Based in one of the most prestigious government departments in Europe, this University of Essex course enables students to learn how politics works within countries and between countries. Essex provides a thorough grounding in all major areas of political science and international relations and widens students awareness of the world system, while training them in the research and critical thinking skills that are prized by employers.
With this course students can explore a very wide range of topic areas, including: human rights and global justice, elections, civil war and international peacekeeping, politics of natural disasters, democracy, trade and development.
Education extends beyond the university campus. Essex supports students in expanding their education through offering the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of their partner universities. The four-year version of the degree allows students to spend the third year abroad or employed on a placement abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the three-year course. Studying abroad allows students to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden their degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that they are mature, adaptable, and organized.
Studying Politics & International Relations at Essex will train students to question everything with confidence, to support opinions with strong evidence and have the courage to challenge others. They encourage students to be daring and bold, and to support their thinking with the broadest range of facts and ideas.
The School's Department of Government has an outstanding record of teaching, research and publication. They are rated top in the UK for research, and have consistently been the highest-rated politics department in the country since national assessments began. Essex is also ranked 6th in the UK for Politics in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020.
All Essex Politics & International Relations graduates will have the distinction of a qualification from one of the world’s leading politics departments. Essex's students are in demand from a host of employers in political parties, NGOs, international development, the civil service fast stream, management, journalism, police, armed forced, commerce, business, finance, teaching and graduate research.
Some notable alumni include the former President of Costa Rica and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr Oscar Arias, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow MP, and recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies.
