Program Overview

International Security Studies BA

Course Overview

Are you looking to understand the most pressing security challenges of the 21st century? Would you like to be part of the solution to these global problems?

Our BA International Security Studies provides you with the theoretical and practical tools to address key political and security issues of our time and provide the key transferrable skills to equip you to understand, and work in a complex geopolitical environment.

Whether you're interested in combatting terrorism, managing the response to natural disasters, or promoting national security, our modules provide you with a deep understanding of the most pressing issues and debates in global politics and security, taught by our team of security experts in the School of Politics and International Relations. With a focus on both theoretical and practical learning, you'll be prepared to tackle real-world challenges and devise strategic solutions.

Our course goes beyond the theoretical, providing you with insights into the politics of the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa, and the EU. You’ll study traditional security threats and topics such as human, health and energy security, widening the security agenda. You may also have the option to study organisations that deal with emergent security threats, taking your interest further with dissertation supervision in your final year.

This course sets you up for a career in the private, public or charitable sectors. Whether you're interested in working as a parliamentary assistant, councillor, civil servant, researcher, or policy analyst, our course can help you achieve your career goals. Our school alumni have secured jobs at top organisations such as the BBC, Citibank, PwC, Civil Service, House of Commons, and Unison.

Entry Requirements

• AAB
• 32 points overall or 665 in 3 HL certificates
• IELTS: 6.5 (no less than 6.0 in any element)

Tuition Fees

• £9,535 (UK undergraduate students)
• £23,000 (International students)

Duration

• 3 years full-time

Study Abroad

On this course, you can apply to study abroad at one of our partner institutions or at University of Nottingham China or University of Nottingham Malaysia.

Optional Placement Year

If your course does not have a compulsory placement, integrated year in industry or compulsory year abroad where there is already an opportunity to undertake a work placement as part of that experience, you may be able to apply to undertake an optional placement year.

Key Information

• Study abroad, compulsory year abroad, optional placements/internships and integrated year in industry opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities or placement/industry hosts, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university’s control.

Indicative Modules

• Year 1:
  • International Politics of the Asia-Pacific
  • Introduction to Comparative Politics
  • Introduction to Political Theory
  • Problems in Global Politics
  • Understanding Global Politics
• Year 2:
  • Global Security
  • International Politics in the 20th Century
  • British Party Politics
  • Democracy and its Critics
  • Experiencing National Identity
  • How Voters Decide
  • International Political Economy and Global Development
  • Politics and Public Policy in China
  • Social and Global Justice
  • The Transformation of European Politics
• Year 3:
  • African Politics
  • China in Global Politics
  • Dissertation
  • Gender and Political Representation
  • Ideas and Politics in Contemporary Britain
  • Inside Out: The UK and the EU
  • Left and Right in Contemporary Politics
  • The Middle East and the World
  • Political Challenges and Multiple Crises in the Global Economy
  • Political Parties and Party Systems Around the Globe
  • Political Violence
  • Politics Placement
  • Race and Politics
  • Responding to Extremism: Politics, Power, and Ethics
  • Secret Intelligence and International Security
  • Special Relationship? Anglo-American Security Relations
  • The EU as a Global Power
  • The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: The Morality of Capitalism
  • The Politics of Ethnic Conflict
  • The Politics of Human Rights
  • The Politics of Inequality
  • The Russo-Ukranian War
  • The Struggle for Democracy
  • Theories of the Modern State

How You Will Learn

Teaching is primarily by lecture and seminar. In lectures, all students taking the module are introduced to a topic. In seminars, students are split into smaller groups to discuss prepared work.

How You Will Be Assessed

We present you with a variety of different challenges and types of assessment, including exams, essays, verbal presentations and projects. Each unit is assessed separately, meaning there are no daunting final exams at the end of your degree.

Careers Overview

At Nottingham, you will acquire a strong academic foundation and a range of excellent intellectual and transferable skills, such as the ability to study independently, communicate effectively, as well as a number of digital competencies.

You will leave us with specialist knowledge of international issues and political systems that will enhance your global career prospects.

Graduate Destinations

Our graduates develop careers across the private, public and charitable sectors. Private sector destinations include print and television journalism, broadcasting, television and film production, advertising, marketing and personnel as well as the commercial and financial sectors. Some go into party politics as parliamentary assistants, councillors in local government and even MPs; others work for the civil service and in research and data analysis.

Third-sector careers include working for non-governmental organisations, charities and development agencies. Some graduates opt for further study or take vocational qualifications in postgraduate law or teaching.

Recent graduates have gone on to work at organisations such as AON, the BBC, Citibank, Civil Service, House of Commons, Liberal Democrats, Perrett Laver, Policy Exchange and Unison.