International Relations and Politics with a Placement Year

International relations and politics is a field that combines the study of how states and other actors behave on the world stage with the analysis of political life within and across national boundaries. International relations examines the dynamics of war and peace, the role of international institutions, the economics of trade and development, and the forces reshaping the global order. Politics provides the theoretical frameworks for understanding how power is structured and exercised, how political systems work, how citizens and movements influence policy, and what drives political change.

Together they give you a rigorous preparation for engaging with the most pressing global challenges of the present.

At the University of East Anglia this programme with a placement year extends the full course to four years full time and combines academic understanding with professional experience in a field where direct exposure to the world being studied is particularly valuable. The placement year gives you the opportunity to work in a relevant organisation, whether a think tank, NGO, government department, international organisation or media outlet, and to apply your analytical skills in a real professional context. This combination of academic rigour and professional experience is a powerful differentiator in a competitive graduate market.

You will develop skills in political theory, international relations frameworks, comparative research methods, quantitative and qualitative analysis and extended academic writing, alongside the professional competencies that the placement year develops.

Graduates pursue careers in the civil service, diplomacy, international development, journalism, think tanks, the United Nations and other international organisations, NGOs, political consultancy and the private sector. The placement year significantly strengthens your graduate profile. Postgraduate study in international relations, politics, security studies, development or law is also a well-established route.