International Relations with Politics

International relations and politics together provide a comprehensive framework for understanding how power works, both within and between states. Politics examines the organisation of political systems, the behaviour of parties and governments, the dynamics of policy-making, and the ideological currents that shape political life within nations. International relations extends that analysis to the global level, asking how states interact, what drives cooperation and conflict, and how international institutions shape the behaviour of actors who have no authority above them.

At Leeds Beckett University, this three-year full-time programme develops your analytical understanding of both dimensions of political life. You will study political theory, comparative politics, foreign policy, the institutions of international order including the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation, international security, and the politics of regions including Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. A year abroad is part of the programme, placing you in a different political and cultural environment that can itself sharpen your analytical perspective on the questions the degree addresses.

Graduates pursue careers in the civil service, international organisations, policy research, think tanks, journalism, international business, non-governmental organisations, and diplomatic and development roles. The analytical and research skills the degree develops are valued across many professional contexts, and the year abroad adds an international dimension to your profile that employers in globally oriented roles value. Postgraduate study in international relations, politics, security studies, and development is a natural route for those who wish to specialise or pursue research.