BA (Hons) Politics Bachelor's degree at the University of Exeter
BA (Hons) Politics at University of Exeter. Politics at Exeter is studied on the Streatham Campus over three years, leading to a BA (Hons).
About this course
Explore what Exeter graduates do | Career Zone | University of Exeter Section links Career Planning Reflect on yourself Explore your options Exploring Postgraduate Study Employment Sectors Explore what Exeter graduates do Anthropology Arab and Islamic Studies Archaeology Art History and Visual Culture Biosciences Class From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Politics is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Exeter, based in Streatham Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Politics graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 85% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £30,500. (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: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 85% (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 16 modules
- Critical Skills for Politics and International RelationsCompulsory15 credits
- Classical Political ThoughtCompulsory15 credits
- Introduction to Comparative PoliticsCompulsory15 credits
- Global Sustainability Policy and GovernanceCompulsory15 credits
- Religious Communities of the Middle East: Culture, Endangerment and SurvivalOptional15 credits
- Globalisation of World PoliticsOptional15 credits
- The Challenges of World Politics in the Twenty-First CenturyOptional15 credits
- Early Modern Political ThoughtOptional15 credits
- International Politics of the Global SouthOptional15 credits
- The State of the UK: Identifying Marginalised Identities and Addressing InequalitiesOptional15 credits
- The Politics of DevelopmentOptional15 credits
- Introduction to Public Policy and AdministrationOptional15 credits
- Population and SocietyOptional15 credits
- Introduction to Artificial IntelligenceOptional15 credits
- Introduction to Social DataOptional15 credits
- Data Analysis in Social Science 1Optional15 credits
Year 2 32 modules
- The Economics of PoliticsCompulsory15 credits
- Political Thought of ModernityCompulsory15 credits
- Explaining Public PoliciesCompulsory15 credits
- Introduction to Research Design in Politics and International RelationsCompulsory15 credits
- Employment Experience HASSCompulsory
- Study AbroadCompulsory120 credits
- Employment ExperienceCompulsory120 credits
- DissertationCompulsory30 credits
- Islamist Movements: From the Muslim Brothers to the Islamic StateOptional15 credits
- Gender-Identity and Modernity in the Middle EastOptional15 credits
- Islamic Law and SocietyOptional15 credits
- Ethnography of the Middle EastOptional15 credits
- Conflict and Peacemaking Palestine/IsraelOptional15 credits
- Muslims in BritainOptional15 credits
- A History of the Modern Middle East, 1900-2014Optional15 credits
- Contemporary Theories of World PoliticsOptional15 credits
- The Politics of the World EconomyOptional15 credits
- American PoliticsOptional15 credits
- Political PhilosophyOptional15 credits
- Security StudiesOptional15 credits
- Comparative Electoral SystemsOptional15 credits
- Environmental GovernanceOptional15 credits
- Research Design in the Social SciencesOptional15 credits
- Data Analysis in Social Science 2Optional15 credits
- Data Analysis in Social Science 3Optional15 credits
- Drugs: Histories, Science, PolicyOptional15 credits
- Nationalisms in the Middle EastOptional15 credits
- The History and Political Development of IraqOptional15 credits
- The Kurds: History and PoliticsOptional15 credits
- Iranian History, 1500-the PresentOptional15 credits
- Armed Islamist Movements: Jihadism and BeyondOptional15 credits
- Britain in the Middle East, 1798-1977Optional15 credits
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 degree is structured to build from foundations towards independent, specialist work. You'll start with core theory, the concepts, institutions and debates that underpin the discipline, alongside research & methods, which gives you the tools to interrogate political questions rigorously rather than just describe them. From there, the course moves into applied practice, testing theory against real political situations and problems, before opening out into specialist options such as areas of comparative politics, international relations or political thought, depending on what interests you. Professional skills are woven in throughout rather than bolted on at the end, and the degree culminates in an independent project, where you take ownership of a piece of research from start to finish. This progression, from grounding, to application, to self-directed specialism, is designed to leave you able to construct an argument, test it against evidence, and communicate it clearly.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who is genuinely curious about how power, institutions and ideas shape the world around them, and who enjoys forming an argument and then being willing to have it challenged. If you like reading widely, following current affairs critically rather than passively, and asking why things are the way they are politically, you'll find plenty to engage with here. It also suits people who don't mind uncertainty, political questions rarely have neat answers, and you'll be expected to sit with ambiguity and work through it methodically rather than look for a single correct response. Because the course builds towards independent research, it rewards students who are willing to take initiative and manage their own time, particularly by final year when you're driving your own project. Most students accepted onto the course arrive with A-levels or equivalent qualifications, typically within the 144–159 UCAS tariff range, though this reflects what recent entrants have held rather than a fixed requirement. If you're someone who wants a degree that keeps one eye on real-world application and career direction throughout, rather than only at the end, this is worth serious consideration.
Careers & job market
Nationally, across Politics & International Relations courses, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and 60% of working graduates are in highly skilled roles or further study, figures that reflect the discipline as a whole rather than any single university's outcomes. National earnings data (Graduate Outcomes/LEO) for the field shows starting salaries 15 months after graduation ranging from £24,000 to £32,000, settling to £21,675–£30,600 after three years, and rising to a range of £27,200–£38,400 after five years. These are national labour-market figures, not guarantees tied to this specific course, and individual outcomes vary considerably depending on sector, location and further study choices. Nationally, 90% of students in this field continue past their first year, either still enrolled or having completed their studies, which gives some indication of how manageable the transition into degree-level study tends to be.
University & format
The University of Exeter is a public, research-intensive institution and a member of the Russell Group, founded in 1955. The Politics degree is taught full-time on the Streatham Campus over three years, in English, leading to a BA (Hons). The university holds a Gold award for teaching quality under the Office for Students' TEF 2023 framework, was, and its degrees are nationally recognised.
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 | 95% |
| a Baccalaureate | 5% |
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. 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 University of Exeter →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 | £30,500 | £27,000 – £35,000 | 50 |
| 3 years after | £30,500 | £24,000 – £39,000 | 275 |
| 5 years after | £41,000 | £32,000 – £57,500 | 300 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 50; 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: 50; 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 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Media ProfessionalsSOC 2020 249 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,895
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: 35; 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
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £30,500. 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 8.7 out of 10: NSS 81.1% · in work or study 95% · continued 85%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Exeter
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 Streatham Campus
1,452 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 University of Exeter from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Exeter; 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 University of Exeter’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 University of Exeter and gov.uk before you apply.
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Politics & International Relations at other universities
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What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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