BA (Hons) International Relations and Politics

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From British politics and global conflicts to policies tackling challenging and sometimes controversial issues, a degree in International Relations and Politics can provide students with the chance to examine some of the most interesting and important issues of our time.

Lincoln's BA (Hons) International Relations and Politics degree enables students to develop the international knowledge and skill sets central to participation within a global society.

Students can look at British and comparative politics, the operation of international diplomacy and the role that global institutions play in these dynamics. In addition, students will be able to explore current political issues affecting the world today, such as global inequalities, migration, conflict, and democratisation.

Throughout the degree, students can build their professional skills and enhance their employability, and modules such as the Model United Nations help to develop valuable negotiating, speech-making, and diplomacy skills via a simulation of the UN General Assembly.

"This information was correct at the time of publishing (July 2023)"

How You Study

The first year of the course introduces central issues and concepts in international relations, and global, and UK politics. Core modules focus on the British government and on global politics, introducing the key concepts that underpin the disciplines of politics and international relations.

In the second and third years, students can explore the theoretical foundations of the subject, offering a range of optional modules in specialist areas spanning global, national, and local levels of analysis for students to choose to suit their own preferences. Students can build on this by undertaking an independent study in a research area of their choice.

The core module, Model United Nations, provides an opportunity for students to learn about the operation of international diplomacy via simulation learning. The optional module Applied Politics explores the skills and values needed to be successful in a variety of politics-related roles. They are able to conduct an in-depth analysis of the institutions of the British government through modules such as Parliamentary Studies, which is co-taught with the Houses of Parliament.

There is a strong emphasis on skills development in this course and students can learn how to collect and analyse data, draft policy proposals, produce oral and written presentations, and work at a high level of individuality, and as part of a team.

First Year

• Applying Research (Social Sciences) (Core)
• Global Conflicts and Contexts (Core)
• Who Runs Britain? Power, Politics and Beyond (Core)
• Key Social Science Concepts (Option)†

Second Year

• Model United Nations (Core)
• Political Parties (Core)
• Researching Politics and International Relations (Core)
• Thinking International Relations (Core)
• Thinking Politics (Core)
• (Re)Reading the Sociological Canon I (Option)†
• (Re)reading the Sociological Canon II (Option)†
• Applied Politics (Option)†
• Challenges of European Politics (Option)†
• Comparative Politics and Policy (Option)†
• Conceptualising Sex Work (Option)†
• Crime in Literature (Option)†
• Debating Welfare States (Option)†
• Diversity, Difference and Exclusion (Option)†
• Foreign Policy Analysis (Option)†
• Governing America (Option)†
• Ideology into Practice (Option)†
• Intelligence and Security Law (Option)†
• Internationalising Cultural Studies (Option)†
• Nations and Nationalism (Option)†
• Policing Crime and Deviance (Option)†
• Psychology in the Criminal Justice Process (Option)†
• Social Engagement (Option)†
• Strategic Studies (Option)†
• The Politics of Sex and Sexuality (Option)†
• The Vigilant State: intelligence and national security (Option)†
• Transnational Security Studies (Option)†
• Understanding Domestic Abuse (Option)†
• Understanding the City (Option)†
• Understanding the European Union (Option)†
• Welfare Policy and Work (Option)†
• Work and Society (Option)†
• Youth Justice (Option)†
• Youth, Culture and Resistance (Option)†

Third Year

• Global Civil Society (Core)
• Independent Study (Politics and International Relations) (Core)
• Analysing the Policy Process (Option)†
• Body Politics (Option)†
• Central Asia in Global Politics (Option)†
• Children, Families and the State (Option)†
• Counter-Terrorism Studies (Option)†
• Crimes of the Powerful (Option)†
• Emotions in Everyday Social Life (Option)†
• Experiencing Prison (Option)†
• Global Governance (Option)†
• Human Rights (Social Sciences) (Option)†
• International Law (Option)†
• International Relations of the Middle East (Option)†
• Multiculturalism and Britishness (Option)†
• Parliamentary Studies (Option)†
• Penology and Penal Policy (Option)†
• Police Studies (Option)†
• Race and Racism (Option)†
• Terrorism and Extremism in the United Kingdom (Option)†
• The Colonial Present (Option)†
• The Developing World (Option)†
• The Politics of Energy (Option)†
• The Politics of Global Health (Option)†
• The Politics of Masculinity (Option)†
• The Politics of Migration in the UK and Western Europe (Option)†
• Understanding the Policy Process (Option)†
• War Crimes and Genocide (Option)†

† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.

How You Are Assessed

Students are assessed in the form of essays, reports, presentations and reviews, and examinations. Assessment varies from module to module depending on the subject of study.

Graduates have gone on to positions in a a diverse range of areas, including roles in intergovernmental organisations, non-government organisations (NGOs) and banking and accounting services.