International Relations

International relations is the study of how states, international organisations, non-governmental bodies and other actors interact across national borders, and why the global order takes the shape it does. It draws on history, political theory, economics and law to examine questions of war and peace, diplomacy, human rights, trade, climate governance and the changing nature of power in a multipolar world. The discipline is genuinely interdisciplinary, and studying it trains you to move between different ways of explaining complex events without losing analytical clarity.

At the University of Exeter you will spend three years on a full-time programme that is substantially richer in practical dimensions than most. A sandwich placement year gives you the opportunity to work in a relevant organisation, whether that is a policy think tank, an NGO, a government department or an international institution, before completing your studies. A year abroad broadens your perspective further, situating your analytical framework in a different national or regional context.

You will explore theoretical approaches from realism and liberalism to constructivism and critical theory, apply them to contemporary case studies, and develop strong skills in research, argumentation and written communication.

The combination of academic grounding and structured professional experience makes Exeter graduates well prepared for competitive graduate employment. Careers typically span diplomacy and foreign service, international development and humanitarian work, public policy and government, international law (usually after further legal training), journalism and media, security and intelligence analysis, and roles in multinational organisations and global businesses. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in international relations, law, international development or public policy, often at institutions with strong international networks.

If you are drawn to understanding how the world is organised and want the analytical tools to influence it, this programme provides a rigorous and practical foundation.