Politics and International Relations - BA (Hons)

with a Language

Course structure

Duration: 4 years full-time

The BA in Politics and International Relations with a language is composed of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.

The modules below are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

Teaching and assessment

Our main teaching methods are lectures, seminars, working groups, PC laboratory sessions and individual discussions with your personal tutor or module teachers. Assessment is through continuous feedback, written examinations, assessed essays and oral presentations.

Politics Open Forum

We hold a weekly extra-curricular Open Forum organised by our School research groups, where students and staff have the opportunity to discuss and debate key issues of the day that affect higher education and politics in the world today.

Contact hours

For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours.  The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

• attract, and meet the needs of, those who wish to combine the study of Politics and International Relations in the United Kingdom with a year abroad (either studying at a university or gaining professional experience through a suitable internship in a field relevant to the study of Politics and International Relations)
• be compatible with widening participation in higher education by offering a wide variety of entry routes
• place questions of political and international order and decision-making at the centre of social-scientific analysis
• ensure that students of politics and international relations acquire knowledge and understanding of political and international relations theory and analysis in a supportive and responsive learning environment
• enable students to understand and use the concepts, approaches and methods of politics and international relations and develop an understanding of their contested nature and the problematic character of enquiry in the discipline
• develop students’ capacities to think critically about political events, ideas and institutions
• encourage students to relate the academic study of politics and international relations to questions of public concern
• provide a curriculum supported by scholarship, staff development and a research culture that promotes breadth and depth of intellectual enquiry and debate
• assist students in developing cognitive and transferable skills relevant to their vocational and personal development
• introduce students to different academic or professional cultures
• develop the ability to use the target language
• develop knowledge of the language
• develop knowledge of aspects of the cultures, communities and societies where the language is used
• develop intercultural awareness and understanding. 

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

• key concepts, theories and methods used in the study of politics and international relations and their application to the analysis of political ideas, institutions,  practices and issues in the global arena
• the structure, institutions and operation of different political systems.
• the social, economic, historical and cultural contexts of political institutions and behaviour
• the political dynamics of interaction between people, events, ideas and institutions.
• factors accounting for political change
• the contestable nature of many concepts and different approaches to the study of Politics and International Relations
• the normative and positive foundations of political ideas
• the reliance of politics on knowledge from cognate disciplines
• the nature and significance of politics as a global activity
• the origins and evolution of the international political system, including contemporary changes underway
• different interpretations of world political events and issues.
• target language
• cultures and societies linked to target language.

Intellectual skills

You will develop intellectual skills in how to:

• gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and some primary sources
• identify, investigate, analyse, formulate and advocate solutions to problems
• develop reasoned arguments, synthesise relevant information and exercise critical judgement
• reflect on, and manage, their own learning and seek to make use of constructive feedback from peers and staff to enhance their performance and personal skills
• manage their own learning self-critically
• employ their understanding of different educational curricula and pedagogic methods in their own work
• integrate into a different educational, cultural, social, linguistic and, in some cases, professional environment.

Subject-specific skills

You gain the following subject-specific skills:

• understanding the nature and significance of politics as a human and global activity
• applying concepts, theories and methods used in the study of politics and international relations to the analysis of political ideas, institutions, practices and issues in the global arena
• evaluating different interpretations of world political events and issues
• describing, evaluating and applying different approaches to collecting, analysing and presenting political information
• building knowledge of competing approaches to theories and concepts of politics and international relations
• understanding the nature of political conflict between and within states
• reading, writing, listening and speaking in the target language
• ability to describe and analyse the main features of the language studied
• gaining knowledge and understanding of the cultures and societies where the language is used.

Transferable skills

You develop transferable skills in how to:

• communicate effectively and fluently in speech and writing
• use communication and information technology to retrieve and present information, including, where appropriate, statistical or numerical information
• work independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organisation and time-management
• collaborate with others to achieve common goals
• communicate fluently and appropriately both orally and in writing in the target language.

Careers

Graduate destinations

Recent graduates have gone on to develop careers in areas including:

• teaching
• publishing
• practical politics
• local and central government
• the diplomatic service
• EU administration
• financial services
• non-governmental organisations
• journalism
• international business.

Help finding a job

The School of Politics and International Relations runs an Employability Programme, focused on providing you with the skills you need when looking for a job. This includes workshops on a range of topics, for example summer internships, networking, and careers in diplomacy and the civil service.

Students also have access to a weekly Employability Newsletter, featuring jobs for graduates, as well as internship and volunteering opportunities.

The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can give you advice on how to:

• apply for jobs
• write a good CV
• perform well in interviews.

Work experience

We have recently developed an internship module, enabling you to gain hands-on experience in the workplace in a field relevant to your studies.

Career-enhancing skills

To help you appeal to employers, you also learn key transferable skills that are essential for all graduates. These include the ability to:

• think critically
• communicate your ideas and opinions
• manage your time effectively
• work independently or as part of a team.

You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering..