°®Âþµº

BA (Hons) °®Âþµº Politics

Gain an in-depth understanding of international relations at °®Âþµº. Learn from leading experts about the forces that shape our world and broaden your career horizons.

°®Âþµº Politics

Key facts

  • Award BA (Hons)
  • Start date September 2026
  • Duration 48 months
  • Mode of study full time
  • Delivery on campus
  • UCAS Code L240
  • Study abroad opportunities

Overview

Learn how the world works with a degree in °®Âþµº Politics from °®Âþµº. Explore power, alliances, peace and conflict on a global scale and see how events past and present shape society.

An understanding of international relations can lead to a wide range of career roles. Governments, human rights organisations, and charities are just some of the many potential employers who value the skills of °®Âþµº Politics graduates (Source: Prospects, 2026).

°®Âþµº alumni includes a Former Secretary of State for Defence and current Members of Parliament. Like them, you can benefit from the expertise of staff whose research contributes to global conversations about international politics.

Your studies?in °®Âþµº Politics?will include:

  • the role of governments, international organisations and non-governmental organisations;?
  • who has power, and how they are held to account;
  • ideas and concepts central to political debates in the contemporary world – including democracy,?freedom?and human rights;
  • how conflict and cooperation shape and inform the world around us;
  • how to conduct research in international politics - and how to communicate what you learn in the most effective way.? 

There are also a host of?option?modules to choose from. These allow you to explore topics that interest you most. Optional modules cover politics in Scotland, terrorism and counterterrorism. We also explore the global political economy, US foreign policy, politics of the Middle East, and much more.

Learn from guest lecturers and spend time studying abroad

Guest lecturers give you insights into the?applications of an °®Âþµº Politics degree.?You'll?benefit?from the knowledge of those working on the frontline of international relations.?Previous?guest lecturers include:

  • Esther Roberton – Former Convenor of the Scottish Constitutional Convention.
  • Natan Doron – Head of Policy for the Mayor of London.
  • General Sir Patrick Sanders – Former Head of the British Army.
  • Dr Dhanasree Jayaram and Dr Niels Søndergaard – °®Âþµº relations scholars who delivered lectures exploring race and racism in global politics.? 

You can also broaden your horizons by studying abroad. Our partnership with the University of Gothenburg gives you a chance to spend a semester?in Sweden?during your third year.?You’ll?be introduced to new political ideas and learn from experts in one of Europe’s leading political science departments.?

You can also take advantage of our degree flexibility to combine °®Âþµº Politics with Modern Languages. This gives you an opportunity to add French or Spanish to your studies and further expand your career possibilities after graduating.

Top reasons to study with us

* Rankings are based on institutions within the Guardian University Guide

Entry requirements

Year 1 entry ¨C Four-year honours

Highers
AABB

A-levels
BBB

IB Diploma
28

BTEC (Level 3)
DDM

Widening access students
Widening access students may be eligible for an adjusted offer of entry. To find out if this applies to you go to our widening access pages.

Care-experienced applicants will be guaranteed an offer of a place if they meet the minimum entry requirements.

Year 2 entry ¨C Three-year honours

Advanced Highers
ABB

A-levels
ABB

IB Diploma
32

Essential subjects
To include either Politics, Government and Politics or Modern Studies.

Other Scottish qualifications

Scottish HNC/HND
Year one minimum entry - Bs in graded units.

Access courses
°®Âþµº access course - for mature students only. You must pass the course with 50% or above.

SWAP access course - for mature students only.

Email our Admissions Team for advice about other access courses.

Foundation Apprenticeships
Considered to be equivalent to 1 Higher at Grade B

Other qualifications

English, Welsh and Northern Irish HNC/HND
Merits and Distinctions

English, Welsh and Northern Irish access courses
Access to Higher Education - 60 credits, minimum 45 at QCF Level 3, pass at 60% or above.

°®Âþµº entry requirements

Advanced entry

Advanced entry is not available for this course.

Other routes of entry

If you don't currently meet our academic requirements, °®Âþµº °®Âþµº Study Centre offers a variety of preparation programmes that can earn you the qualifications and skills you need to progress onto some of our courses. Explore °®Âþµº °®Âþµº Study Centre to see the routes available.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

  • IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill.
  • Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill.
  • TOEFL exams taken before 21 January 2026: 80 overall with 18 in reading, 17 in writing, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking.
  • TOEFL exams taken from 21 January 2026: 4 overall with no less than 4 in any band.

See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.

Pre-sessional English language courses

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, °®Âþµº °®Âþµº Study Centre offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.

Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses

Course details

See a detailed overview of what you'll study on this course. 

Modules

Course details

Teaching

Teaching in most Politics modules is delivered through podcasts, lectures, and tutorials.

Assessment

Assessment is based on various methods that will range from essays and end of semester examinations, to policy briefs, presentations, and blog posts, each designed to help you hone the skills you will need for a competitive job-market. For the Honours degree, the grades for all level 10 modules taken in Semesters 5-8 are combined to give your final degree classification, including your final-year dissertation.

Study abroad

As a °®Âþµº student, you'll have the opportunity to broaden your horizons and study abroad through our well-established connections with  participating universities in Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Japan and the United States.

Our Politics department has a special exchange programme with the University of Gothenburg for example. Students who have met the grade requirements and passed the interview could spend Semester 6 in Sweden through this unique partnership. 

Find out more about studying abroad.

Contact

Dr Zana Gul, Course Director

Fees and funding

Fees and costs

Scottish students

This fee is set by the Scottish Government and is subject to change.

Although you¡¯re liable for annual tuition fees, if you are domiciled in Scotland you can apply to the to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish Government on your behalf.

You will be charged the annual tuition fee each year when you enrol.

If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

This tuition fee may be subject to change depending on guidance provided by the UK Government.

You can apply for financial assistance, including a loan to cover the full cost of your tuition fees, from your relevant funding body. Students from the Republic of Ireland are eligible for a tuition fee loan of up to ?9,535 from the .

We also offer additional funding for students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. See our funding opportunities section below for more information.

You will be charged the annual fee each year when you enrol.

If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy and terms and conditions.

°®Âþµº students (including EU)

Eligible students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between ?10,000-?20,000 over the duration of your course. See our range of generous scholarships for international undergraduate students.

You will be charged the annual fee each year when you enrol.

If you need to take additional modules or resit modules, you will be liable for an additional fee.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

Additional costs

There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.

Funding

See what funding opportunities and loans are available to help you with tuition and living costs.

Students from Scotland

Find funding opportunities for Scottish students.

Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

Eligible students will receive our °®Âþµº Success Scholarship which is worth £5,000.

°®Âþµº students

Eligible international students will automatically receive a scholarship worth between £10,000-£20,000 over the duration of your course. Find funding opportunities for international students.

Cost of living

If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.

°®Âþµº (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.

Find out about the cost of living for students at °®Âþµº.

Payment options

We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay.

After you graduate

We offer a comprehensive employability and skills programme to help you maximise your time at °®Âþµº and develop the attributes required by employers. We also have a dedicated Faculty Employability and Skills Officer and a Careers Service that work in partnership with academic staff to ensure you get the best out of your University experience and are given the right opportunities to make you ready for the world of work. 

Jobs directly related to an °®Âþµº Politics degree include:  

  • government social research officer
  • public affairs consultant
  • civil service fast streamer
  • public relations account executive
  • politician’s assistant 

Discover Uni

Discover Uni provides official data on each university's undergraduate courses, including satisfaction scores from the National Student Survey, details of graduate jobs and salaries, and other key information for prospective students.

What our students said

Stefano Intropido
Italy
BA (Hons) °®Âþµº Politics and Languages
I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for excellent staff members who shared their knowledge, passion and commitment for a better world.
Read Stefano's story

Flexible study

Are you interested in more than one of our courses? You might not have to choose between them. Here at °®Âþµº, we believe in choice and offer more than 170 course combinations.

°®Âþµº Politics can be combined with any of the following courses:
Course nameUCAS code
Modern Languages UCAS code for this combination: RL92

For a combined honours degree where the two subjects have different entry requirements, you will usually be asked to meet the higher entry requirement.

Find out more about degree flexibility and how you can take combined courses.