International Relations and Sociology

International relations and sociology together address the forces that shape collective life at every scale, from the global order of states and international institutions to the social structures and cultural dynamics that organise everyday experience. International relations examines how states, international organisations and non-state actors interact, compete and cooperate in a world that is increasingly interconnected but far from unified. Sociology provides the conceptual and empirical tools to understand the social structures, identities and inequalities that shape both domestic politics and international behaviour.

At the University of Sussex, one of the world's largest dedicated International Relations departments, you will be working within a research community that pioneers new critical approaches to studying and tackling the major challenges facing our world today.

This three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year for those who need it, a sandwich placement year, a year abroad and a work placement, meaning it is both broadly accessible and richly resourced with professional and international experience. You will study international relations theory, global governance, conflict and security, human rights, development, migration and the social and political dimensions of globalisation, alongside sociological theory, research methods, social stratification and the sociology of identity, culture and institutions.

Graduates move into careers in government, the civil service, international organisations, think tanks, research organisations, journalism, the third sector, international development agencies, NGOs and a wide range of other organisations engaged with global and social questions. The combination of international relations and sociological perspectives is particularly valued in policy research, advocacy and international programme management. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in international relations, sociology, development studies, security studies or social policy, and the placement and international experience built into this degree provide a strong practical foundation.