International Relations
Goldsmiths, University of London
UCAS Code: L251 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 45 Level 3 credits including 30 Distinctions and a number of merits/passes in subject specific modules
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
With three Higher Level subjects at 655
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Scottish Advanced Higher
Scottish Higher
T Level
Each application will be considered on its individual merits. Where the T Level subject area does not directly match the degree programme being applied for, the personal statement and reference will be particularly important in demonstrating interest, enthusiasm and suitability for the subject.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
If you want to understand the impact of the Arab Spring or the ideology of ISIS, how US foreign policy is shaped by domestic politics, how international trade affects various parts of the world, how different cultures shape political decision making, or how international NGOs operate, this is the degree for you.
**Why study BA International Relations at Goldsmiths**
- Our International Relations degree allows you to investigate the dynamics of a constantly changing world and develop the knowledge and skills to address the global challenges of the 21st century.
- You'll study the theory of international relations, global governance, international political economy, foreign policy and diplomacy, complemented by specialist area-focused modules on the Middle East, Africa, China and East Asia.
- You can also enhance your knowledge in your personal areas of interest, with option modules as diverse as security, development and human rights, foreign policy, conflict, and genocide.
- We’ll encourage you to put your knowledge into practice with our work placement module. Work with organisations in the international relations sector, such as policy think-tanks, development agencies and NGOs and get real experience before you graduate.
- Take your international knowledge further and spend part of your degree studying abroad with Erasmus+ or the new Turing scheme. You’ll immerse yourself in another culture, learn to see things from a new perspective and increase your employability.
- Studying an international relations degree in London means that Westminster, global business and diverse diasporas are all in easy reach.
- When you join Goldsmiths you’ll become part of a global academic family, with students from 140 countries and alumni around the globe.
Modules
Year 1 (credit level 4)
Students take the following compulsory modules:
World Politics
Colonialism, Power, Resistance
Identity, Agency & Environment 1
Identity, Agency & Environment 2
You then choose from 1 the following optional modules:
Political Theory and Ideologies
or
Issues in Political and Cultural Economy
or
UK and European Comparative Governance and Politics
Year 2 (credit level 5)
You will study the following compulsory modules:
Contemporary International Relations Theories
Global Governance and World Order
Security Studies
You will then choose 3 to 5 option modules from a list of modules approved by the Department of Politics and International Relations.
As part of this, you have the option of taking 1 module from another department or from another University of London Institution (if deemed suitable by the department)
AND/OR
The Goldsmiths Elective
Year 3 (credit level 6)
Students write a dissertation and will then choose 3 to 6 optional modules from the Politics and International Relations department. Current examples include:
Critical Security Studies
International Political Economy 2
Movements and Conflict in the Middle East: from the Arab Spring to ISIS
Politics of Conflict and Peacebuilding in Contemporary Africa
Art, War, Terror
Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.
Assessment methods
You’ll be assessed by a variety of methods, depending on your module choices. These include coursework, examinations, group work and projects.
The Uni
Goldsmiths, University of London
Politics and International Relations
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Politics
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Politics
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
The numbers of people taking politics degrees fell sharply last year and we'll keep an eye on this one - it can't really be because of graduates getting poor outcomes as politics grads do about as well as graduates on average. Most politics or international relations graduates don't actually go into politics - although many do, as activists, fundraisers and researchers. Jobs in local and central government are also important. Other popular jobs include marketing and PR, youth and community work, finance roles, HR and academic research (you usually need a postgraduate degree to get into research). Because so many graduates get jobs in the civil service, a lot of graduates find themselves in London after graduating. Politics is a very popular postgraduate subject, and so about one in five politics graduates go on to take another course - usually a one-year Masters - after they finish their degrees.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Politics
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
£25k
£29k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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