Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Humanities Course
We recognise the EPQ as an excellent indicator of success. If you are predicted a grade B or above in the EPQ, you will receive an offer with a one grade reduction, to include your EPQ with a grade B.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSEs: English/Welsh Language Grade C
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
B + BB at A-Level
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Studying an International Relations degree allows you to explore a range of complex and profoundly important dynamics, such as those between globalisation and human rights, international and regional politics, and peace and conflict.
Graduates with a strong understanding of international relations are critical to all our futures. Our three-year degree helps to provide a wealth of inspiring career opportunities thanks to numerous transferable skills, which are highly valued by employers.
International Relations at Swansea is ranked in the Top-10 for teaching experience (Times and Sunday Times 2018), Top-20 in the Guardian University Guide 2018 and Top-20 for career prospects (Guardian University Guide 2018). Some 91% of graduates from this subject area are employed or in further study 6 months after graduating (Destination of Leavers from HE survey 2015) and 74% of our students achieved a 1st class or 2.1 honours degree in 2017/18.
Your early studies will concentrate on war and peace in the nuclear age, and how politics and international relations are defined. But whether your true passion lies in American politics and society, modern warfare, ethics and justice or strategic communications, our range of first year modules has it covered. This range enables you to discover, learn and narrow your individual interests for later study.
As one of a select few UK universities, Swansea offers prestigious modules in British Parliamentary Studies. Teaching is delivered by specialist academic staff and members of parliament, and you can visit the House of Commons in London. You also have the competitive option of an internship module with the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff, working closely with assembly ministers.
Based on our stunning Singleton Park campus overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula, you will have the ability to tailor your degree according to your specific interests as you progress.
The second year gives you a chance to study abroad for a semester in the USA, Hong Kong or Singapore, enhancing your student experience and boosting your career prospects. Later studies are shaped by modules around your specific interests and a substantial dissertation project, while a number of work placement programmes are available to help prepare you for graduate life.
Students typically develop oral and writing skills through presenting ideas in different formats, supported by strong research and rigorous analysis. Assessment is conducted through essays, coursework, examination, presentations and a dissertation.
Teaching is informed by a vibrant and supportive research environment that unites academics, postgraduates and visiting scholars around shared subject matter.
"In my time working with Jane Hutt AM at the Welsh Assembly, I was delegated with responsibilities for handling various forms of constituency work. I was constructing letters and emails on behalf of Jane, as well as writing a bi-weekly column in a local newspaper for Jane. The experience taught me just how important things as seemingly insignificant as wording can determine the tone of a letter or email." – Nick Jolley.
Graduates of International Relations have truly international potential and gain employment around the world. They have careers in sectors including education, government and politics, humanitarian organisations, media and public relations, and law and public services.
Please visit our course page for more information:
swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/artsandhumanities/politics-and-international-relations/ba-ir-l254/
**We guarantee that you will be made a conditional offer for a course at Swansea University. Subject requirements will apply. Please come along to our next Open Day or get in touch for further information.**
Modules
You will study six modules each year to include compulsory and optional modules. Module selection options may change.
Assessment methods
This degree programme is delivered through lectures, tutorials and seminars. You will usually receive nine hours minimum scheduled contact time with your teachers every week. Full attendance at lectures, seminars and personal tutorials (personal tutorials are obligatory). All Arts and Humanities degree programmes include independent learning which requires initiative and hard work.
We will challenge you with demanding teaching and assessment. Assessment includes essay, coursework and examination, presentations and a dissertation.
The Uni
Singleton Park Campus
Political and Cultural Studies
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.
£18k
£24k
£25k
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 information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
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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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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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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