Politics and International Relations

Politics and International Relations addresses the fundamental questions of how power is organised, contested and exercised in human societies. Political science examines the institutions, ideologies and processes through which collective decisions are made at national and local level, while international relations broadens this lens to consider how states, international organisations, corporations and civil society actors interact across borders. Together, they equip you to understand elections and voting behaviour, public policy formation, international security, comparative political systems, and the global forces that shape everything from trade agreements to humanitarian crises.

At the University of Strathclyde, this four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad and places you in a department with a strong research reputation and active engagement with real-world political questions. You will study with academics whose work spans elections and voting, political parties, public policy, comparative political systems, international relations and security studies, bringing research-active expertise directly into the teaching environment. The year abroad gives you the opportunity to study politics from a different national perspective, deepening your comparative understanding and strengthening your independence as a learner.

The programme demands a high level of academic engagement, reflected in a typical entry tariff of 200 points.

Graduates from Politics and International Relations programmes move into an extraordinarily wide range of careers. Government, the civil service, the diplomatic service and international organisations such as the United Nations are common destinations, as are roles in journalism, policy research, think tanks, NGOs and political consultancy. Law, business, human rights advocacy and international development are equally viable paths.

Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in political science, international relations, public policy or law, with a strong foundation for doctoral research and an academic career.