Politics and International Relations

Politics and international relations together examine how power is organised, exercised and contested, both within states and in the relationships between them. Politics focuses on governments, elections, parties, institutions and policy-making processes. International relations extends this to the global stage, asking how states, international organisations, non-state actors and transnational forces interact in a world without a single governing authority.

Together they give you a sophisticated and evidence-based understanding of the forces that shape public life at every scale.

At the University of Aberdeen this four-year full-time programme offers a unique combination in Scotland, taught by internationally recognised academics who engage actively with public debate and appear regularly as media experts on unfolding world events. You will study the role of politics, power, states and governments in an ever-changing global context, engaging with both theoretical frameworks and contemporary political realities. The programme includes a year abroad, giving you the chance to study in a different national and academic environment, broadening your perspective on how political systems vary across the world.

Aberdeen's programme is grounded in current political science and international relations research, and you will encounter both the analytical tools of the discipline and the contemporary debates that make those tools necessary. You will develop skills in critical analysis, research, written argument and the ability to engage with complex political questions with nuance and rigour.

Graduates move into careers in politics, international affairs, NGOs, journalism, the civil service, diplomacy, think-tanks, advocacy, policy, law and business. The programme is designed to offer a strong foundation for careers in these fields, and the combination of academic rigour and research-active teaching supports both professional and postgraduate pathways. Further study in politics, international relations, public policy or law is a natural continuation.