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International Relations (Joint Honours) BA (Hons)

The joint honours route develops your understanding of contemporary international politics and also gives you the flexibility of choosing modules from your selected joint subject to tailor the course to your interests.

Overview

Senior Lecturer Dr Adam Fishwick, talks about the wide range of opportunities International Relations BA (Hons) students can get involved with.

On this course you will learn how to analyse contemporary events in international politics and develop policy responses to them. Lecturers will help you to identify the underlying global forces that shape decisions on crucial issues like the rise of China, the Syrian crisis, climate change and development. 

On the Joint Honours route you will study International Relations for 50 per cent of your study time, and for the other 50 per cent you will study modules from the History, Politics or Journalism BA courses.

This course is perfect if you are interested in a career in global politics, public affairs, foreign policy or humanitarian initiatives.

Key features
  • Innovative teaching approaches linking theory and practice such as simulations, engagement with House of Commons committees and the DMU Policy Commission
  • A unique learning environment, with the opportunity to participate in real debates, attend conferences and learn from guest speakers which have included prominent political figures such as the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the House of Commons Speaker, Rt Hon John Bercow
  • The only university in the UK to hold both Congress to Campus and European Parliament to Campus with former members of US Congress and former Members of European Parliament to enhance your study experience
  • Join our lively Politics Society with topical debates and well-known guest speakers which have included David Blunkett and Alastair Campbell in previous years
  • Attend talks from practitioners and alumni to help you develop an understanding of the range of potential careers for International Relations graduates
  • DMU is recognised as a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence as a result of research and teaching excellence in European studies
  • Enjoy an international experience with DMU Global, trips have included Hong Kong, Berlin, Brussels, Washington and New York. Previous students went to Germany and analysed the impact of the cold war on Berlin and considered how politics has affected the economy.
  • Our DMU Works careers programme can help you get work-ready through placement opportunities with local, national and global companies previous students have secured placements at Rolls Royce, GlaxoSmithKline, Heathrow Airport and the House of Commons

Graduate Success and News

Gavin gets political opportunities after voting 'yes' to DMU


Scholarships

DMU offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.

International student scholarships

Find out about available international scholarships or visit our fees and funding page for more information.


More courses like this:

Politics BA (Hons)

  • UK
  • EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course codes: 
International Relations and Politics: L245
International Relations and History: LVF1
International Relations and Journalism: LP25 

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with a placement.

Fees and funding: 

2024/25 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

Find out more about additional costs and optional extras associated with this course.

Institution code: D26

UCAS course codes: 
International Relations and Politics: L245
International Relations and History: LVF1
International Relations and Journalism: LP25

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with a placement.

Fees and funding: 

2023/24 tuition fees for international students: £15,750

Find out more about available funding for international students.

Find out more about additional costs and optional extras associated with this course.

Entry criteria

Entry criteria

  • A typical offer is:

    International Relations and Politics (L245) – 104 UCAS points
    International Relations and History (LVF1) – 112 UCAS points
    International Relations and Journalism (LP25) – 104 UCAS points

    From at least two A-levels or equivalent, plus five GCSEs at grade A*– C or above, including English (English Language and Maths for L245)

  • Plus five GCSEs at grade A–C or above, including English (English Language and Maths for L245)
  • Pass Access with 30 Level 3 credits at Merit (or equivalent)

    English (Language or Literature) and Maths GCSE required as separate qualifications at grade C

    We will normally require students to have had a break from full time education before undertaking the Access course

  • International Baccalaureate: L245 24 + points

 

Mature students

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

English language

If English is not your first language, an IELTS core of 6.0 (including a minimum of 5.5 in each component) or equivalent is normally required.

UCAS tariff information

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.

Contextual offer 

To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find our more about contextual offers.

 

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessment

Teaching contact hours

 

Year 1

  • Introduction to Politics
  • Introduction to Contemporary International Relations
  • Introduction to Globalisation
  • Global Comparative Politics

Year 2

  • Political Thought
  • Themes and Debates in International Relations Theory

Plus option modules from the following indicative list:

  • The Politics of the European Union
  • The Cold War
  • Unity and Diversity in Contemporary America
  • The Making of a Global World
  • Politics in Action
  • Corruption and its Avoidance
  • Political Analysis

Year 3

Option modules from the following indicative list:

  • Dissertation
  • Globalisation and Democracy
  • International Security in a Globalised World
  • American Presidency
  • Power, Politics and Morality
  • Health Strategy and Management
  • Managing the Environment 
  • Nationalism

Teaching and assessment

You will be taught by a team whose work has achieved top scores in quality assessment exercises and by individuals who have National Teaching Fellow Status in recognition of their outstanding teaching. We are also active researchers and share our current work with you.

We use a variety of formats in our classes. In the first two years you attend weekly hour-long lectures and seminars in which you discuss the issues raised in lectures. In the third year teaching is in a two-hour workshop format where you often get to decide on the topics that are debated. Throughout the course you will read around the areas being covered using course books and you must keep yourself up-to-date with developments in current affairs.

Assessment is through coursework (presentations, seminar contributions, your portfolio, essays and reports) and usually an exam or test. You will also be challenged through simulation games, problem solving exercises, online collaborative projects and policy papers. Assessment is typically weighted as follows in the first year of International Relations and Politics BA (Hons):

  • Exam: 33%
  • Coursework: 67%

These assessment weightings are indicative only. The exact weighting may vary depending on option modules chosen by students and teaching methods deployed by the academic member of staff each year. Indicative assessment weighting and assessment type per module are shown as part of the module information. Again these are based on the current academic session. 

Teaching contact hours

This is a full-time course. Each module is worth 30 credits. It is expected that student will spend a total of 300 hours of study for each module. You should be prepared to devote approximately 10 contact hours a week to your studies and additional independent hours of study in order to succeed. Teaching is through a mix of lectures, tutorials, seminars and lab sessions and the breakdown of these activity types is shown in each module description.

Other: In addition, each module provides a two-hour surgery each week for individual consultation with the lecturer. You will also have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor and careers and/or subject meetings scheduled throughout the year.

Self-directed study: In order to prepare for, and assimilate, the work in lectures and seminars you will be expected to use our on-line resources, participate in flipped or virtual classroom discussions on our virtual learning environment (VLE) and engage in personal study and revision for approximately 25 hours per week.

For more information on the History and Journalism Joint Honours contact hours, please visit the course webpage’s. 

Facilities and features

Hugh Aston Building

You will have access to our purpose-built Hugh Aston Building, equipped with lecture theatres and classrooms, break-out spaces for group work, quiet study zones for individual work and IT labs. Wherever possible, students will be given home access to specialist software.

You’ll also have access to the building’s new £5.5 million extension called The Yard, which provides more than 22,000 square metres of extra space. This is designed to facilitate your learning experience with large and airy breakout spaces, a new Student Advice Centre, and a balcony on the top floor. The Yard also features more comfortable classrooms and self-study spaces, allowing you to carry out independent study as well as group work.

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including the Virtual Learning Environment, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

DMU's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities DMU Careers Team
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DMU Global

Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons, helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK-based activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges. 

International Relations and Politics students have travelled to New York to pitch community project ideas at the United Nations headquarters, visited Brussels to learn about politics in the European Union, and went to the regional parliament in Berlin, and attended an international conference in Cyprus with the Model UN society.

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Placements

During this course you will have the option to complete a paid placement year, an invaluable opportunity to put the skills developed during your degree into practice. This insight into the professional world will build on your knowledge in a real-world setting, preparing you to progress onto your chosen career. 

Our careers programme DMU Works can help to hone your professional skills with mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and an assigned personal tutor will support you throughout your placement. 

Previous students have taken up placements in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, including some international posts, with leading companies such as Rolls Royce, GlaxoSmithKline, Heathrow Airport and the House of Commons. 

International Relations and Politics student Emily Fox secured an ‘amazing and insightful’ placement with a global company. Emily said “My degree knowledge has actually come in really handy in the workplace. It’s been such an uncertain time in international relations and politics, so my colleagues have been asking me all sorts of questions about Brexit and its implications on the business.” You can watch Emily’s placement experience here.

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Graduate careers

This course produces graduates who think critically about the world around them, with specialist knowledge of international issues and how these underpin society. Students learn a wealth of transferable skills for employment, including effective verbal and written communication, independent study and group work. 

A degree in International Relations prepares you for a wide range of roles within public, private and charitable sectors. Recent graduates have gone onto careers such as communications officer at the UK Ministry of Defence, case worker at Ministry of Justice, internal communications advisor at Heathrow Airport and prosecution manager at Arriva Rail North. 

Other graduates choose to further their specialist knowledge with a postgraduate degree, on programmes such as:

Take your next steps

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