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International Relations BA (Hons)

Start date

  • Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
  • Typical Offer: 104 - 112 UCAS tariff points
  • UCAS Code(s): L258; L259
  • Start Date(s): September 2024
  • Duration: Three years full-time / Four years placement
  • Study Mode(s): Full-time
  • Campus: City Campus
Information for 2024

Introduction:

The world of the future is globalised. Our planet is shared, our economy is interconnected, and the challenges we face demand co-operation — but international politics remains divided. This is the fundamental problem that students of International Relations (IR) must unravel, by confronting the critical issues we face as global citizens: from war and conflict, to climate change, global poverty, gender violence, and racial injustice.

Whatever your interests, IR@NTU is all about personalisation. After establishing the essentials in Year One, you’ll be designing your degree to reflect the things you want to explore. Maybe that’s political violence and terrorism, or the global politics of pop culture, or perhaps a regional focus on Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. You might want to consider a career in diplomacy or the media, or maybe you`re passionate about feminism or postcolonialism — IR@NTU has it all. The whole course culminates in a dissertation project where you’ll choose your topic, study it in real depth with the support of a specialist supervisor, and then become an IR expert yourself.

This course does IR differently by disrupting the discipline, developing innovative approaches to teaching, and encouraging more creative ways of learning. You’ll build the key transferable skills for a career in project management, diplomacy, the media, NGOs, logistics, multinational corporations, national security, and so much more. The jobs of the future are globalised, and nothing will prepare you better to succeed in that environment than our IR degree.

IR@NTU – The World is Yours.

  • Work on real-world collaborations, projects and simulations on topics which matter to you and develop core skills such as digital literacies and data visualization throughout.
  • Study in the heart of the vibrant and multicultural city of Nottingham, with a proud political history steeped in community activism.
  • You will have the opportunity to undertake an optional year-long placement and/or study abroad in your second year, with one of our international partners across the world.
  • Learn a language as part of your degree with optional modules in your second and final year. Choosing between Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin or Spanish, a new world of opportunities will open for you with beginner to advanced classes

Why international relations — and why NTU?

  • Study local, think global. You’ll develop your international perspectives, and you’ll do it by getting hands-on with local activist groups, our very own Student Parliament, and NTU’s Politics and International Relations Society. Your skills start here — and you can then take them wherever you wish!
  • You won’t just learn international relations — you’ll live it. Our study-abroad opportunities, work placements, roleplaying and simulation exercises bring your subject off the page, and into the real world. We don’t just theorise about international relations — we practise it.
  • It’s an incredibly versatile and transferable degree. Think international relations is just about politics? Think again. Around the world, there are graduates working in fields like healthcare, heritage conservation, the security industries, business, NGOs, environmentalism, and the science and technology sector.
  • Our fantastic teaching team includes some of the biggest names in the game. In an environment where Monday’s brand-new research paper can be the basis of Friday’s lecture, their world-renowned work will guide and refine your studies.

What you’ll study

There’s no denying that the 21st Century world is a complex place.

We’ve all lived through a global pandemic that transformed everyday life, and we are now seeing a period of war in Europe, secessionist movements in Africa, sectarianism in the Middle East, populism in Latin America, and economic crisis in Asia. It’s a time of almost unprecedented flux and upheaval, but it’s also an urgent and exhilarating time to be studying international relations.

IR can be about the very big things happening in the world — the impact of the war in Ukraine on the global economy; the migratory flows stemming from the conflict in Syria; the rising powers of Asia; the decline of the United States; or the crisis of the European Union — but it can also be about our everyday lives: from the clothes you wear and the music you listen to, to the components of the mobile phone in your pocket. All these things establish international relationships with people around the world.

That’s why IR@NTU is about seeing the world differently. It’s about identifying the connections, understanding the conflicts, viewing issues from different perspectives, and asking fundamental questions. We’ll dare you to be different, whether that’s in the classroom, out on placement, studying abroad, taking part in our huge range of student-led political clubs and societies, or even by learning a brand-new language. Ultimately, you’ll customise your own degree to reflect your own interests, designing your dissertation to explore in-depth a topic that you are personally passionate about. Your IR@NTU degree puts you at the centre of this complex and tumultuous world.

Here’s a breakdown of the core and optional modules you’ll be studying across your course:

To study IR @NTU you don’t need any background in the discipline, the first year is designed to provide you with all the essential knowledge and skills so you`ll have a strong foundation to develop your own pathway through the course in the following two years.

Core modules

Study and Research Skills

Embarking on a course of study at university can be a daunting experience, but don’t worry, we`re here to provide you with all the key academic skills you need.  In this module you will learn everything from the most basic to the most complex - How do you write an essay? How do you build an argument? How do you research a topic? How do you reference academic sources? This module is about equipping you with the technical skills to articulate yourself creatively, engage with your chosen subject and develop your own scholarly positions – to succeed in your university journey and achieve your full academic potential.

Politics and International Relations in Practice

Its never too early to start thinking about your future – this module is designed to provide you with the skills to succeed right from the beginning, exploring how IR opens a range of options and possibilities.  You will reflect on your own unique skills and interests through experiential learning, such as simulation exercises and participating in activities outside of the classroom. The module is designed to get you thinking about IR in a different way, developing crucial transferrable skills, such as problem solving, teamworking, self-confidence and clear communication through the accumulation and reflection upon a range of relevant, extracurricular ‘practice hours’.

An Introduction to International Relations

What is International Relations about? – This module offers an introduction to the key debates in the discipline: Why do states go to war? Is free trade good or bad for the poor? Are we witnessing a “clash of civilisations”? or are we living through the “end of history”?  These are all fundamental theoretical questions, whether it be Realism or Liberalism, Marxism or Feminism, our discipline is shaped by the debates between different theories, the aim of this module is to help you situate yourself and reflect on your own position in those debates, preparing you to develop your own arguments throughout the rest of your studies.

International Relations and Global History

Those that control the past will control the future - you will get the opportunity to explore the historical emergence and development of the modern international system.  Learn how the world became divided into nation states in the first place and how those states established rules to regulate their relationships through international law and global institutions.  You will also examine the role of war and revolution, colonialism, capitalism, economic crises and global pandemics in shaping the modern age and how the international system came close to collapse three times in the past century.  In this module we look to the past in order to face the future.

UN and Global Governance

What is the role of the United Nations (UN) in preserving world peace? – In this module you`ll ask key questions about the role of institutions in international politics - How do they maintain the world order? Do they preserve the dominance of the great powers, or do they offer a potential model for a more democratic world? In particular we will focus on the role of the United Nations, including the debates about human rights and humanitarian intervention, security council reform, refugee protection, the role of the various agencies, its successes and failures, its past, present and future directions.

Media Power and Truth

Do you believe what you are told? – In this module we will critically examine how the Media influences global politics.  You will be introduced to a range of key concepts, theories, and approaches to political communication which will empower you to examine some of the most important contemporary issues - the growth of online conspiracy theories, how social media is transforming the way we consume news, the role of powerful states and private interests in shaping the news agenda, the rise of “Fake News” and its role in the creation of a post-truth politics.  By the end of this module you may never watch a video or read a newspaper in quite the same way again!

In the second year you will have three core modules, including our highly distinctive IR @NTU exclusive module on the GPE of Everyday Life, you also will continue to refine and develop your sills as a social researcher and prepare for your successful career in IR after graduation.  However, this is also the point where you begin to design your own degree, identifying your own areas of interest and pursuing your own unique pathway through the course.

Core modules

Careers and Experience in Politics and International Relations

The world is yours - where do you want to go with your degree? – In this module you will build on the momentum from the first year PIR in Practice module to develop the practical skills required to identify, apply and succeed in a competitive high-skilled graduate job market.  This will include gaining practice in civil service competency tests, writing engaging CVs, LinkedIn Profiles, learning interview techniques and much more to make you stand out.  Of particular significance here is the opportunity to undertake a 30-hour work-like experience with a relevant organisation of your choosing – by the end of this module you will have concrete high level experience to give you the edge ready to launch your career after graduation.

Social Research

The social world is hugely complex – how do we use research to make sense of it?  In this module you will learn about a range of research methods which can reveal hidden patterns and solve social mysteries.  Who voted for Brexit? Why do some demographics refuse to be vaccinated? How do British Blasians feel they are represented in the media? How did colonialism impact on gender identity in South Asia?  These are all questions that social research methods can help us answer – including interviews, focus groups, data analysis, questionnaires and surveys, discourse analysis, archival research and much more. In this module you will learn to become a social researcher to ask your own questions and discover your own answers.

Global Political Economy of Everyday Life

Who gets what, when and how much?: Political Economy is the study of power, from the very big to the very small – In this module you`ll analyse how power operates to shape our everyday lives.  You`ll examine the historic links between Coffee and slavery in the Caribbean, Sports washing in the Premier League, cultural appropriation of global cuisines, elicit economies in drugs and sex, gendered violence and sweatshop labour, cryptocurrencies and much more.  You`ll also analyse how powerful multinational corporations and international institutions can manipulate and control governments, how the rich stay rich by keeping the poor in poverty and the role of social movements in the global south in challenging those inequalities.

Optional modules

Security Studies

We live in an incredibly dangerous world, humans have devised infinite ways to destroy life, in this module we will seek to find ways to protect it   To do this you will engage with the dynamic sub-discipline of Security Studies to ask timeless questions including why do states go to war? are there any rules which regulate their conflicts? and if so who will enforce them?  You will also study contemporary issues such as cybersecurity and reflect on critical theories of human security to examine issues of structural violence including racism, poverty, public health, environmental protection and the role of gender violence in times of conflict.

Global Politics of Post Colonialism

Whose lives matter? – We live in a world where wealth and poverty, life and death are unevenly distributed  In this module we will examine how this contemporary global apartheid was forged through the European colonial project.  We will explore the origins of the ideology of racism, the creation of the Third World and the Eurocentrism of international law.  We will also explore the ongoing struggles of decolonisation, for the re-humanisation of humanity, through a range of thinkers from the global south who challenge us to view IR differently, from below, asking the fundamental questions which the mainstream discipline would rather avoid.

Environmental Politics and Policy

Welcome to the ‘Anthropocene’! the world that we humans created and which we threaten to destroy.  In this module you will engage with a range of theories to critically analyse the historical and ongoing impact of human behaviour on the natural world, situating environmental politics through key events from the late 20th century onwards. You will also explore the key debates in environmental ethics and green political thought, whilst studying a wide range of domestic and international policies, processes, treaties, and case studies which offer possibilities for securing our planetary home for the future.

The Politics of Art, Film and Literature

The Cultural Theorist Theodor Adorno once said that “to write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric” However, it is also true that even in the darkest moments of humanity, we humans have created works of art, which have a unique capacity to inspire empathy and understanding across cultures. This is a unique module in which you will engage in depth with great works of art, books, poems, films, music, to identify their social and political themes, what they tell us about the human condition in a range of global contexts.  It is also unique in its form of delivery, there will be no lectures, but open discussions in which we will work together to explore the tragic joy of the human experience.

Understanding Foreign Policy

Diplomatic encounters and foreign policy decisions are crucial aspects of interstate relations often shrouded in secrecy and mystery. In this module you will develop a unique insight into how diplomats and foreign policy officials make decisions from both a theoretical and practical angle. You will have the opportunity to critically engage with the concepts and theories regarding decision-making in foreign policy.  As there is no better way of learning than by experience, you will engage in games and simulations exercises which put you in the shoes of foreign policy decision-makers and diplomats by solving decision challenges they regularly face.

Foreign Language

Do you fancy working abroad? – Nothing will prepare you better for a career in International Relations than the ability to speak a second language and NTU offers a wide range of language modules which will build on existing experience or begin the journey of learning a new way of communicating across linguistic frontiers. After an initial assessment to determine the most appropriate level of study, this option allows you to develop both general and professionally relevant language skills to a range of proficiencies.

You may choose to take an optional year-long placement in Year Three, either in the UK or overseas.

You will be supported by our experienced Employability Team to source a suitable placement.

You are now at the final stage of your degree, you are a fully trained academic researcher, half of your third year will be developing your own projects, an academic dissertation on a topic you are passionate about and a project of your choosing in political leadership, campaigning and activism.  In the other half of the year you will also choose all the modules you study, reflecting your own interests from a broad selection reflective of various areas of the discipline.

Core modules

Dissertation

This is the culmination of your degree, where you get to apply all the things you have learned to an in-depth analysis of a topic or issue in global politics that you are passionate about.  Your options really are infinite, previous projects have examined the role of women in the Zambian national liberation struggle, the ethics of voluntourism, racism in the fashion industry, media coverage of the war in Iraq, the Khalistan movement in the UK and much much more.  Whatever you choose you will have a dedicated supervisor to support you in your journey to become an academic expert in the area you want to specialise in. Alongside the more traditional written dissertation, at NTU there is also the option to complete a more hands-on project, working alongside a partner organisation in the private or public sector.

Leadership, Activism, and Campaigning

Do you want to change the world? – Throughout your course you have developed the knowledge to critically analyse global politics, in this module you will have the opportunity to put all of that into practice by learning how to organise a political campaign of your choosing. Maybe it’s a campaign to prevent gender violence in Bangladesh, or modern-day slavery in the UK, or liberalise markets in Zimbabwe, or defend human rights internationally.  Whatever the topic, you will learn all the different aspects of project management, from media strategy and communications to research methods and human relations.  The module will develop a crucial work-like experience simulating the skills and experience to further prepare you for successful career pathways in the globalised world.

Optional modules

Negotiating in International Contexts

Success in international politics is all about the art of negotiation.  In this module you will engage in political simulation exercises and diplomatic game-playing activities to develop a range of transferrable skills to navigate policy processes and institutional decision-making frameworks. Engagement with the module provides the chance to take part in the annual, EUROSIM competition with teams from other national and international Universities.  The module is designed to provide students with in-depth knowledge of the theory and practice of the public policy process of primarily international organizations with a specific focus on the European Union.

Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean in World Politics

Mainstream IR has long been dominated by the global north, however, as you will see In this module, the south is often where politics is most radical and dramatic.  You will explore these complex societies in depth, including how tribal identities shape political conflict in Nigeria and Ethiopia, the impact of the diamond trade in Sierra Leone and the efforts to overcome legacies of apartheid in South Africa.  You will also learn about the impact of the drug war on Mexico, the feminist movement in Chile, the socialist experiments in Venezuela, the struggle for the soul of Brazil, the impact of American imperialism on Haiti and Cuba and the rise of republicanism in Jamaica.

Feminist Thought and Praxis

For much of its history Mainstream IR has ignored half of humanity, however, in the last 30 years feminist scholars have dramatically transformed the discipline.  In this module you will engage with this radical tradition from the earliest struggles for political rights and social equality to the third wave efforts to consider the intersectionality of race, class and gender as well as feminisms beyond the west, in Latin America, Africa and the Islamic World.  You will develop a feminist perspective to critically reflect on issues of knowledge production, power relations, the politics of difference and the complex debates around gender fluidity and the disruption of biological binaries in the twenty-first century.

Globalisation in Crisis

Are we witnessing the end of the West?  We are certainly living through a period of crisis of the liberal world order amidst the rise of nationalism and identity conflicts in many parts of the world.  In this module we will explore the many challenges to globalisation, from national populism in Europe to sectarianism in the Middle East, Hindutva in India and tribalism in Africa.  However, we will also explore the possibilities for an alternative globalisation, new democratic models in Kurdistan, transnational social movements and increasingly cosmopolitan identities amongst the young. Periods of crisis are times of fear, but also times of hope, times when the choices we make today can radically shape the world of tomorrow.

Global Politics of Pop Culture

Pop culture is where politics takes place most vividly, joyously in dance, in play, in song – in the streets, in the home, in the places we least expect.  In this module you`ll explore cyborg rebellion in the music of Janelle Monae, the intersection of race and class in the films of Jordan Peele, moral panics from Punk Rock to Drill, the impact of fast fashion on Africa and how Instagram is transforming the experience of self.  We take pop culture very seriously, applying sophisticated critical theories to analyse the things that are closest to our everyday lives to see how they can often be implicated in exploitation and oppression, but also how they can also express utopian desires to resist.

The International Relations of the Middle East and North Africa

Perhaps no region of the world is more misunderstood than the Middle East and North Africa.  In this module you will develop a political economy approach to explore the core issues facing the region, including the complex legacies of the Arab Spring uprisings, the ongoing struggles for democratisation in Tunisia and the resilience of authoritarianism in Egypt. You will critically examine how economic processes shape political phenomena, from the so-called “resource curse” in the Gulf States to conflicts over water in Israel/Palestine and the role of external actors including Russia, China and the United States in exacerbating sectarian and geopolitical tensions in the region.

East of the West: Eurasian geopolitics

Whether it be the war between Russia and Ukraine or the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan the reverberations from the collapse of the Soviet Union continue to be central to global politics in the twenty-first century.  In this module you will go behind the headlines to develop in-depth knowledge and understanding of the tumultuous changes that the region has undergone since 1991.  You will learn about the difficult processes of economic liberalisation, the rise of the oligarchs, the successes and failures of political reform, ethnic conflicts, the tense relations between the various independent post-Soviet states, the deteriorating relationship between Russia and the West and much more.

Political Violence & Terror

Carl von Clausewitz once said that politics is war by other means – violence is often only a little way beneath the surface of regular political processes.  In this module you will examine the logics behind the application of violence for political purposes, from the anarchist movements of the nineteenth century to the IRA, FARC and ANC campaigns of the twentieth century and the contemporary insurgencies including the Naxalites, Al Qaeda and ISIS.  You will learn how violence can be used to communicate political messages, reflect on the ethics of state responses to terrorism, the strategies of counter-insurgency and the impact of new media on terrorist discourse.

Emerging Powers of Asia

The world is re-orienting, we are entering the Asian Century.  To understand the future of global politics it is necessary to understand Asia, both in terms of the fascinating histories of its constituent nation states, but also their complex international relationships.  In this module you will focus specifically on the often over-looked “Asian Tigers” economies of south-east Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, how they have developed in the shadow of the regional power of China and the global hegemony of the United States.  In doing so you will explore a range of pressing, contemporary issues, including economic development, environmental sustainability, ethnic conflict, drugs and sex trafficking, terrorism and security challenges and much, much more.

Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves

Student Profiles

Jennifer Brady

International Relations

NTU offers such a wide range of modules which allows everyone to explore their academic interests and find new ones.

Hear our student stories

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How you’re taught

From the moment you become a student of IR@NTU, you are entering into a learning community. You are the academics of the future: you are learning to question, to challenge, to bring the energy and enthusiasm of youth to disrupt the discipline. We don’t believe in hierarchies here, and we don’t believe knowledge comes from repetition. Instead, we believe in dialogue and debate. Our staff might be experts and renowned researchers, but they’re more learning partners than traditional teachers, here to encourage conversations and exchange ideas and not tell you what to think. We work hard to make sure the department feels like a home away from home, one where you feel safe and confident to express yourself as you discuss difficult topics and ask challenging questions. This is a place where the doors stay open, and the discussions never end.

Many of our professors and lecturers are NTU graduates themselves. After completing this course, they became nationally respected specialists in international relations, political theory, foreign policy, the global political economy, environmental policy, and much, much more. These are the people the media turns to when insights and opinions are needed; the same people whose research is shaping the modern political discourse. You’ll also be hearing from a range of prestigious guest speakers throughout your course, including activists and leaders of NGOs.

You’ll be learning through small-group seminars, interactive lectures, collaborative workshops, cosy personal tutorials, and debates and discussions with colleagues beyond the classroom in our fantastic libraries and study spaces. In fact, we hope you’ll continue to learn through the conversations that happen outside the University — in halls of residence with friends, at home with your family, in workplaces, and maybe even on the weekend!

IR@NTU is a unique course: in the content of the modules, in the community of learners you’ll be a part of, in the way you learn, and even in the ways you’ll be assessed. On this course, there are no exams; instead, we have a vast range of different types of assessment. Again, we want to put you at the centre of your learning experience, allowing you to express your knowledge in different ways. That approach will involve traditional elements like essays, but it will also include the opportunity to do policy reports, role-play exercises, collaborative projects with local activist groups, and even TikToks!

Generally speaking, your ‘contact hours’ across the course will break down as follows:

  • Year One — lectures / seminars / workshops (23%), independent study (77%)
  • Year Two — lectures / seminars / workshops (24%), independent study (76%)
  • Year Three — lectures / seminars / workshops (19%), independent study (81%)

IR@NTU is about doing things differently: disrupting the discipline, creating a supportive community that places you at the centre of your university journey, and preparing you to succeed and flourish in the globalised world of the future. If this sounds like something you want to be part of, come visit us on an NTU open day. Have a chat, participate in a session, and get to know us — we can’t wait to get to know you!

Tutorials with staff

As the relationship between students and tutors is an important one, you can expect to have lots of direct contact and support through seminars and one-to-one tutorials. At these sessions, you'll have the opportunity to:

  • discuss and gain feedback about your work
  • ask questions about the projects you're working on
  • raise any difficulties you are experiencing relating to your work, personal circumstances or your university experience.

Independent study

Independent study is an important part of this course. Throughout the three years of your course, the scheduled contact hours you receive will gradually decrease as you develop the skills required to undertake an independent study or dissertation in your final year. You'll still have regular contact with your tutors and, if necessary, ad hoc tutorials can be arranged.

Virtual learning environment

You'll also use our virtual learning environment NOW, which is a flexible web-based system that allows you to have 24-hour access to module learning materials and reading lists. It allows you to discuss work with tutors and other students, and submit coursework electronically from anywhere in the world.

Learning from experts

You'll be taught by enthusiastic, engaged and expert staff. The courses all draw upon their expertise, research interests and experience, and many have also published textbooks in their specialist area of interest.

You'll develop specialist knowledge based on the team staff's expertise in several areas, including foreign policy, international and global institutions, international relations theory, global political economy, South Asia, Africa, North East Asia, and the Middle East.

In addition to the traditional lectures, tutorials and independent study, you'll also hear and learn from renowned experts and professionals in related fields, who are regularly invited to come and talk to our students, and provide you with an insight into their specialist knowledge and experiences.

Study abroad opportunities

You may have the opportunity to spend half of your second year studying abroad with the Erasmus+ foreign exchange scheme. There are many benefits to studying abroad – not only will it help expand your CV and gain a new perspective on your subject, it will also allow you to grow your independence and experience a new culture.

All of our exchange partners offer modules taught in English, including our European partners, so foreign language skills are not essential.

Find out more about this exciting study abroad opportunity.

Learn a new language

Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students, and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have.

Learning a new language can:

  • enhance your communication skills
  • enrich your experience when travelling abroad
  • boost your career prospects.

Find out more about the University Language Programme.

How will I be assessed?

The International Relations team use a variety of assessment practices. These include, coursework-based essays, reports, textual analysis, oral presentations, written examinations and a final year research-based dissertation.

In response to student feedback, the University has introduced a policy ensuring marked work is returned to you electronically within three weeks of submission.

Contact hours

Year 1 lectures/seminars/workshops (23%), independent study (77%)

Year 2 lectures/seminars/workshops (24%), independent study (76%)

Year 3 lectures/seminars/workshops (19%), independent study (81%)

Staff Profiles

Matt Ashton - Principal Lecturer

School of Social Sciences

Matthew Ashton staff profile

Imad El-Anis - Associate Professor

School of Social Sciences

Dr Imad El-Anis is an Associate Professor in International Relations at Nottingham Trent University’s Department of Social and Political Sciences. He is an expert in the international relations and political…

Jonathan Gorry - Head of Department

School of Social Sciences

Jonathan Gorry is Deputy Head of Department (Principal Lecturer) for the Department of Social and Political Sciences at Nottingham Trent University.

Marianna Poberezhskaya - Associate Professor

School of Social Sciences

Marianna Poberezhskaya is an Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations with teaching responsibilities on the BA (Hons) International Relations, BA (Hons) Politics and BA (Hons) Politics and IR courses.

Michael O'Neill - Associate Professor

School of Social Sciences

Michael O'Neill

Oliver Harrison - Senior Lecturer

School of Social Sciences

Dr Oliver Harrison is a Senior Lecturer in Political Theory in the Department of Social and Political Sciences, Nottingham Trent University.

How you’re assessed

  • Year 1 coursework (67%), written (33%)
  • Year 2 coursework (77%), written (23%)
  • Year 3 coursework (49%), written (38%), practical (13%)

Careers and employability

We're building successful graduates

The job titles below give an indication of the careers our recent International Relations graduates are following:*

  • Civil Servant
  • Junior Political Officer
  • Tax Consultant
  • Credit Controller
  • Recruitment Consultant

Excellent work experience opportunities

Throughout this course you will be developing skills for employability. You will undertake a work placement, and you will be actively encouraged to participate in voluntary work.

Your career development

Career development is seen as a major part of this course. Key transferable skills including communication, time management, problem-solving and team working are emphasised. There are opportunities to develop links with relevant organisations and potential employers.

When you graduate, you will be well placed to embark on a successful career in a wide range of fields in the public and private sectors. You may be keen to pursue a career in relevant government departments, international aid agencies, and development agencies. In the private sector, organisations are increasingly looking for graduates with an understanding of international and global events and processes.

Our Employability team

We have a dedicated Employability team located on the City Campus. The team are well placed to give you specialist guidance and practical help that will really make a difference to your prospects once you do graduate.

Campus and facilities

As a Social Sciences student you will have easy access to the fantastic facilities in the Chaucer and Taylor buildings, including:

  • lecture theatres and teaching classrooms
  • open access PCs and secure wireless points
  • study areas and social spaces
  • Chaucer café, serving drinks and light snacks
  • our School of Social Sciences reception, providing you with easy access to our helpful and friendly support staff.

IT resources

Our IT resource rooms and PC clusters are distributed across the City Campus, with PCs providing access to:

  • Microsoft Office
  • email
  • web browsing
  • networked file storage
  • high-speed online printing services

The University’s main resource room in the library is available 24 hours a day.

Book and library resources

In our library you will have access to an extensive and diverse range of books and periodicals that focus on specialist areas within Criminology. The library's OneSearch system provides access to all our:

  • electronic resources
  • journals
  • books.

We have a liaison librarian who is available to give you detailed help in finding and using print and electronic resources. They can also help you with things such as Harvard referencing and research skills.

City location

The location of the City Campus also means that you have easy access to:

  • sports facilities
  • shops
  • student accommodation
  • music venues
  • cafés.

Entry requirements

  • Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
  • Contextual offer: 104 UCAS Tariff Points from up to four qualifications

Contextual offers

A lower offer may be made based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer and we get data from UCAS to make these decisions. NTU offers a student experience like no other and this approach helps us to find students who have the potential to succeed here but who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Find out how we assess your application.

Other qualifications and experience

We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.

Meeting our entry requirements

Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS tariff points attached to specific grades, including A levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form

  • 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications.

International qualifications

We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:

English language entry requirements

You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:

Undergraduate preparation courses (Foundation)

If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Foundation courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:

Advanced standing (starting your undergraduate degree in year 2 or 3)

You may be able to start your undergraduate course in year 2 or 3 based on what you have studied before. This decision would be made in accordance with our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy.

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

Fees and funding

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there’s no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.

Additional Costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.

Library books

Most study modules will recommend one or more core text books, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential text books, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

Print and copy costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.

Travel

Students will be expected to pay for accommodation, travel, visa and living costs whilst studying abroad. Travel grants and Erasmus funding may be available to help fund international travel costs. The course will utilise University resources throughout your course such as the Crime Scene House (Clifton Campus), Mock Court Room / Moot Room (City Campus), Video Interview Suite (City Campus). Students will be expected to pay for travel costs if applicable.

Getting in touch

For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.

Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494

Tuition fees for September 2024 entry

Tuition fees are payable for each year that you are at the University. The level of tuition fees for the second and subsequent years of your undergraduate course may increase in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government. Visit our fees page for more information.

Scholarships

We offer scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.

Living costs

Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:

Paying fees

Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

Additional Costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.

Library books

Most study modules will recommend one or more core text books, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential text books, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

Students completing the four year degree may choose to apply for a study abroad option instead of a work placement (or a mixture of study abroad and work placement) during the third year of the course. If successful, students will be expected to pay for accommodation, travel and living costs whilst on study abroad/placement. Travel grants and Erasmus funding may be available to help fund international travel costs.

Print and copy costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.

How to apply

Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.

Writing your application and personal statement

Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember that we can only make a decision based on what you tell us, so include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.

Your personal statement is a really important part of your application – it’s your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place. You’ve got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you’re applying for. For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.

Keeping up to date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!

You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.

Application advice

Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example.  After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Writing your personal statement

Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.