BA International Relations, Politics and Security Studies

This innovative new programme will give you a rigorous understanding of international relations and politics, and of conflict and security issues - globally and regionally across the world.

While placing international developments within a historical context, it focusses particularly on recent and contemporary processes, trends and problems: examining efforts to respond to international and regional challenges in the spheres of policy and practice.

The programme combines in-depth academic training in key concepts, theories and case studies, alongside a structured process of engagement with contemporary debates and experience by policy-makers, diplomats and practitioners. You will have opportunities to learn beyond the classroom through political simulation exercises, field trips and specialist workshops creating new bridges between academic and practical dimensions of the field.

This programme is delivered by the Division of Peace Studies and International Development, an internationally recognised centre for excellence in teaching, research, and policy engagement on International Relations, Peace, Conflict and Security issues.

First year

Core

• Understanding the International System (PES4018-B)
• Politics and the State (PES4019-B)
• Challenges and Approaches to Development (PES4020-B)
• Issues in World Politics (PES4021-D)
• Peace and Violence: Theories, Cases and Challenges (PES4022-B)

Second year

Core

• Analysing Contemporary Conflict (PES5018-B)
• Contemporary International Relations (PES5020-B)
• The Politics and Processes of Foreign Policy (PES5035-B)
• Security: Concepts, Constructions and Analyses (PES5036-B)

Option

• Peacebuilding, Conflict and Security (PES5024-B)
• Power Shifts: Regional and Global Challenges (PES5029-B)
• Globalisation and Global Governance (PES5022-B)

Final year

Core

• Dissertation (BA) (PES6016-D)
• International Policy Processes in Practice (PES6024-B)
• Politics of International Crisis Response (PES6019-B)

Option

• Politics & Security in Africa (PES6020-B)
• Authoritarianism, Nationalism and Populism (PES6026-B)
• Revolutions and Regime Change (PES6023-B)
• Politics & Security in the Middle East (PES6021-B)
• Technology, Violence and War (PES6027-B)
• Africa Study Visit (PES6025-B)
• Creative Conflict Transformation (PES6015-B)

Elective

Study abroad

The programme enables student exchanges and also a study year abroad; department & staff have strong international networks and university partnerships to help facilitate.

You'll also have the option of an Africa study visit in your final year.

Study support

You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, directed study, discussion and group work. The programme also includes study trips, and an away-day crisis simulation exercise.

You can tailor your studies to emerging areas of interest in the second and third years through optional modules and the final dissertation project, and will be supported to select your own projects, case-studies and topics throughout your studies.

Outside of modules, you will undertake a reflective learning journal with the support of your Personal Academic Tutor, through which you will identify, and take, opportunities to develop all the skills outlined in the learning outcomes.

Assessment takes place through a well-developed range of formative and summative tasks designed to help students develop and demonstrate their understandings and skills.

Our comprehensive support services will help you to achieve your full potential – both academically and personally.

We provide all you need to make the very best of your time with us, and successfully progress through your studies and on into the world of graduate employment.

Our support services include:

• Personal tutors
• Disability services
• Counselling services
• MyBradford student support centres
• The Students’ Union
• Chaplaincy and faith advisers
• An on-campus nursery
• Halls wardens

We have well-stocked libraries and excellent IT facilities across campus. These facilities are open 24 hours a day during term time, meaning you’ll always find a place to get things done on campus.

Our Academic Skills Advice Service will work with you to develop your academic, interpersonal and transferable skills.

Research

We are one of the world’s oldest university centres for the study of peace and international development; The Division of Peace Studies and International Development has a world-class reputation for research, and we're also one of the UK’s leading politics departments.

You'll be taught by academics and practitioners with a global profile, who advise governments, international organisations and non-governmental organisations around the world based on cutting edge research on critical contemporary issues.

Current research in Peace Studies and International Development is wide-ranging and multidisciplinary. It has an applied focus on policy-relevant problems relating to the process of economic development, conflict resolution and peace-building, as well as international relations and security studies.

Recent and ongoing research includes a focus on poverty and social justice, microfinance, sustainable livelihoods, capability approach and human development, governance and institutional change, human resource management, application of cost-benefit approaches and industrial and trade policy. Work on the water sector is internationally recognised as a key area of our expertise.

Career support

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans by exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes, there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

Career prospects

On graduation, you’ll have the professional competencies you need to launch a career in:

• National and local government
• Global governance institutions
• Research institutes
• International, national and local development agencies
• Environmental advocacy and policy work
• Private sector strategy and governance for sustainability
• NGOs