Program Overview

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About our foundation years

Our Foundation Year courses are perfect for you if you...

• are returning to education after a long time, or you don't have the qualifications for direct entry into our degree programmes
• are thinking of re-training and would like an introduction to the area
• are an international student wanting an additional year to adapt to the UK academic system
• are still evaluating which degree pathway at UEL is the right one for you

Please note: Foundation years can only be studied full-time. However, you can transfer to part-time delivery once you have completed your foundation year. Please apply to the full-time option if you wish to study in this way.

Politics and International Relations BA (Hons)

Overview

Do you want to make sense of the post-truth world, encapsulated by events such as Brexit and the US election? Are you interested in understanding how global powers interact, both in times of war and peace? These questions lie at the heart of politics and international relations. Through the lens of a politics and international relations degree, you will explore how global dynamics shape our world.

Would you like to know more about international organisations and their capacity to control and shape development worldwide? The field of international relations and politics provides deep insights into these institutions. A politics and international relations degree from a prestigious department of politics and international relations will equip you with the knowledge to understand and engage with these global entities. Understanding international relations is crucial for grasping the influence of these organisations.

Do you want to learn about political participation and become an active citizen, so that you can contribute to policy-making processes? With a politics and international relations degree, you will gain the skills necessary to take part in and influence political decisions.

If you answer 'Yes' to any of these questions, then our International Relations course is for you.

Course options

Degree

• UCAS code: L
• UCAS points: 112
• Start date: September 2025
• Duration: 3/4 years

Degree with foundation year

• UCAS code: L24164
• UCAS points: 64
• Start date: September 2025
• Duration: 4/5 years

Entry Requirements

Academic requirements

• 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification listed on the UCAS tariff calculator, including:
  • A Levels in at least two subjects
  • BTEC Extended Diploma – DMM
  • BTEC Diploma – DD
  • Access to HE Diploma
  • T Levels
  • International Baccalaureate – 24 points including a minimum of 15 points at Higher Level
• GCSE English Grade 4/C or Level 2 Functional Skills in English
• GCSE Mathematics Grade 4/C or Level 2 Functional Skills in Mathematics

International Qualifications

We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications.

English Language requirements

• IELTS 5.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking (or recognised equivalent)

Fees, funding and additional costs

Fees

• UK/Home students: £9,535 per year
• International students: £15,560 per year

Funding

• UK fee status holders: Government funding, UEL funding, External funding
• International fee status holders: UEL scholarships, Ways to pay

Additional costs

• Textbooks
• Computer equipment
• Printing
• Travel

Course modules

Foundation Year

• Knowledge, Skills, Practice and the Self: Mental Wealth Core Module
• Exploring Communities as Social Scientists Core Module
• Researching Changing Communities Core Module
• Reimagining the Work of a Social Scientist Core Module
• Crime, Justice and Surveillance Optional Module
• Reading the Body Psychosocially Optional Module
• Introduction to Digital Sociology Optional Module
• Globalisation and Society Optional Module

Year 1

• Becoming an Activist (Mental Wealth) Core Module
• Politics Core Module
• Global Political Economy Core Module
• The Mess We Are In (And How We Got Here) Core Module
• International Relations Core Module
• Public Policy Core Module

Year 2

• Global Governance Core Module
• Space, Bodies and Power Core Module
• Mental Wealth 2: Social Enterprise Core Module
• Great Power Politics Core Module
• Research Methods Core Module
• Human Mobility and Forced Migration Optional Module
• Environmental Justice Optional Module

Year 3

• Mental Wealth 3: Placement Reflections Core Module
• Gender, Power and Politics Core Module
• Applied Research Project in Social Sciences Core Module
• European Politics Core Module
• African Politics and Development Optional Module
• Conflict Intervention and Development Optional Module

Your future career

You'll develop a range of skills, knowledge and insights that you can use in a variety of politics-related careers. You could join public bodies such as central and local government, pressure groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or community organisations.

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated career support, and further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed.

How you'll learn

You'll be taught by staff with relevant experience and practice to ensure you learn from real-life examples and research. We encourage an educational experience that is active, social, collaborative, engaging and student-owned. You will have access to a variety of resources ensuring your learning journey goes beyond the classroom.

How you'll be assessed

Assessment tasks are mainly spread across the year to make the workload manageable. Assessment methods include group work and individual work including essays, presentations, case studies, professional development and practical activities depending on the nature of the course. All grades count towards your module mark.

Campus and facilities

Our waterfront campus in the historic Royal Docks provides a modern, well-equipped learning environment. You'll have access to contemporary lecture theatres and seminar rooms, art studios and exhibition spaces, audio and visual labs and a multimedia production centre.

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by the School of Childhood and Social Care. The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers.