BA Politics and International Relations with a Placement Year

Address some of the contemporary world’s most pressing problems, and explore ethical and moral issues that arise when political authority is exercised, with our BA Politics and International Relations degree.

Why is the world not solving the climate emergency? Why do politicians seem to be so bad at their jobs? Are our societies descending into authoritarianism? Are we responsible for the safety and welfare of civilians in Afghanistan?

If you care about questions like these – and want to learn about the fundamental elements of politics and international relations – then our four-year degree can get you started.

As a student in the Department of Politics and International Relations, you will benefit from a learning environment driven by high-quality research. 97% of our research outputs are rated ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’, meaning that the University of Reading is 6th highest in the UK for research outputs (Times Higher Education analysis of the latest REF 2021 – Politics and International Studies, when scoring by GPA Output). Our areas of strength include: