Politics and International Relations

Politics and international relations together address the exercise of power at both the national and international levels and the relationship between the two. Politics examines how political systems are organised, how governments make decisions, how elections and political institutions work, and how political ideas and ideologies shape what is possible in public life. International relations extends these questions beyond state borders, examining how states interact with each other and with international organisations, what drives conflict and cooperation, and how global governance works and often fails.

At Leicester this three-year full-time programme provides a thorough grounding in both disciplines, taught by staff with expertise across the full range of the field. You will study political theory, comparative politics, public policy, and international relations alongside each other, developing the analytical tools to understand power at multiple levels simultaneously. The programme includes a foundation year for students who need additional academic preparation, as well as a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placements integrated throughout, giving you professional and international experience alongside your academic development.

You will develop skills in political analysis, research methods, critical reading, and written argument, as well as the ability to engage with complex evidence and competing interpretations of political events and processes. These are capacities that transfer across many careers.

Graduates of politics and international relations programmes move into careers in the civil service, international organisations, journalism, NGOs, politics, policy analysis, consulting, and a wide range of other roles where the ability to understand and engage with political and international dynamics is valued. Many continue to postgraduate study in international relations, politics, or public policy.