mandatory

Year 1

Introduction to Political Theory

Mandatory

Year 1

Political Theory in Practice

Mandatory

Year 1

Problems in Global Politics

Mandatory

Year 1

Understanding Global Politics

Optional

Year 1

British Constitution in Crisis

Optional

Year 1

International Politics of the Asia-Pacific

Optional

Year 1

Introduction to Comparative Politics

Optional

Year 1

Introduction to Political Data and Analysis

Optional

Year 2

Analysing and Interpreting Political Data

Optional

Year 2

British Party Politics

Optional

Year 2

Democracy and its Critics

Optional

Year 2

Experiencing National Identity

Optional

Year 2

Global Security

Optional

Year 2

How Voters Decide

Optional

Year 2

International Political Economy and Global Development

Optional

Year 2

International Politics in the 20th Century

Optional

Year 2

Politics and Public Policy in China

Optional

Year 2

Social and Global Justice

Optional

Year 2

The Transformation of European Politics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Quantitative Methods for Social Science

Optional

Year 3

African Politics

Optional

Year 3

China in Global Politics

Optional

Year 3

Dissertation

Optional

Year 3

Gender and Political Representation

Optional

Year 3

Ideas and Politics in Contemporary Britain

Optional

Year 3

Inside Out: The UK and the EU

Optional

Year 3

Left and Right in Contemporary Politics

Optional

Year 3

The Middle East and the World

Optional

Year 3

Political Challenges and Multiple Crises in the Global Economy

Optional

Year 3

Political Parties and Party Systems Around the Globe

Optional

Year 3

Political Violence

Optional

Year 3

Politics Placement

Optional

Year 3

Race and Politics

Optional

Year 3

Responding to Extremism: Politics, Power, and Ethics

Optional

Year 3

Secret Intelligence and International Security

Optional

Year 3

Special Relationship? Anglo-American Security Relations

Optional

Year 3

The EU as a Global Power

Optional

Year 3

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: The Morality of Capitalism

Optional

Year 3

The Politics of Ethnic Conflict

Optional

Year 3

The Politics of Human Rights

Optional

Year 3

The Politics of Inequality

Optional

Year 3

The Russo-Ukranian War

Optional

Year 3

The Struggle for Democracy

Optional

Year 3

The War in Iraq

Optional

Year 3

Theories of the Modern State

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About modules

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. This content was last updated on Thursday 5 December 2024. Due to timetabling availability, there may be restrictions on some module combinations.

University undergraduate student Cole Pearce studying in Nightingale Hall accommodation's library, University Park. November 5th 2021.

Learning the solutions and the policies that you can implement to navigate through [racism, conflict and prejudice] has definitely equipped me for the career path that I want to go into post uni. It’s been really enlightening.

Chelcy

BA Politics and International Relations

Course data

79%of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well.

Data for Politics and International Relations (Full time) at University of Nottingham, the

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Open Day June 2022