BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations Bachelor's degree at Cardiff Metropolitan University
BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations at CMU. You'll study core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills.
About this course
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BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at CMU, based in Llandaff Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £26,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Politics & International Relations, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 77% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year One (Level 4) 6 modules
- Introduction to Social ScienceCore
- Introduction to the 'isms'Core
- Everyday PoliticsCore
- Arguing Politics: Today's LandscapeCore
- What is Politics?Core
- Global Politics and International RelationsCore
Year Two (Level 5) 7 modules
- Revolution, Evolution, Devolution: UK Politics Since 1945Core
- The Politics of Policy MakingCore
- Regions and PowersCore
- Social Research MethodsCore
- Critical Theories: Interrogating KnowledgeCore
- (In)Security in a Global WorldOptional
- Political Economy and International RelationsOptional
Year Three (Level 6) 6 modules
- Scrutiny and the SeneddCore
- Interrogating the InternationalCore
- Individual Evidence Based ProjectCore40 credits
- Research and EmployabilityCore
- Political Communication and InfluenceOptional
- Paths to a Green World: The Political Economy of Zero CarbonOptional
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study how political systems, institutions and power operate at local, national and global levels. A course like this typically begins with foundations in political science and international relations theory, exploring ideologies, institutions and how states interact. In Year 2, you'll usually move into comparative analysis of democracies and autocracies, alongside specialised topics such as international security, comparative politics, political theory, global governance, public policy and human rights. You'll develop research skills through quantitative and qualitative methods. In Year 3, you'll typically pursue specialist options aligned to your interests and undertake a supervised independent research project on a political question of your choice, alongside contemporary theory.
Who it's for
This course suits students with A-levels or equivalent qualifications. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. The typical UCAS tariff band among recent entrants was 96–111 points. You should check the university's funding pages for details on bursaries and scholarships available to you.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 85% of Politics and International Relations graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 60% are in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. Graduate earnings across the field vary: starting salaries (at 15 months) typically range from £24,000 to £32,000; after three years, £21,675 to £30,600; and after five years, £27,200 to £38,400. These are national figures based on Graduate Outcomes and Longitudinal Educational Outcomes data, not university-specific guarantees.
University & format
This is a 3-year full-time Bachelor's degree (BA Hons) taught in English at Cardiff Metropolitan University, a University located on the Llandaff Campus. It is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, so your qualification is nationally recognised.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 87%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 78% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 9% |
| another higher-education qualification | 8% |
| an Access course | 3% |
| a previous degree | 2% |
| Other | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code N5L1). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Set under Wales's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at CMU →If you normally live in Wales
2026/27 total maintenance support from Student Finance Wales. How much of it is grant and how much is loan depends on household income; the total does not. If you normally live elsewhere, use your home funding body.
Check your entitlement with Student Finance Wales →Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: paid directly to the university by Student Finance Wales.
- Maintenance support: a mix of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales, weighted to household income.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Wales runs its own system through Student Finance Wales; check studentfinancewales.co.uk for current rates.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Politics & International Relations graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £26,000 | £23,000 – £31,000 | 910 |
| 3 years after | £21,500 | £17,000 – £28,000 | 120 |
| 5 years after | £27,500 | £23,500 – £37,000 | 160 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 910. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in politics & international relations · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Politics & International Relations nationally
National figures for Politics & International Relations graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 910. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Politics & International Relations courses at the same study level.
Compared with 690 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Job market & outlook
How Politics & International Relations graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Politics & International Relations graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Government & civil service (FCDO)
- Think tanks
- NGOs
- Public-affairs agencies
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Politics & International Relations graduates.
Head of History & PoliticsProspero TeachingExaminer - GCE A Level Politics (2017 specification).PearsonA Level PoliticsBURNLEY COLLEGESocial & Audience Engagement Producer (Politics & World News)SkyHead of the School of Area Studies Sociology History Politics and LiteratureUniversity of PortsmouthHead of History and politicsCV-LibraryIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Fees for this course are set under Wales's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. If you normally live in Wales, Student Finance Wales can pay an eligible Tuition Fee Loan directly to the university, and maintenance support is a mix of grant and loan weighted to household income. You repay only above the income threshold.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £26,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.2 out of 10: NSS 86.4% · continued 77%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Social sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Llandaff Campus
922 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Politics & International Relations right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to CMU from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by CMU; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check CMU’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with CMU and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at CMU
Politics & International Relations at other universities
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How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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