Politics and International Relations
Politics and international relations together address some of the most consequential questions of our time. Politics examines how power is organised and exercised within states, how governments make decisions, how citizens participate and protest, and how democratic and authoritarian systems differ in their operations and consequences. International relations extends this analysis across borders, asking how states, international institutions, non-governmental organisations, and other actors interact in a world without a single overarching authority.
At Anglia Ruskin University, you will explore change and continuity in national and global governance, examining how leaders and politicians have shaped historical and contemporary events, and how the decisions of political parties and institutions affect people's lives in concrete ways. You will engage with political theory, from the classical traditions of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau to contemporary debates about democracy, justice, and human rights. International relations theory provides frameworks for understanding conflict, cooperation, trade, diplomacy, and global challenges such as climate change and migration.
Throughout the programme you will develop your ability to gather and evaluate evidence, construct arguments, and communicate clearly about complex and contested topics. This is a three-year full-time programme with a typical entry tariff of 56 UCAS points, making it accessible to students from a range of educational backgrounds.
Graduates from politics and international relations programmes are found in a wide range of careers. The civil service, diplomatic service, political parties, think tanks, journalism, international organisations, NGOs, and the private sector all recruit graduates whose understanding of political processes and global affairs adds genuine value. The analytical and communication skills you develop are also excellent preparation for postgraduate study in political science, international relations, law, public policy, or security studies.