Image
Politics and International Relations in the UK
Politics and international relations is the course for you if you are interested in how society works and is shaped. To enjoy this course, you should be socially engaged and be curious about why the world looks the way it does. Politics and international relations encompass many different areas, such as the EU, the north-south problem, security policy, environmental issues, social policy, etc. At undergraduate level, you will usually get a broad introduction to the various areas within this subject area. At master's level, you can choose to specialise in one or more areas.
Politics and political decisions affect every individual citizen. Whether it is how much money should be allocated to schools and education; how best to prevent pollution; whether health should be privatised or whether a country should focus on public transport rather than better roads. These are all relevant questions that affect your everyday life. When studying of politics and international relations, you learn about how such questions have been answered in different countries. You learn how different decisions have been made to find solutions and how historical premises have played a role in the inequalities that exist in the world.
The UK is a very exciting country to study politics in. The universities are very international and attract students and lecturers from all over the world. Because each student has assumptions based on where they come from, this creates very interesting and exciting discussions. You will not only learn about what Britain is like, but about the politics of countries from all over the world.
Politics and international relations are very broad terms and include everything from development studies to economics, so ask us for help in finding the right study for you, and possibly the right combination if you are interested in combining the study with something else. Popular combinations are history, social economy, language and law. There are also opportunities to exchange to other countries (to, for example, practice the language you have also studied), as well as gain work experience at several of our universities.
MASTER'S DEGREE IN ONE YEAR
After completing an undergraduate degree, you have a broad background and you qualify for a number of master's degrees. In the UK you can apply for almost any master's degree without necessarily having an undergraduate in the same field of study. Of course, a relevant bachelor's degree would be advantageous, but it is not always a requirement. After completing an undergraduate degree, you will also be able to go on to a master's degrees in for instance Business, Management, Marketing etc. Across the Pond advisors are happy to send you suggestions for courses that will suit you. In the UK, a master's degrees usually takes one year.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
With an education in politics, you have the opportunity to work in both the private and public sectors. Many people use this education to be able to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or other government ministries, or you can work within international organisations. Common careers are in diplomacy, such as political scientists, in politics, the public sector, media, aid organisations, in larger organisations, international business, international trade, within the EU/EEA/EFTA system, education, and much more.
We also recommend working in your home country during the holidays while you are a student in the UK. When you are looking for a job after graduation, it will be a huge advantage to be able to have work experience on your CV, but it will also be very useful to start as early as possible to make contacts in working life. You often have long holidays as a student in the UK, so there are good opportunities to be able to go home and work during these periods.
