BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations Bachelor's degree at East London
BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations at East London. You'll combine core theory with independent research and professional development, equipping you for careers in policy, diplomacy, NGOs, analysis and beyond.
About this course
BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at East London. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, 60% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 63% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £27,000. (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: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 60% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (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.
Foundation Year 9 modules
- Mental Wealth and Professional FitnessCore
Module details
Gain essential skills to boost your career prospects, particularly for roles connected to health and wellbeing fields. You'll engage with digital platforms, industry-led workshops, and real-world tasks to build confidence in communication, research, and digital professionalism.
- Health and Education Study SkillsCore
Module details
Prepare for success in higher education by developing the academic, personal, and professional skills needed for your studies and beyond. You'll learn effective time management, research strategies, digital proficiency, and academic writing techniques, with a strong focus on reflective learning and goal setting.
- Health and Education Analytical SkillsCore
Module details
Practical maths skills are essential across health and education careers. You'll explore statistics, probability, and basic financial numeracy, learning how to apply them to real workplace scenarios.
- Media and Communication SkillsCore
Module details
Essential communication skills underpin success at university and beyond. This module focuses on developing your oral, written, and interpersonal abilities, preparing you to adapt your communication style to different academic and professional contexts.
- Educators of TomorrowCore
Module details
Future educators need strong project management and reflective skills, and this module sets you on that path. Through a year-long educational project, you'll develop leadership abilities, professional communication, and practical knowledge of teaching and learning processes.
- Crime, Justice and SurveillanceOptional
Module details
This module introduces you to crime and surveillance from sociological and criminological perspectives and offers you theoretical and practical skills and experiences that prepare you for your journey as a criminologist.
- Reading the Body PsychosociallyOptional
Module details
In this module, you will consider the choices you make about your own body and its presentation to others and in so doing will consider how a psychosocial approach to the body embraces choices informed rationally and irrationally.
- Introduction to Digital SociologyOptional
Module details
This module introduces you to digital sociology by exploring what it means to be a sociologist in the rapidly developing technological world. It will also introduce you to digital social research methods.
- Globalisation and SocietyOptional
Module details
This module introduces you to key issues and debates about globalisation and society. Knowledge of the complexities of globalisation is introduced through topical readings, a guided tour of Parliament and a visit to the British Museum.
Year 1 6 modules
- Becoming an Activist (Mental Wealth)Core
Module details
You will start your first year with a focus on how the knowledge and skills you will develop during your course will prepare you to be social activists, a role which can be played out in a variety of different careers and volunteer activities.
- PoliticsCore
Module details
The aim of this module is to provide you with an introduction to the language and conceptual tools used by the discipline of politics in the analysis of political practice and public policies.
- Global Political EconomyCore
Module details
This politics module will help you to make sense of the complex world facing us today and will demystify economics by thinking about this from a political perspective.
- The Mess We Are In (And How We Got Here)Core
Module details
In this module, we will consider the representation of the present as a moment of crisis. This will include consideration of: Economic crisis, Political crisis, Ecological crisis, National crisis, and Emotional crisis.
- International RelationsCore
Module details
The module introduces you to the study of international relations through the study of a range of international issues.
- Public PolicyCore
Module details
This module provides you with an introduction to the language and conceptual tools used by the discipline of politics in the analysis of public policies. It encourages you to critically reflect upon the government policies that shape the world we live in.
Year 2 1 modules
- Global GovernanceCore
Module details
The module provides an overview of the theory and practice of global governance, with a particular focus on the structure, functioning and competencies of the United Nations.
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 the institutions, ideologies and conflicts that shape politics at home and globally. A course like this typically starts with foundations in political systems and international relations theory, examining how power is organised, how democracies and autocracies differ, and how nations interact. In Year 2, you'll develop research skills and explore specific fields such as international security, comparative politics and political theory. Year 3 lets you specialise further, choosing from areas such as global governance, human rights and public policy, and you'll complete a supervised research project on a question you've chosen. Throughout, you'll learn to read critically, evaluate evidence and construct persuasive political analysis.
Who it's for
You're drawn to understanding how power works globally and why nations, institutions and movements clash or cooperate. You're comfortable with reading widely, thinking critically about evidence, and engaging with ideas across different viewpoints. This degree suits you if you want to move beyond surface-level news commentary to genuine expertise in international affairs. You'll spend three years developing analytical rigour and conducting your own research. It's intellectually demanding but rewards sustained curiosity about the real world.
Careers & job market
Graduates in Politics and International Relations typically move into policy work, public affairs, civil service roles, NGO management, journalism, or postgraduate study. Nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating; 60% of those working are in highly skilled roles or continuing their studies. Early-career earnings (15 months post-graduation) range from £24,000 to £32,000 nationally. Your precise trajectory depends on your choices, experience and the sectors you pursue. The university's careers support can help you map your route.
University & format
The University of East London is a public university based in London. This degree is taught full-time over 3 years in English, leading to a BA (Hons) qualification. The university is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; your degree will be nationally recognised. In the Office for Students' TEF 2023, the university received a Silver award for teaching quality.
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.
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 | 90% |
| another higher-education qualification | 10% |
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 L241). 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
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at East London →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 | £27,000 | £24,500 – £35,000 | 60 |
| 3 years after | £22,500 | £16,500 – £29,500 | 305 |
| 5 years after | £25,500 | £17,000 – £33,000 | 335 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 60; 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: 2021-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 60; 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.
- Welfare ProfessionalsSOC 2020 246 · 18% of published destinations · ASHE median £39,047
- Teaching and Childcare Support OccupationDiscover Uni category · 15% of published destinations
- Welfare and housing associate professionalsSOC 2020 322 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,937
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: 245; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Is BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations worth it?
Weigh it carefully. On these figures graduates of BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations earn close to non-graduate pay, so on cost alone the course is slow to pay off.
Cumulative earnings vs. going straight to work at 18, counting tuition and 3 years of wages given up while studying. The model remains below break even after 30 years. This is a simplified gross-earnings comparison, not a forecast of cash loan repayments.
Model: this course’s own median graduate earnings (Graduate Outcomes / LEO) above the £24,000 non-graduate baseline (ONS), net of £5,760/yr over 3 years (published course home fee). Eligible England-domiciled students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan; repayments are 9% only on income above the threshold, with anything left written off after 40 years. That makes the cash flow different from conventional commercial debt. Opportunity cost assumes £18,000 gross earnings forgone in each study year; figures are nominal and exclude tax, living costs, investment returns and loan interest. A simplified estimate. Earnings and actual fees vary by graduate, provider, fee status and UK nation.
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
Published home tuition is £5,760/year for this course. 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
60% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £27,000. 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 8.1 out of 10: NSS 93.4% · in work or study 60% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of East London
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 University of East London
1,002 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 East London from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by East London; 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 East London’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 East London and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at East London
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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