International Politics

International politics examines how the world is organised above the level of individual states: how nations interact, compete, cooperate, and conflict; how international institutions are built and what they achieve; and how non-state actors, from NGOs to terrorist networks, shape global affairs alongside governments. It is a discipline that draws on political theory, history, law, and economics, applying multiple analytical frameworks to the complex and contested terrain of global politics. Studying it seriously requires you to move fluently between abstract theory and concrete contemporary events.

The University of London Institute in Paris offers a distinctive environment for this degree, situating it in one of the world's most significant political and diplomatic cities. You will develop an advanced understanding of state, non-state, governmental, and non-governmental actors engaged in international politics in the contemporary world, and you will learn how these actors perform international politics and how theories and methods can be used to understand their actions. This approach combines attention to formal IR theory with a commitment to understanding how politics is actually practised, negotiated, and contested in real diplomatic, institutional, and civil society contexts.

The programme runs over three years full-time, with a typical entry tariff of 136 points.

Graduates of international politics degrees pursue careers in diplomacy and the foreign service, international organisations, the civil service, policy research and think tanks, journalism, international development, NGOs, and international business. The Paris setting provides particular advantages for those interested in European institutions, French-speaking contexts, or careers in international diplomacy. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in international relations, international law, European studies, or public policy.