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International Relations with German

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B

Access to HE Diploma

D:21,M:18

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, German Grade B

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

International students will also require a score of 4 at Higher Level English Language or Literature, or 5 at Standard Level English Language or Literature.

UCAS Tariff

120

Swansea University will accept the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate as fully equivalent to one A-Level.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

German studies

International relations

Studying an International Relations with German 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.
Alongside this you will undertake a deep study of German language, culture and fiction. During a year in Germany, you will either study at a university, teach in a school or work in a business. Graduates with a strong understanding of international relations are critical to all our futures. Our four-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:

Top 15 in the UK for Course Satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2023)
Top 25 in the UK for Overall Satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2023)
Top 25 in the UK for Teaching Satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2023)

German at Swansea is ranked:
Top 10 in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2023)
Top 15 in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Complete University Guide 2023)

Your early studies will concentrate on war and peace in the nuclear age, and how politics and international relations are defined, together with German language and culture. But whether your true passion lies in American politics and society, ethics and justice or the historic evolution of Berlin, our range of first year modules has it covered.
This range enables you to discover, learn and narrow your individual interests in the following years.
Swansea University is one of a limited number of institutions selected to partner with the UK Parliament to deliver an innovative Parliamentary Studies module. The module is taught by specialist academic staff and includes a series of sessions with experts and members of staff currently working in the UK Parliament. The module features a day long visit to Westminster including talks with Senior Members of Parliament.
The year abroad will enrich your student experience and boost 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.
You will have the competitive option of undertaking a work placement module with the Senedd Cymru/ Welsh Parliament, working closely with Ministers for one day a week for one Semester in your Final Year.
Graduates of International Relations and German have truly international potential and gain employment around the world. They have careers in education, government and politics, humanitarian organisations, media and public relations, and law and public services.

Modules

The International Relations with German BA (Hons) degree structure is a flexible degree offering a wide-range of specialist modules that allow you to tailor your future career goals while developing your individual interests.

Your first year of International Relations with German BA (Hons) degree will introduce you toto international relations, politics and the people; war and peace in the nuclear age; politics and society; ethics, justice and society as well as modules in the German language. It will feature a mixture of compulsory and optional modules, with examples of compulsory modules from recent years including:
- Introduction to International Relations
- War and Peace in the Nuclear Age
- German for Beginners or German Language (based on students appropriate level)

Your second year of degree studies will include a mixture of compulsory and optional modules covering a broad range of themes. Examples of optional modules covered in recent years include:
- Global Justice and Human Rights
- Contemporary Moral Controversies
- International Security

In your final year you will complete an independent dissertation project or you have the competitive option of undertaking a work placement module with the Sennedd Cymru/ Welsh Parliament.
You will also complete a compulsory group work project plus optional modules chosen from a wide variety of subject areas. Examples of optional modules from recent years include:
- Digital Futures
- The Aftermaths of War
- America and the Bomb
- Law, War and Empire in World Politics

For the full programme structure and module breakdown, please visit our webpage at: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/social-sciences/politics-philosophy-international-relations/ba-international-relations-german/ or get in touch with us at [email protected]

Assessment methods

Throughout your undergraduate International Relations with German (Hons) degree, you will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing.

We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional examinations and essays, examples of alternative assessment include:

• Reading Diary
• Literature/ Article Review
• Case Study
• Critical Review

For a full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course page: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/social-sciences/politics-philosophy-international-relations/ba-international-relations-german/ or get in touch with us at [email protected]

The Uni


Course location:

Singleton Park Campus

Department:

Political and Cultural Studies

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.

65%
International relations

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.

German and scandinavian studies

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

87%
UK students
13%
International students
43%
Male students
57%
Female students
82%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
D

Politics

Teaching and learning

81%
Staff make the subject interesting
79%
Staff are good at explaining things
84%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
60%
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

59%
Library resources
66%
IT resources
67%
Course specific equipment and facilities
50%
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?

86%
UK students
14%
International students
71%
Male students
29%
Female students
80%
2:1 or above
6%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
B

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.

German and scandinavian studies

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.

£18,500
med
Average annual salary
99%
high
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

15%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
8%
Other elementary services occupations
8%
Teaching and educational professionals

It's often said the UK doesn't produce enough modern language graduates, and graduates from German courses have a lot of options available to them when they complete their courses. The unemployment rates last year was lower than graduates in general. Nearly a quarter of working graduates from 2015 got jobs outside the UK — mostly as English teachers — which is much higher than for most subjects. The relative strength of the German economy means there will continue to be opportunities there in the future. But more graduates went to work in London, and those who want to stay at home to work find jobs anywhere where good communication skills are a must, particularly in education, in marketing, in the arts and in business and finance as teachers, writers, personnel officers, financial advisors, analysts, sales people and marketers.. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills.

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.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
100%
high
Employed or in further education
34%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

15%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
12%
Other administrative occupations
8%
Childcare and related personal services

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.

German and scandinavian studies

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

£18k

£24k

£24k

£26k

£26k

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.

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.

£19k

£19k

£24k

£24k

£25k

£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.

Explore these similar courses...

Nearby University
Cardiff University | Cardiff
German and Politics
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UCAS Points: 120-128
Lower entry requirements
University of Bristol | Bristol
Politics and German
BA (Hons) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 104-153

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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), 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.

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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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