International Relations
International relations is the study of how countries, international organisations, and non-state actors interact on the global stage, and why the world is the way it is. As Manchester Metropolitan University describes it, the discipline uses theories and models to explain global power, from individual actions to entire global systems, and challenges what we think we know, what we value, and how we might build a better world. It is a field that engages directly with some of the most significant questions of our time: how conflicts arise and might be prevented, how international institutions function, what the responsibilities of states are to their citizens and to each other, and how global problems like climate change, inequality, and migration can be addressed.
Manchester Metropolitan University offers this International Relations BA on a part-time basis with a sandwich year and work placement opportunities. The flexible study format is suited to students who need to fit their studies around existing commitments, and the placement element gives you professional experience in a relevant context, whether in government, NGOs, think tanks, journalism, or international organisations, before you graduate. You will study international relations theory, foreign policy, security studies, international organisations, globalisation, and current global events, developing strong analytical and research skills and the ability to engage with complex, contested questions from multiple perspectives.
Graduates work in government and the civil service, the diplomatic service, international organisations, NGOs, journalism, international business, think tanks, political risk analysis, and the defence and security sector. The analytical and communication skills the degree develops are valued across a very wide range of careers, and many graduates find that their international relations training opens doors in unexpected directions. Postgraduate study in international relations, security, development, or law is a well-established further step.