Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Politics and International Relations

Entry requirements


Access - at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits from level 2 from a relevant Open College Network accredited course.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

English Language at grade C or 4; Mathematics at grade C or 4.

UCAS Tariff

112-120

112 -120 This must include at least 64 points from two A levels, or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example: BBC-BBB at A Level. DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma. Merit overall from a T Level Qualification. A combination of qualifications, which may include AS Levels, EPQ and general studies.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Full-time | 2024

Subject

Politics

**Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information**

**This course is moving into one of our new buildings at City campus. Teaching will mainly be delivered at our Collegiate campus until December 2024 while we get our new facilities ready. From January 2025 you will study in brand new facilities at City campus.**

**Course summary**
- Advance your knowledge of politics, international relations and policy making

- Gain a critical understanding of a wide range of institutions, ideologies and theories

- Explore today’s issues in social justice, climate change and decolonisation

- Learn in a global context, travel abroad, visit embassies and interact with policymakers

- Join an active student community – debating, influencing and publishing articles to drive social change

By studying Politics and International Relations at Sheffield Hallam University, you will develop the skills to formulate and defend complex ideas – and the ability to think clearly and objectively. From local councils to the United Nations, you’ll learn from well-connected, global experts – preparing yourself to make a difference to local, national and international policy.

**How you learn**
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

On this course you’ll gain the skills you need for your political career. Your classwork is supplemented by guest speakers from the public, academic, non-governmental and campaign sectors. Not only do they provide different perspectives on real-world issues, they also offer an insight into the knowledge and skills you’ll need to work in their sectors.

You’ll be taught by experts who help to build a friendly, interactive community where you can become the best you can possibly be. Our staff are recognised nationally – for example, one of our experts was recently invited to participate in EU research for the UK government. We also have great links locally with media outlets, Sheffield City Council and the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce – all really useful networking opportunities if you’re completing a placement during your studies.

You learn through:

Lectures and seminars
Expert teaching
Guest speakers
Away days
Workshops
E-learning
Placement opportunities
Debates

**Key themes**
This course covers a broad spectrum, giving you the opportunity to explore your interests through a wide range of pathways. You’ll travel, learn about policy-making environments and talk to practitioners and advocacy groups – as well as having the chance to practise your skills in a model UN setting, work on live projects with local authorities, and interact with real policymakers.

You can choose from a range of elective modules such as gender, peace & (in)security, understanding human rights, terrorism and counterterrorism, and international political economy.

From Brexit, COVID and climate change, to the human issues of social justice, gender and decolonisation, you’ll delve into the big hot-button issues. You’ll leave Sheffield Hallam University able to form political arguments, debate effectively and influence decision makers.

**Course support**
You’ll be supported by staff every step of the way. This might be by working with others in small groups, or developing your own independent learning style.
You’ll also be supported towards highly-skilled, graduate-level employment through a number of key areas. These include:
- Access to our unique student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development

- Access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones, webinars, and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments

- Industry-specific employability activities such as live projects, learning in simulated environments and networking opportunities

Modules

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

**Year 1**
**Compulsory modules**
Planetary Politics And International Relations
Post-War British Politics & Foreign Policy
Researching Politics, International Relations And Society
Social & Political Thought

**Year 2**
**Compulsory modules**
Europe, The European Union And Applied Advocacy
Globalisation & Militarism

**Elective modules**
Applied Politics - Work Project
Divided Societies
Society And Nature: The Politics Of The Environment
World Politics Of The Usa

**Year 3**
**Optional modules**
Placement Year

**Final year**
**Compulsory modules**
Dissertation (Politics And International Relations)

**Elective modules**
Gender, Peace And (In)Security
International Political Economy
Terrorism And Counter-Terrorism
 Understanding Human Rights: Disrupting Universalism

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£16,655
per year
International
£16,655
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

Extra funding

Scholarships, discounts and bursaries may be available to students who study this course.

The Uni


Course location:

Sheffield Hallam University

Department:

College of Social Sciences and Arts

Read full university profile

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.

96%
Politics

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

97%
Staff make the subject interesting
100%
Staff are good at explaining things
86%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
72%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

79%
Library resources
86%
IT resources
81%
Course specific equipment and facilities
79%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

94%
UK students
6%
International students
70%
Male students
30%
Female students
83%
2:1 or above
18%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
C

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.

£18,000
low
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

18%
Customer service occupations
9%
Business, research and administrative professionals
9%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

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.

£21k

£21k

£20k

£20k

£28k

£28k

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.

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here