Politics and International Relations BA
3-4 years
Start date:
Course information
Typical offer BBB
UK fee £9,535
UCAS code L290
International fee £19,700
Institute code L34
Taught by Politics and International Relations
Top 30 in the UK for Politics (The Guardian University Guide 2025)
Course description
Course description
Our Politics and International Relations BA provides you with an understanding of the exercise of power at both the national and international levels and the relationship between the two. You will gain a thorough grounding in the study of both politics and international relations as you will be taught by staff with expertise from all areas of the discipline.
Politics has been taught at Leicester since the 1940s and we have always been at the cutting edge of British political science – we aim to fire your intellectual curiosity about the politics of the world. 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? When is war just?
Our lecturers produce internationally renowned, cutting-edge research, and are keen to share their knowledge. During your time with us, we will encourage you to focus your studies on your own areas of interest. All our degrees offer a wide range of exciting module choices – and as our lecturers have such diverse interests, you will receive enthusiastic support and guidance for whichever area you choose.
Employability is embedded into our degrees and we have designed modules that will ensure you are well equipped to secure graduate roles or places on postgraduate courses. The popularity of Politics at degree level also reflects the value of the transferable skills students gain. The ability to analyse complex issues and reach reasoned conclusions, to present coherent arguments in written and oral form, to engage in independent research, and work effectively as a member of a team are skills highly valued by employers. Job prospects are excellent, with 98% of our Politics and International Relations students in employment or further study, six months after graduating.
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.
- International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 28 points overall.
- 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 ListFees 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 scholarships 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.
Related courses
Related courses
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:
- Goal 5: Gender equality
- Goal 10: Reduced inequalities
- Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production
- Goal 13: Climate action
- Goal 14: Life below water
- Goal 15: Life on land
- Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong institutions
Course structure
Year 1
Year 1
Core modules
- Introduction to Politics
- Political Concepts
- Key Concepts in International Relations
- Order and Disorder: International Relations from 1989 to the Present
Option modules
Choose one option module from:
Plus choose one option module 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
- International Theory (double module)
Option modules
Choose four option modules from:
- Political Ideas
- Political Parties in Contemporary Britain
- The Curious Feminist: Gender in Global Politics
- Politics of the Global South
- International Theory
- A World Connected: Economy, Wellbeing and Sustainability since 1945
- Digital Histories
Then choose two option modules from:
- European Union Politics
- International Security Studies
- Contemporary Political Philosophy: Theories of Justice
- Foreign Policy Analysis
- Governing Societies in Conflict
- History in the Classroom
- World's End: Historical Perspectives on Contemporary Environmental Crises
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 (optional)
Year Abroad (optional)
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.
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
Final Year
Modules
Choose three option modules from:
- Feminism
- The American Presidency
- The Politics of Nuclear Weapons
- The Politics of Contemporary British Foreign Policy
- International Migration in the Age of Securitisation
- Emotions in Conflict and Cooperation
- The Conservatives: Crisis and Recovery
- Global Justice and Human Rights
- Political Legacies of Conflict in Northern Ireland
- Comparative Public Opinion
- Animals and the Environment
- Abolitionists: Antislavery Activism in Britain and America, 1787-1865
Then choose two option modules from:
- American Political Development
- Politics of Contemporary War and Conflict
- Politics and War in Outer Space
- Gender, Race and War
- Parliamentary Studies
- Brexit and British Politics
- Politics, Conflict and Statecraft in Africa
- Grenfell: Violence and the Possibility of Non-Violence
- Race, Caste and Political Theory
- The Political Theory of Disobedience and Protests
- Queer IR: Sexuality and Global Politics
- Apocalypse Then: The USA and the Vietnam War
- When Two Dragons Fight: China and Japan at War in the Twentieth Century
Plus your Dissertation
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?
You will definitely want to join the Students' Union's Politics and International Relations Society, which offers a great mix of academic support and social events.
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.
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.
Teaching and learning
Teaching
You will experience a variety of learning and teaching methods throughout your time at Leicester. We use the latest teaching resources, such as the Blackboard virtual learning environment where students can access support materials for all our modules. As well as traditional lectures and seminars, you will work in small groups, take part in debates and simulation exercises, and undertake a research project of your choice in your final year.
The development of transferable skills is a key feature of teaching at Leicester. Our courses are designed to improve your skills in written communications (from short reports to a long dissertation), oral presentation (both formal and informal), working as part of a team, independent learning (e.g. information gathering and time management), problem solving and information technology.
All members of Politics and International Relations at Leicester are engaged in cutting-edge research. We believe that good teaching flourishes in an intellectual environment informed by original research. Final year modules reflect the research interests of academic staff, exposing students to the latest thinking.
Assessment
You will be assessed by a variety of methods, including written examination, essay, reports, briefing papers and presentations.
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 International Relations | Qualification BA | Duration 3 year full-time | UCAS Code L290 | Availability How to apply |
| Course Politics and International Relations with Year Abroad | Qualification BA | Duration 4 years full-time | UCAS Code L290 | Availability How to apply |
Data about this course
The course challenges your beliefs, forces you to think critically, and makes you more open-minded.