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Politics and Economics BA

3-4 years

Politics and economics will always go hand in hand. In this degree, you’ll explore how each discipline impacts the other, how to analyse political issues and ideologies, and what it takes to solve real-world economic problems.
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Politics and Economics BA, 3-4 years

Politics and economics will always go hand in hand. In this degree, you’ll explore how each discipline impacts the other, how to analyse political issues and ideologies, and what it takes to solve real-world economic problems.

Start date:

2025

Course information

Typical offer BBB

UK fee £9,535

UCAS code LL12

International fee £19,700

Institute code L34

Taught by Politics and International Relations

The Guardian

Top 30 in the UK for Politics (The Guardian University Guide 2025)

Politics and International Relations website

Course description

Course description

Leicester has always been at the cutting edge of British political science, and has an international reputation for being at the forefront of innovation in economic science. You will benefit from the expertise of our Politics lecturers, whilst being among the first to study at our new £16 million Brookfield campus – the new home of our School of Business.

Politics and Economics are subjects that will always have an impact on the other. Economics studies the ways in which external factors influence the economy and politics is one of the many external factors that has an impact on the economy. The success or failure of the economy is also a key aspect of political debate.

Over the course of your degree you will learn how to analyse political ideas and ideologies and to consider the problems facing diverse political systems. You will also cover the core subjects of microeconomics and macroeconomics, along with basic mathematical and statistical techniques which will help with solving economic problems.

In your third year you will be able to choose all your modules from a wide list of politics and economics modules that you can pursue your own interests and delve deeper into the topics that interest you the most.

As well as examining the workings of political systems in Britain and other states, you will explore some of the most important and interesting issues in politics: Who holds power and why? Is there a crisis of political participation? What are the appropriate limits to individual liberty? Is globalisation a positive process?

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

  • A/AS Levels: BBB. All subjects accepted. Two AS-levels considered in place of one A-level.
  • EPQ with A-levels: BBC + EPQ at grade B.
  • Access to HE Diploma: Pass diploma with 45 credits at Level 3, including 24 credits at Distinction. 
  • GCSE: Grade 5/B in Mathematics 
  • International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 28 points overall, including a minimum of grade 4 in SL Maths Analysis and Approach, or 6 in SL Maths Application and Interpretation, or 4 in HL Maths if not held at GCSE. 
  • BTEC Nationals: Full Diploma with DDM. 
  • T Levels: Merit in Management and Administration. Other subjects may be considered.

Other official national and international qualifications considered from across the world. You can review some of the qualifications we accept on our countries page and English Language equivalencies.

If your qualification or country is not listed, please contact us for more information, including the name and result of the qualification you have studied.

Second year entry may be possible with suitable qualifications.

Contextual offers

The University of Leicester is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all applicants from all backgrounds. We make contextual offers to support students who may be impacted by the area they live in, their personal circumstances or who have completed one of our progression programmes. These offers are usually one or two grades lower than the standard entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must apply for an eligible course and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible.

Selection Process

When considering your application, we will look for evidence that you will be able to fulfil the objectives of the course and achieve the standards required. We will take into account a range of factors including previous exam results.

Applicants are not normally interviewed. If you receive an offer you will be invited to visit the University.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

International Qualifications

Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

Countries list

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

UK Students

Starting in 2025

The tuition fees that will be payable by you to the University for the 2025/26 academic year will be £9,535

  • £9,535 in your first year. Tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation, subject to government regulations. The inflation rate used will be the Retail Price Index excluding mortgage payments (RPIX)
  • Year Abroad: your fee will be £1,430 for that year

Find out more about scholarship and funding

International Students

Starting in 2025

  • £19,700 per year
  • Year Abroad: £4,925 which is 25% of the full-time tuition fee

If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Careers and employability

Careers and employability

Our degrees provide you with the transferable skills to equip you for a wide range of careers, including government, the media, education, administration, and management in industry and commerce.

Our careers and employability tutors support and facilitate your academic, professional and personal development. They will help you to make an informed choice, provide help and advice on employability, and send you information on potentially interesting traineeships and vacancies.

Graduate destinations

Graduates from our Politics degrees have gone on to work for a wide range of employers including:

  • BNP Paribas
  • HSBC
  • Credit Agricole
  • Applus Aerospace
  • Spottydog Communications

Tom chose to study Politics at Leicester because he loved the city.

Careers and Employability Service


Get career-ready at Leicester with guidance from our award-winning Careers and Employability Service. We're here to give you a lifetime offer of support, even after graduation. Our team of specialist careers advisers and mentors will help you every step of the way. From supporting you with CVs and interviews, to volunteering opportunities and placements, we're here to help you reach your professional goals.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

We are committed to providing skills and knowledge to help prepare you tackle global challenges. We have mapped our undergraduate degrees for learning which aligns to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This degree includes learning which relates to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

Find out more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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Course structure

Year 1

Year 1

Core modules

Option modules

Choose two option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year 2

Year 2

Core modules

Option modules

Choose two option modules from:

Then choose one option module from: 

Finally, choose two option modules from:

If you plan to take the Politics Dissertation in your Final Year, you must take the two Political Analysis modules.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year Abroad or in Industry (optional)

Year Abroad or in Industry (optional)

If you want to, you can spend the third year of the BA studying abroad at one of our partner institutions or working in an industrial placement. Alternatively, you can opt to continue studying at the University and complete your degree in three years.

Year Abroad 

We’ll make sure you have everything you need for your future career: not just by awarding you a high quality degree, but also by helping you to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to make your mark in the world as a Citizen of Change. One way you can do this is by opting to take a Year Abroad between Years 2 and 3 of your degree.

Studying abroad is not just for people who are interested in travelling and meeting new people. It is about acquiring life skills that are becoming increasingly significant for a wide range of jobs in our modern globalised society. Whether you go on to a career in the private, public or third sector - or plough your own furrow as an entrepreneur – you will find the experience invaluable.

For more information, including a list of destinations, please visit our Study Abroad website.

Please note

  • A year spent abroad still incurs a tuition fee, but this is much lower than for a normal year at Leicester. See the Fees and Funding tab of this page for details.
  • You may be eligible for a travel grant from Student Finance England.
  • Places are offered on a competitive basis, and eligibility is dependent on your academic performance in Years 1 and 2.
  • Language courses, at beginners or advanced level, are available through our Languages at Leicester scheme.

Year in Industry

 

A member of staff will be individually assigned to you as your industrial placement tutor, who will be in contact with you throughout your placement and will visit the sponsoring company. During the year you will return to Leicester to present details of your placement to other students studying for 'With industry' degrees. A year in industry is a great opportunity which can give you first-hand experience of working in a related career while also enhancing your employability skills and allowing you to network with people in industry. A year in industry still incurs a tuition fee, but this is much lower than for a normal year at Leicester. See the Fees and Funding tab of this page for details.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Final Year (Politics dissertation)

Final Year (Politics dissertation)

Core module

Option modules

Choose three option modules from:

Then choose two option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Final Year (Economics dissertation)

Final Year (Economics dissertation)

Core module

Option modules

Choose four option modules from:

Then choose three option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Why Leicester?

Load the video related to: Politics and International Relations at Leicester

Politics and International Relations at Leicester

A diverse university in an international city, Marija found Leicester the ideal place to study.

The academic staff in the department have written or edited dozens of books and publish regularly in major national and international journals. Where other people only get to read what our experts think, you will be working directly with them, learning from them in lectures and questioning them in seminars.

Our economics courses are accredited by CIMA, giving you exemption from exams that will give your career a head-start. In addition we are a CFA University Affiliation Program Partner.

Guest speakers who have visited the University to discuss their lives in politics including MPS, members of the House of Lords, MEPs, members of the US Congress, officials working in UK and EU institutions, diplomats and senior personnel from the armed forces.

Teaching and learning

Teaching

You will be taught by a combination of lectures and small group seminars. Seminars are designed to delve deeper into topics covered in your lectures in order to encourage discussion, exploration and application of issues.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a variety of methods including written examination, assessed essay, reports, briefing papers and presentations.

You will have regular meetings with your personal tutor to discuss progress in your studies. Your personal tutor will also provide a sympathetic ear for all matters of personal concern, whether they be academic, financial, housing, career or social issues.

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library and our social study spaces in halls of residence.

Your contact hours will depend on the option modules you select. You can see details of the contact hours on individual module pages.

Academic support

Our Centre for Academic Achievement provides help in the following areas:

  • study and exam skills
  • academic writing
  • presentations
  • dissertations
  • numerical data skills
  • referencing sources

Our AccessAbility Centre offers support and practical help for students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties, including physical, mental health or mobility difficulties, deafness, or visual impairment.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. PhD research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader. Our teaching is informed by the research we do. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Apply now

Course Qualification Duration UCAS Code Availability
Course Politics and Economics Qualification BA Duration 3 years full-time UCAS Code LL12 Availability How to apply
Course Politics and Economics with Year Abroad Qualification BA Duration 4 years full-time UCAS Code LL12 Availability How to apply

Data about this course

The course challenges your beliefs, forces you to think critically, and makes you more open-minded.

Marija

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