Studying Politics and International Relations

Our Politics and International Relations degrees can provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary for a future career.

Opportunities

Our students can engage with the current research and events of our two internationally recognised research centres, the Political Economy Research Centre and the Centre for Postcolonial Studies.

They can also take advantage of their London location to explore institutions and locations of important political significance.

Activities have included:

  • Guest lectures, including renowned political artists Patrice Naiambana, Janet Toro and Claudia Ramirez Julio. Topics have included the limits to economic growth, the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, the finance behind the Brexit campaigns
  • A 'critical finance' walking tour of Canary Wharf and visit to the Museum of London Docklands
  • Guided tour of the Bank of England
  • Walking tour of the local Deptford area to study the legacies of colonialism around the old maritime infrastructure

Developing skills

Politics and International Relations students have opportunities to gain valuable real-world experience in relation to the political and policy world.

Areas of the curriculum on this include:

  • A 'work placement' module – a chance to witness and learn from a relevant place of work. Example placements have included working in the office of a shadow cabinet member, a foreign embassy, a leading think tank and a major global bank
  • A 'policy’ module – how to produce reports, op-eds and other 'think pieces' of the sort that are required in the world of think tanks and government departments

(Check the programme specification to see if these are available on your course.)

We host regular ‘study-into-work’ events. Guest speakers have included:

  • Dr Marco Perolini from Amnesty International, on careers in international NGOs
  • Ambassador James Sharp on careers in the Foreign Office and international diplomacy

Read about future careers with a Politics and International Relations degree.