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University of Leeds · Undergraduate
BA (Hons) Modern Languages and International Relations Bachelor's degree at the University of Leeds
BA (Hons) Modern Languages and International Relations at University of Leeds combines language study with international relations theory and practice, covering core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills development.
BA (Hons)
Award
4
Years
Full-time
Study mode
84%
in work/study (15m)
About this course
BA (Hons) Modern Languages and International Relations is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Leeds. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, 84% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 67% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £30,000. (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.
8.5
/ 10
Excellent
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Strong79
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)
Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Excellent84
Stronger evidence Published sample: 130. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 84% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Exceptional92
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 92% (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 3 modules
- International PoliticsCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module introduces you to the key international issues we face today and the puzzles these raise. This includes explaining what shaped the world we live in, and understanding the patterns of international politics.
- Comparative PoliticsCompulsory20 credits
Module details
The module introduces major concepts and issues in the comparative study of politics and government. It explores the logic of comparative political analysis as well as the value of comparing political behaviour and institutions across time and space, basic varieties of political institutions, processes, and political cultures in the world.
- Politics, Culture and SocietyCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module brings the two subjects you're studying together to help you make meaningful connections between them. It explores key debates that shape the practice of politics internationally and how awareness of differing cultural and intercultural perspectives help us better understand contemporary international politics.
Year 2 2 modules
- Theories of International RelationsCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module offers you advanced training in International Relations Theory by critically analysing rival theories. You will develop critical thinking through assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.
- Global Security ChallengesCompulsory20 credits
Module details
The module introduces you to key global security challenges and the debates on security in international relations. It examines the concept, role and making of security in the contemporary international system.
Year 4 9 modules
- Final Year ProjectCompulsory40 credits
Module details
You will research in a depth a topic of your choice with the help of a supervisor.
- British Foreign PolicyOptional
- Gender and Security in Global PoliticsOptional
- Terrorism: Concepts, Debates, CasesOptional
- Video Games: Politics, Society and CultureOptional
- Violence and Reconciliation in AfricaOptional
- Europe in the WorldOptional
- Nuclear Weapons and Global PoliticsOptional
- Global Political EconomyOptional
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 theory and practice of international relations alongside modern languages, combining political analysis with language skills. A course like this typically moves from foundations, introducing political systems, international relations theory and research methods, through to specialist options in areas such as international security, comparative politics, global governance, human rights and public policy. You'll usually progress from core modules in Year 1 covering political science and IR fundamentals, to Year 2 work in comparative politics and security studies, then to Year 3 where you'll select specialist options aligned with your interests, develop contemporary political theory, and undertake a supervised dissertation on a political question of your choice.
Who it's for
This course suits students with strong A-level qualifications or equivalent. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent, with typical UCAS tariffs between 144 and 159 points. You should have genuine interest in both languages and international affairs, and be prepared for sustained independent study across a four-year programme. The course is open to UK and international students.
Careers & job market
Across Politics and International Relations courses nationally, 85% of graduates were in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Starting salaries typically range from £24,000 to £32,000; after five years, graduates earned between £27,200 and £38,400. These are national figures from Graduate Outcomes and Longitudinal Education Outcomes data, not university-specific guarantees. Around 60% of working graduates move into highly skilled roles or further study.
University & format
The course is studied full-time at the University of Leeds, a public Russell Group university founded in 1904. The degree lasts 4 years and is taught in English, leading to a BA (Hons) award. Leeds is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, and holds Silver in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 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.
Application timelineWhat happens next
- 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.
Published entryABB typical offer · specific subject requirements
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
PlacementPublished placement option
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
Entry & how to get in
Typical offer (from the provider)The university’s course page lists a typical A-level offer of ABB specific subject requirements. Always check the provider for the current offer and subject requirements.
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent99% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 144 - 159 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check the University of Leeds's official course page for the current offer.
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 | 99% |
| an Access course | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Competitive entry
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.
Your UCAS points0
▾
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Add your grades to see where you land
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.
Apply by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesA*AAA-level equivalent admitted students held
UCAS codeL5R1quote this on your application
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code L5R1). 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.
💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask University of Leeds whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Homeup to £9,790 / yr
Internationalset by the university
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Leeds →For students who normally live in England
illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£9,790tuition used per year, illustrative full-time England fee-cap scenario
illustrative borrowing over 4 years
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.
Funding matched to this course
All University of Leeds funding →Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.
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Check eligibility →Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.
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Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check
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 | £30,000 | £24,500 – £34,000 | 130 |
| 3 years after | £28,500 | £23,000 – £36,500 | 725 |
| 5 years after | £37,000 | £28,000 – £51,000 | 775 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 130. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
84%
in work or further study 15 months on
67%
in highly skilled work or study
92%
continue past their first year
74%
find their work meaningful
72%
say work fits their future plans
- 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
Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£30,000
£24,000 – £32,000After 3 years LEO
£28,500
£21,675 – £30,600After 5 years LEO
£37,000
£27,200 – £38,400national rangethis course’s medianaxis £20,500 – £40,000
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.
84 of 100
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
68% working14% working and studying10% in further study67% in highly skilled work or study
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 130. 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.
This course £37,000Peer median £32,000Middle 50% £29,000–£36,000
77th percentile
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 and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 13% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 13% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
- Finance ProfessionalsSOC 2020 242 · 12% of published destinations · ASHE median £47,173
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: 115; response rate: 60%. 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.
85%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Politics & International Relations courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes60%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled90%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuationHow 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-LibraryLive from the StudySmarter job board · as of 2026-08-01.See all matching jobs
Is 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 £30,000. 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 8.5 out of 10: NSS 79.4% · in work or study 84% · continued 92%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Leeds
All students34,580
International31.5%
Aged 25+13.6%
Social sciences across the UK
Students275,900
Aged 25+37%
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around The University of Leeds
3,846 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Violent Crime 1125Shoplifting 724Other Theft 322Public Order 319Anti Social Behaviour 305
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 Leeds from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Leeds; 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 Leeds’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 Leeds and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Leeds
Politics & International Relations at other universities
BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre / International RelationsAberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) Hanes / Cysylltiadau RhyngwladolAberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) International Relations (with integrated year in Industry)Aberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) International Relations (with integrated year studying abroad)Aberystwyth UniversityCommon questions
How competitive is entry?
Entry is competitive. Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 144 - 159 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
What are the entry requirements?
Set by the University of Leeds. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
What do graduates go on to do?
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, 84% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 67% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £30,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
What will it cost me?
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. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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