International Relations

Why study this course?

Taught by our team of expert academics, you’ll learn about the history and issues surrounding global inequalities relating to race, gender, sexuality and poverty. You’ll also be able to explore trending social movements such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter.

You can examine radicalisation and what leads someone to terrorism, the social issues affecting immigration and the intricacies of cyberwarfare.

Gain industry experience and build a rewarding career, where no two days are the same, with a degree in International Relations from London Met.

More about this course

On this International Relations BA (Hons) degree, you’ll examine major social and political issues in the world today, learn from a diverse team of academic experts and gain practical hands-on experience through a work placement. All of this will put you in the best possible position for an exciting career in international relations.

Our experienced lecturers will work with you to explore the major concepts of international relations – peace, conflict and diplomacy. You’ll then use this theory to explore your own areas of interests, which can be anything from the role of religion, to Middle Eastern politics, to foreign policy analysis, nuclear proliferation or intelligence agencies.

We place a huge emphasis on your employability, which is why we’ll encourage you to undertake a work placement as part of this course. Here’s where studying in the heart of London pays off: you can secure work experience at thinktanks, non-governmental organisations (think Amnesty International) or embassies. This aims to prepare you for the next step in your career journey, whether that’s in graduate employment or further study.

To help develop and deepen your understanding of international relations, shape your views, opinions and critical thinking, we regularly invite guest practitioners to share their experiences with students. Some of our past guests include US Congresswomen Donna Edwards and Elizabeth Esty, the Deputy Ambassador of Sweden, comedian and documentary maker Rich Hall who spoke to our students about the Cold War, and the Editor of On-Screen Content at Sky News who talked about Brexit. We also have an annual visit from Holocaust survivors, including Steven Frank BEM who was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2018 by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to Holocaust education.

During this degree, you’ll also learn about international relations beyond the classroom by visiting parliament, embassies, NGOs, local museums and art galleries. These visits will help solidify your understanding and the history of key issues such as power, race and gender.

What our students say

“Studying at London Metropolitan has without a doubt been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
“The academic quality has exceeded my expectations with great debates and continual support from my teachers, which has made me feel confident about and well-prepared for the future.”
– Kimie Frengler

“I was very impressed by the high quality teaching London Met offered. Lecturers were very knowledgeable and were great communicators, presenting complex subjects in interesting ways.
“I also learnt a lot from fellow students from all over the world. I found it very helpful to study international issues with people from the countries we were discussing as they shed new light on situations.”
– Jacquelyn McCarthy

Course Modules

Year 1 modules include:

Introduction to International Relations (core, 30 credits)
Global Politics, Economy and Society (core, 30 credits)
Peace, Conflict and Diplomacy since 1945 (core, 30 credits)
Politics and Government (core, 30 credits)
Open Language Programme Module (option, 15 credits)

Year 2 modules include:

Approaches to International Relations and Foreign Policy (core, 30 credits)
Shifting Global Power (core, 15 credits)
Strategy in the Contemporary World (option, 15 credits)
Creating a Winning Business 1 (alt core, 15 credits)
Politics and International Relations: Work-Based Learning (alt core, 15 credits)
Diplomacy Old and New (option, 30 credits)
Peace and Conflict in Theory and Practice (option, 30 credits)
Political Theory (option, 30 credits)
Immigrants and Nativists (option, 15 credits)
American Foreign Policy (option, 15 credits)
The Politics of the Middle East (option, 15 credits)
The Politics of the European Union (option, 15 credits)
Contemporary US Politics (option, credits)
Race and Ethnicity (option, 15 credits)
Open Language Programme Module (option, 15 credits)
Extension of Knowledge Module (option, 15 credits)

Year 3 modules include:

International Security in an Era of Globalisation (core, 30 credits)
Placement 1 Semester (alt core, 15 credits)
Placement 1 Year (alt core, 30 credits)
Project 1 Semester (alt core, 15 credits)
Project 1 Year (alt core, 30 credits)
Politics and International Relations: Work-Based Learning (alt core, 15 credits)
Creating a Winning Business 2 (alt core, 15 credits)
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (option, 30 credits)
Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (option, 30 credits)
The Politics of Modern States (option, 30 credits)
African Politics (option, 15 credits)
Latin American Politics (option, 15 credits)
Action and Identity : Gender and Political Participation (option, 15 credits)
Human Rights and International Conflict (option, 15 credits)
Extension of Knowledge Module (option, 15 credits)