Business & Law Faculty
BA Politics and International Relations
Overview
This course uses a range of innovative strategies to immerse you in the most pressing contemporary issues in politics and international relations. You'll engage in interactive sessions and complete a range of assignments aimed at boosting your employability, ensuring you graduate with the confidence and capabilities needed to succeed in diverse career paths.
You'll benefit from guest lectures and events, including the highly anticipated Congress to Campus event, offering direct insights from leading experts in the field. Our staff are committed to delivering cutting-edge, research-led teaching, with exciting modules on international politics and the critically relevant topic of decolonising politics.
Reasons to choose
Collaborate with the DMU UN Hub and participate in global initiatives like COP summits, gaining real-world experience on critical international issues.
Specialise in Politics or International Relations from your second year, culminating in an extended final year research project that sharpens your research, critical thinking, and communication skills.
Learn from faculty experts and explore cutting-edge topics such as decolonising politics, American politics, and security studies, guided by leading researchers in these fields.
Develop invaluable career skills through each module, integrating opportunities for personal growth and practical experience that prepare you for success after graduation.
Benefit from block teaching with a simple timetable, ensuring focused learning, regular feedback, and a balanced study-life while engaging in significant academic pursuits.
Year one
- Block 1: Ideas and Change in Politics and International Relations
- Block 2: Journeys and Places
- Block 3: Global Challenges: Politics and Policy
- Block 4: Comparative Politics and Democracy
Year two
- Block 1: Political Theory
- Politics pathway: Political Theory – Why Big Ideas Matter
- International Relations pathway: Contemporary International Relations Theory
- Block 2: Exploring Work and Society
- Block 3:
- Politics pathway: Global Political Economy: Gender, Race, Class
- International Relations pathway: Not Westminster
- Block 4: Political Research in Action
Year three
Politics pathway
- Block 1: Politics of the Americas
- Block 2: Decolonising Politics
- Block 3: Sustainable Futures
- Block 4: Politics and IR Project (year-long)
International Relations pathway
- Block 1: Global Inequalities
- Block 2: Security, Peace and Conflict
- Block 3: Tackling Global Crises
- Block 4: Politics and IR Project (year-long)
Note: All modules are subject to change in order to keep content current.
You can qualify for exemptions and potentially gain a professional qualification at an accelerated rate from the following bodies:
- Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
- The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
- The Certified Practicing Accountants Australia (CPA)
- The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
- The Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA)
- The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
- The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
- The Association of International Accountants (AIA)
The professional accounting bodies award exemptions in line with a student’s prior learning to provide the quickest possible route to qualification. A student with exemptions gains from an employability perspective. Such students are a good option to a prospective employer as the employer will not have to cover the costs of the professional examinations or provide study leave, which may disrupt the work schedule.
The number of exemptions awarded will be dependent on the programme and modules selected.
Placements
As part of this course, you will have the option to complete a paid placement year which offers invaluable professional experience.
Our award-winning Careers Team can help you secure a placement through activities such as mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and you will be assigned a personal tutor to support you throughout your placement.
This placement opportunity allows you to put the skills developed during your degree into practice in a real-world setting, preparing you to progress onto your chosen career.
Our Careers Team is on hand to hone your professional skills with mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, while a personal tutor supports you throughout your placement.
DMU Global
Our innovative international experience programme, DMU Global, aims to enrich your studies, broaden cultural horizons, and develop key skills valued by employers.
Through DMU Global, we offer an exciting mix of overseas, on-campus, and online international experiences, including the opportunity to study or work abroad for up to a year.
Students on this course can take part in a year-long exchange or a short-term DMU Global trip.
Graduate Careers
Employability skills are embedded in the curriculum to prepare you for a range of careers, both within Politics and International Relations and across wider industries. Our graduates have forged successful careers in various roles such as parliamentary assistants, aerospace project managers, and professionals in sectors including construction, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, and local and national government.
Students in the final year of secondary education institutions;
Students in the final year of technical, vocational, post-secondary and higher education institutions;
Graduates from secondary, post-secondary or higher education institutions.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
As part of the selection process the Admissions team will consider the following
Your Qualifications + English Language ability + Personal Statement
1. Qualifications
Kazakhstan Qualifications
- Diploma of Secondary Vocational Education
OR
UK Qualifications
- 5 GCSE/IGCSE’s at A*- E, or two GCE A levels (grades A- E), or three GCE AS levels (grades A-E)
OR
- International Baccalaureate
- International Baccalaureate IB – a minimum of 20 points
- International Baccalaureate IB – Middle Years Programme – 28 points with a minimum grade of 3 in each component
2. English Language
We care about your success.
Having a good foundation in English that you will further develop and enhance during your studies with us will give you the confidence and skills that will set you up for success.
The standard entry requirement is IELTS 5.0 (no component below 5.0) and TOEFL iBT 35 out of 120 with each section (Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing) to be not less than 9.
3. Personal Statement
As part of the selection process we will ask you to submit a short statement in English to describe your ambitions, skills, and experience. Your personal statement supports your application to study at the university. It’s a chance for you to say why you’d like to study a particular course or subject, and what skills and experience you possess that show your passion for your chosen field. It is an opportunity for you to write about YOU!
4. Letter of Recommendation from your last education institution
You will need to provide a reference letter from your previous school or college’s teacher, counsellor, or principal.
Undergraduate
For September 2025/26 entry, our tuition fees for full-time undergraduate local and international students are 12,500$.
We will be offering a large number of discounts and scholarships as part of our offering.
Our Admissions team are here to provide you with advice on all aspects of money matters, including tuition fees, financial help and on funding your studies.
