International Relations
.jpg)
UCAS Code: Combined Honours only – see combinations tab|Duration: 3 years|Full Time|Hope Park
UCAS Campus Code: L46
Work placement opportunities|International students can apply|Study Abroad opportunities
About the course
International Relations is a part of Political Science. It looks at the global system and its effects on politics. Students learn about nation-states, cooperation, conflict, the causes of war, and the rules that keep order and peace. This International Relations course combines history, sociology, anthropology, media, law, and economics.
Our academic team includes internationally recognised experts. They publish in top peer-reviewed journals and with prestigious academic presses. Their research looks at state behavior and foreign policies. They study the UK, US, EU, and Latin America. They also explore conflict resolution, international law, and regional integration. This course tackles urgent global issues.
Students receive strong career support and practical experience. With help from civil servants and diplomats, they represent the University in model CoP and NATO negotiations. These events, organised by the British International Studies Association in London, help develop diplomatic skills and expand networks.
The "Practitioners in Politics and International Relations" series teams up with the Careers Office and Student Futures. It brings in leaders, like Members of Parliament and the Mayor of Liverpool, to help students explore political careers. Our team supports student engagement with the ‘Civil Service Masterclass.’ This programme, run by ‘Unique and Special Projects,’ is backed by the Department of Education, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Metro Mayor.
Course structure
Teaching on this degree is delivered through lectures, seminars, and tutorials, with tutorial groups typically limited to no more than 10 students in the first year. You will also have the opportunity for a weekly one-to-one meeting with your tutor.
For the International Relations part of your combined honours degree, there are around 6 teaching hours per week in the first year, reducing to about 5 hours in the second and third years. In addition to taught sessions, you are expected to study independently, take part in group work, and prepare for assessments. On average, students devote around 40 hours per week to their studies, including both teaching and independent learning.
Assessment and feedback
Assessment on this degree is varied and tailored to each stage of study. In the first year, you will complete continuous assessments such as essays, briefing papers, presentations, and take-home tests. Formal exams are not part of first-year study.
In the second and third years, assessment includes essays, written policy reports, and formal exams where appropriate. In the final year, you will complete either a 5,000-word International Relations research project or a 10,000-word integrated dissertation that combines International Relations with your other subject.
Assessment is designed to support learning, with timely, constructive written feedback highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. Feedback is also provided on exam scripts, followed by discussion in the autumn term. Group feedback sessions emphasise points of general relevance, while individual written feedback and tutor office hours ensure personalised academic support.
Year One
Introduction to International Relations
In your first year, you will study the key sub-disciplines that underpin International Relations. Two core modules are designed to build your understanding of the subject and provide a strong foundation before progressing to the second year.
Foundational Concepts
This module introduces the key terms, concepts, and theories used by International Relations scholars in the study of world politics. You will explore the origins of power and diplomacy, the concepts of the State and Nation, the differences between power and influence, and the dimensions of security. The module also examines the development of political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic issues across the globe, as well as the key actors and institutions involved.
Global Issues in International Relations
This module focuses on the global institutional order, diplomatic practice, and the actors shaping today’s international system. You will examine pressing global challenges such as environmental change, food security, poverty, migration, conflict, intervention, terrorism, and transnational organised crime. The module combines theoretical and contextual perspectives, exploring both the debates that shape these issues and the institutional and diplomatic responses to them.
Year Two
Theories and Analysis of International Relations
This module builds on the theoretical foundations introduced in the first year, examining key approaches to International Relations. You will study mainstream perspectives such as Liberalism and Realism, middle-ground approaches including Constructivism and the English School, and critical perspectives such as Marxism, Dependency Theory, Post-Structuralism, Post-Colonialism, Critical Theory, Feminism, Green Theory, and Post-Developmentalism. Each perspective is explored from both theoretical and practical standpoints, evaluating their strengths and limitations in understanding contemporary international relations and modern diplomatic practice.
The Challenges and Structures of Foreign Policy
This module focuses on the challenges, structures, and practices of foreign policy. It introduces theoretical approaches to foreign policy analysis and develops these through detailed case studies, including:
- EU Foreign Policy
Explore the origins and evolution of EU foreign policy, with attention to its strengths and challenges in areas such as security, trade, environmental policy, normative power, and integration.
- UK Foreign Policy
Examine the UK’s international identity and foreign policy in relation to key global regions. Through a geographical lens, you will analyse the directions and challenges of UK policy in security, trade, development, and environmental dimensions.
Year Three
In the final year, students build on the theoretical foundations of the first and second years, developing a nuanced and critical understanding of real-world dynamics. By the end of the course, you will have a complex grasp of global politics, demonstrate the ability to apply theory to contemporary international affairs, and confidently articulate informed opinions, even when faced with opposing perspectives.
Core topics include:
- Bottom-Up International Politics – Examine the role of non-state actors and civil society in shaping international politics.
- Dynamics of Conflict and Peace – Study the theories and practices of conflict, peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding.
- U.S.-Led Order and Post-Hegemony – Analyse the historical role of the United States in shaping the global order and consider post-hegemonic developments and challenges.
- Research Element – Develop research skills and knowledge to support your final-year project, with guidance and academic support throughout.
For the research component, you will complete either a 10,000-word dissertation (in conjunction with your other subject) or a 5,000-word special study. You will receive individual guidance from an assigned tutor but are expected to work independently to produce original, high-quality research.
Entry requirements
| A-Levels | BCC - BBB |
|---|---|
| UCAS Tariff Points | 104 - 120 UCAS Tariff points must come from a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent). Additional points can be made up from a range of alternative qualifications |
| BTEC | DMM - DDM |
| Access to HE | 104 - 120 Tariff Points |
| IB | 26 |
| Irish Leaving Certificate | 104 - 120 Tariff Points from Higher Level qualifications only |
| Welsh Baccalaureate | This qualification can only be accepted in conjunction with other relevant qualifications |
| T-Levels | Merit |
| Subject Requirements | No specific subject requirements |
International entry requirements
| Specific Country Requirements | Select your country |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.0 overall (with reading and writing at 6.0) and no individual score lower than 5.5. We also accept a wide range of International Qualifications. For more information, please visit our English Language Requirements page. |
Careers
As a graduate of International Relations from Liverpool Hope University, you can move on to build an exciting, interesting and meaningful career at home or abroad. A familiar route for our graduates is to pursue a career in the foreign service. As a diplomat, you may work to further the interests of your country overseas or serve a regional organisation such as the European Union or United Nations. The knowledge, understanding and skills that you acquire during your degree can help address a varied range of major challenges in fields ranging from international conflict to trade and migration.
Similarly, graduates often choose to join the Armed Forces, to work for non-governmental organisations in the development aid sector or as foreign correspondents breaking international news. In each of these roles, your study of International Relations theory and practice – and what these tell you about relations between states, peoples and power – could make a critical difference on the ground.
Private sector organisations, especially those in globalised trade including banks and energy sector companies, value an International Relations background.
Enhancement opportunities
SALA
The Service and Leadership Award (SALA) is offered as an extra-curricular programme involving service-based experiences, development of leadership potential and equipping you for a career in a rapidly changing world. It enhances your degree, it is something which is complimentary but different and which has a distinct ‘value-added’ component. Find out more on our Service and Leadership Award page.
Study Abroad
As part of your degree, you can choose to spend either a semester or a full year of study at one of our partner universities as part of our Study Abroad programme. Find out more on our Study Abroad page.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are £9,535* for full-time undergraduate courses.
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £9,535*.
The University reserves the right to increase Home and EU Undergraduate and PGCE tuition fees in line with any inflationary or other increase authorised by the Secretary of State for future years of study.
*subject to Council approval.
Additional costs
On top of tuition fees, you also need to consider the cost of core textbooks at approximately £100. There are optional national and international fieldtrips and the cost of these vary, but these costs will be set out clearly with plenty of notice.
You will also need to consider the cost of your accommodation each year whilst you study at university. Visit our accommodation pages for further details about our Halls of Residence.
Scholarships
We have a range of scholarships to help with the cost of your studies. Visit our scholarships page to find out more.
International tuition fees
The International Tuition fees for 2026/27 are £14,500.
Visit our International fees page for more information.
Course combinations
This course is only available as a Combined Honours degree with the following subjects: