Bachelor of Arts - International Relations (Including Year Abroad) (L259)

Based in the top politics department in the country, this University of Essex course should interest students if they want to understand how the international system works, how decisions are made and how lines are drawn. Taking this course gives students a foundation in politics, while the study of international relations develops their research and critical analysis skills, teaching them methods of analysis and giving them awareness of the world system. This course explores many major areas of international relations, including: conflict and security studies, comparative politics, international political economy, political theory, and politics of the Middle East.

Politics at Essex is all about moving from opinions to evidence. Students will quickly learn to ask – and how to answer – the “how do you know?” question. Essex trains students to be fearless and independent, to question everything and to draw on the broadest possible range of facts and ideas.

Education extends beyond the university campus. Essex supports students in expanding their education through offering the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of their partner universities. The four-year version of the degree allows students to spend the third year abroad or employed on a placement abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the three-year course. Studying abroad allows students to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden their degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that they are mature, adaptable, and organized.

The School's Department of Government is one of the most prestigious in Europe, with an outstanding record of teaching, research and publication. Essex is rated top in the UK for research, and has consistently been the highest-rated politics department in the country since national assessments began.

All Essex, politics graduates have the distinction of a qualification from one of the world’s leading politics departments. Politics students are in demand from a host of employers, in international development, politics, the civil service fast stream, management, journalism, police, armed forces, commerce, business, finance, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), teaching and graduate research.

Some notable alumni include: the Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow, and recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies including: The World Bank, NATO, United, United Nations Development Program, and IMG Media.