BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations Bachelor's degree at Durham University
BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations at Durham University. Politics and International Relations at Durham sits within a research-intensive Russell Group department, and the course is built to move you from grounding in political theory through to genuinely independent enquiry.
About this course
BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Durham University, based in Durham Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Politics graduates from this provider, 84% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £31,000. (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)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 84% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 100% (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 1 4 modules
- Researching Politics and International RelationsCompulsory
Module details
introduces a range of strategies used to produce knowledge in politics and international relations. This module examines the strengths and weaknesses of various research methods. You will gain practical experience in carrying out research in politics and international relations.
- Introduction to Comparative PoliticsCompulsory
Module details
introduces methods, approaches and key concepts in comparative politics. Drawing on historical texts and contemporary research, you will explore a range of policy-relevant issues and begin to develop a problem-solving view of politics.
- Introduction to International RelationsCompulsory
Module details
provides an overview of the field of international relations, including its historical context and traditions of thought. The module addresses core concepts in the field, including power, sovereignty, the international system, the international society, the state and norms.
- Introduction to Political TheoryCompulsory
Module details
provides an overview of the role that key political ideals, values and theories play in shaping modern political thought: justifying and evaluating political institutions and public policy, and influencing political behaviour and change.
Modules 3 modules
- Democratic Political Systems
- International Security, Interdependence and Organisation
- Perspectives of Political Economy
Year 2 5 modules
- Research ProjectCompulsory
Module details
is an extended piece of work produced within a structured framework that will help prepare you for the demands of writing a dissertation. You will gain a deeper understanding of politics as an academic subject and as an aspect of wider human activity.
- Foundations of Western Political ThoughtCompulsory
Module details
examines some of the main currents of European political thought in the ancient and modern worlds. It will also develop your ability to interpret major texts in the history of political thought.
- Analytical PoliticsCompulsory
Module details
introduces the theoretical models and mechanisms of politics. You will learn how to apply these models to a range of political issues and processes that will develop your problem-solving skills and help you link theory and evidence.
- International TheoryCompulsory
Module details
develops knowledge of the major debates in contemporary international relations theory. The module helps to build a wider understanding of theoretical, conceptual and methodological matters in the study of domestic and international politics.
- International OrganisationsCompulsory
Module details
examines the role of key organisations in international relations, and their external impact, including organisations such as the United Nations, the European Union, the World Trade Organization, NATO and ASEAN etc. You will gain an understanding of the dynamic nature of global governance with emphasis on the dynamics of the global international environment.
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
The course structure moves you progressively from foundational knowledge towards self-directed work. You'll begin with core theory, covering the concepts and frameworks that underpin the study of politics and international relations, before building your capability in research and methods, the analytical tools needed to interrogate political phenomena rigorously. Applied practice modules connect this theoretical grounding to real political and diplomatic contexts, while specialist options allow you to follow strands such as security, governance, comparative politics or international institutions, depending on where your interests lie. The degree culminates in an independent project, where you design and carry out your own piece of research on a topic of your choosing. Professional skills are threaded throughout, so that alongside subject knowledge you're also developing the communication, analysis and organisational abilities that employers and further study both demand.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who finds themselves genuinely curious about why states act as they do, how power is distributed and contested, and what shapes the decisions that affect people's lives at both national and international level. You might be someone who reads the news and wants to understand the deeper structures behind the headlines, or who enjoys debating ideas and is willing to have your own assumptions challenged. A comfort with reading widely and writing analytically will serve you well, as will a willingness to sit with complexity rather than seek quick answers. Studying here will involve regular discussion and argument-building, so if you enjoy testing your views against others' and revising your thinking in light of evidence, you're likely to find the environment engaging. It also suits those with half an eye on future careers in areas such as policy, diplomacy, journalism or the civil service, even if you're not yet certain which direction you'll take, the degree is designed to keep multiple doors open while you work that out.
Careers & job market
Across Politics & International Relations courses nationally, Graduate Outcomes data shows that 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with 60% of working graduates in highly skilled roles or continuing study. These are national figures for the subject area rather than outcomes specific to Durham, but they give a sense of the broad destinations open to graduates in this field. National earnings data (LEO) shows a range rather than a fixed figure: graduates typically start on between £24,000 and £32,000 fifteen months after graduating, with reported figures of £21,675 to £30,600 after three years and £27,200 to £38,400 after five years. These figures reflect national patterns across the subject and shouldn't be read as a guaranteed outcome for any individual graduate, actual earnings vary considerably by sector, role and location. Nationally, 90% of students on these courses continue past their first year, which is one indicator of course engagement and retention.
University & format
Durham University is a public, research-intensive Russell Group institution founded in 1832, with around 19,520 students in total. The course is delivered full-time over three years on the Durham Campus, taught in English, and leads to a BA (Hons) award (UCAS code L253). Durham was and holds a Silver rating for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. Most students accepted onto this course typically enter with A-levels or equivalent qualifications, and the most common UCAS tariff among recent entrants has been 160–175 points, this reflects typical entrant profiles rather than a stated minimum requirement.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
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.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
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 | 96% |
| a Baccalaureate | 2% |
| Other | 2% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
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 L253). 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
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at Durham University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
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 | £31,000 | £27,000 – £37,500 | 30 |
| 3 years after | £34,000 | £28,000 – £42,500 | 135 |
| 5 years after | £48,000 | £36,000 – £63,000 | 155 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
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.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 30; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. 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.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Finance ProfessionalsSOC 2020 242 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £47,173
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 110; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
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
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
84% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £31,000. 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 8.9 out of 10: NSS 82.4% · in work or study 84% · continued 100%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Durham
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 Durham Campus
698 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 Durham University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Durham University; 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 Durham University’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 Durham University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
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