BSc in International Relations
Programme Code: UBIR
Department: International Relations
For students starting this programme of study in 2019/20
Guidelines for interpreting programme regulations
Three-year classification scheme for BA/BSc degrees for all students from the 2018/19 academic year
Students on this programme have the opportunity to receive a language specialism attached to their degree certificate and transcript. See the details at the bottom of this page for more information.
Please note that places are limited on some optional courses. Admission onto any particular course is not guaranteed and may be subject to timetabling constraints and/or students meeting specific prerequisite requirements.
Paper |
Course number, title (unit value) | |
See note |
LSE100 The LSE Course: Understanding the causes of things | |
Year 1 | ||
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Paper 1 |
IR100 International Relations: Theories, Concepts and Debates (1.0) | |
Paper 2 |
IR101 Contemporary Issues in International Relations (1.0) | |
Paper 3 |
Courses to the value of 1.0 unit(s) from the following: | |
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HY113 From Empire to Independence: The Extra-European World in the Twentieth Century (1.0) or | |
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HY116 International Politics since 1914: Peace and War (1.0) | |
Paper 4 |
A course to the value of 1.0 unit relevant to the study of International Relations from outside the Department, approved by the candidate's Academic Mentor and the Departmental Tutor. The following courses are strongly recommended (if not already chosen for Paper 3): | |
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EH101 The Internationalisation of Economic Growth, 1870 to the present day (1.0) | |
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GV101 Introduction to Political Science (1.0) | |
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HY113 From Empire to Independence: The Extra-European World in the Twentieth Century (1.0) | |
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HY116 International Politics since 1914: Peace and War (1.0) | |
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PH103 The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy (1.0) # | |
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SO100 Key Concepts: Introduction to Social Theory (1.0) | |
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OR | |
An approved foreign language course from the Foreign Language Selection List: | ||
Skills course |
Students take the following non-assessed course: | |
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IR102 Thinking Globally: Studying International Relations (0.0) | |
Year 2 | ||
Papers 5, 6 & 7 |
Courses to the value of 3.0 unit(s) from the following: | |
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IR202 Foreign Policy Analysis 1 (1.0) | |
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IR205 International Security (1.0) | |
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IR206 International Political Economy (1.0) | |
Paper 8 |
One from: | |
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IR202 Foreign Policy Analysis 1 (1.0) | |
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IR205 International Security (1.0) | |
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IR206 International Political Economy (1.0) | |
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OR | |
A course to the value of 1.0 unit relevant to the study of International Relations from outside the Department, approved by the candidate's Academic Mentor and the Departmental Tutor. The following courses are strongly recommended: | ||
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HY206 The International History of the Cold War, 1945-1989 (1.0) | |
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HY235 Modernity and the State in East Asia: China, Japan and Korea since 1840 (1.0) | |
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LL278 Public International Law (1.0) | |
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OR | |
An approved foreign language course to the value of 1.0 unit, approved by the candidate's Academic Mentor and the Departmental Tutor. | ||
Year 3 | ||
Papers 9, 10 & 11 |
Courses to the value of 3.0 unit(s) from the following: | |
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IR305 Strategic Aspects of International Relations (1.0) | |
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IR312 Genocide (0.5) | |
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IR313 Managing China's Rise in East Asia (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
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IR314 Southeast Asia: Intra-regional Politics and Security (0.5) | |
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IR318 Visual International Politics (0.5) | |
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IR319 Empire and Conflict in World Politics (0.5) | |
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IR320 Europe's Institutional Order (0.5) # 1 (not available 2021/22) | |
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IR321 Revolutions and World Politics (0.5) (withdrawn 2021/22) | |
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IR322 Sovereignty, Rights and Justice: Issues in International Political Theory (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
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IR324 The Practices of Transitional Justice (0.5) # 3 (not available 2021/22) | |
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IR325 The Situations of the International Criminal Court (0.5) 4 (not available 2021/22) | |
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IR326 The Rule of Law: A Global History (0.5) | |
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IR345 Global Politics of China (1.0) | |
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IR347 Political Economy of International Labour Migration (0.5) (withdrawn 2021/22) | |
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IR354 Governing International Political Economy: Lessons from the Past for the Future (0.5) # (not available 2021/22) | |
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IR372 Nuclear Non-proliferation and World Politics (Special Topics in International Relations) (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
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IR377 The Politics of Governance, Development and Security in Sub-Saharan Africa (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
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IR378 Critical War Studies (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
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IR398 Dissertation (1.0) | |
Paper 12 |
Courses to the value of 1.0 unit from the following: G | |
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IR202 Foreign Policy Analysis 1 (1.0) | |
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IR205 International Security (1.0) | |
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IR206 International Political Economy (1.0) | |
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Language Courses (intermediate, advanced or proficiency level) | ||
Notes |
LSE100 is taken by all students in the Lent Term of Year 1. The course is compulsory but does not affect the final degree classification. |
Selection List of Papers Approved by the Department as Relevant to the Study of International Relations
EH225 Latin America and the International Economy (1.0) | |
GV227 The Politics of Economic Policy (1.0) # (withdrawn 2021/22) | |
GV251 Government, Politics and Public Policy in the European Union (1.0) # | |
GY202 Introduction to Global Development (1.0) | |
GY220 Environment: Science and Society (1.0) | |
HY206 The International History of the Cold War, 1945-1989 (1.0) | |
HY226 The Great War 1914-1918 (1.0) | |
HY242 The Soviet Union: Domestic, International and Intellectual History (1.0) | |
HY319 Napoleon and Europe (1.0) (not available 2021/22) | |
LL250 Law and The Environment (1.0) (not available 2021/22) | |
LL278 Public International Law (1.0) | |
Papers 9, 10 & 11 options list
IR305 Strategic Aspects of International Relations (1.0) | |
IR312 Genocide (0.5) | |
IR313 Managing China's Rise in East Asia (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
IR314 Southeast Asia: Intra-regional Politics and Security (0.5) | |
IR318 Visual International Politics (0.5) | |
IR319 Empire and Conflict in World Politics (0.5) | |
IR320 Europe's Institutional Order (0.5) # (not available 2021/22) | |
IR321 Revolutions and World Politics (0.5) (withdrawn 2021/22) | |
IR322 Sovereignty, Rights and Justice: Issues in International Political Theory (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
IR324 The Practices of Transitional Justice (0.5) # (not available 2021/22) | |
IR325 The Situations of the International Criminal Court (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
IR326 The Rule of Law: A Global History (0.5) | |
IR345 Global Politics of China (1.0) | |
IR347 Political Economy of International Labour Migration (0.5) (withdrawn 2021/22) | |
IR354 Governing International Political Economy: Lessons from the Past for the Future (0.5) # (not available 2021/22) | |
IR372 Nuclear Non-proliferation and World Politics (Special Topics in International Relations) (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
IR377 The Politics of Governance, Development and Security in Sub-Saharan Africa (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
IR378 Critical War Studies (0.5) (not available 2021/22) | |
IR398 Dissertation (1.0) | |
Language Courses
LN104 Mandarin Language and Society Level 1 (Beginner) (1.0) # | |
LN142 Mandarin Language and Society 2 (Intermediate) (1.0) # | |
LN251 Comparative Literature and 20th Century Political History (1.0) # B | |
LN270 Society and Language: Linguistics for Social Scientists (1.0) F | |
LN340 Mandarin Language and Society 5 (Mastery) (1.0) # (not available 2021/22) | |
Language Courses (intermediate, advanced or proficiency level)
LN142 Mandarin Language and Society 2 (Intermediate) (1.0) # | |
Undergraduate Outside Options List (Year 1)
Where the regulations refer to an approved paper taught outside the department, this means that you may take any course in a subject other than the principal subject(s) of your degree, subject to timetabling constraints and any restrictions listed in the Course Guides. If your degree is for joint honours (e.g. Philosophy and Economics) or is a major/minor combination (e.g., Geography with Economics), a course outside the department means a course taught in any department other than the two named in the title of your degree. The home department of each course is indicated by the first two letters in its code. | |
Outside Options for students in Year 1: | |
AC102 Elements of Financial Accounting (0.5) | |
AC103 Elements of Management Accounting, Financial Management and Financial Institutions (0.5) | |
AN100 Introduction to Social Anthropology (1.0) | |
AN101 Ethnography and Theory: Selected Texts (1.0) | |
AN102 Anthropology, Text and Film (1.0) | |
DS101M Fundamentals of Data Science (0.5) ~2 (not available 2021/22) | |
EH101 The Internationalisation of Economic Growth, 1870 to the present day (1.0) | |
FM101 Finance (0.5) | |
GV100 Introduction to Political Theory (1.0) | |
GV101 Introduction to Political Science (1.0) | |
GY100 Introduction to Geography (1.0) | |
GY103 Contemporary Europe (1.0) | |
GY120 Environmental Change: Past, Present and Future (1.0) | |
GY121 Sustainable Development (1.0) | |
GY140 Introduction to Geographical Research (1.0) | |
HY113 From Empire to Independence: The Extra-European World in the Twentieth Century (1.0) | |
HY116 International Politics since 1914: Peace and War (1.0) | |
HY118 Faith, Power and Revolution: Europe and the Wider World, c.1500-c.1800 (1.0) ~A | |
IR100 International Relations: Theories, Concepts and Debates (1.0) * ~B | |
LL104 Law of Obligations (1.0) | |
LL105 Property I (0.5) | |
LL106 Public Law (1.0) | |
LL108 Criminal Law (1.0) | |
LN104 Mandarin Language and Society Level 1 (Beginner) (1.0) # | |
LN142 Mandarin Language and Society 2 (Intermediate) (1.0) # | |
LN251 Comparative Literature and 20th Century Political History (1.0) # | |
LN270 Society and Language: Linguistics for Social Scientists (1.0) | |
LN340 Mandarin Language and Society 5 (Mastery) (1.0) # (not available 2021/22) | |
LN342 Academic Chinese for International Relations (1.0) # * | |
PB102 Social Psychology (1.0) (not available 2021/22) | |
PH103 The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy (1.0) # | |
PH105 Historical and Global Perspectives on Philosophy (0.5) | |
SO100 Key Concepts: Introduction to Social Theory (1.0) | |
SO110 Power, Inequality, and Difference: Contemporary Themes in Sociology (1.0) | |
SP112 Politics of Social Policy Making (1.0) | |
ST108 Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences (1.0) # ~13 (not available 2021/22) | |
Footnotes for Undergraduate Outside Options List (Year 1)~A : HY118 can be taken in Year 1 only ~B : IR100 can be taken in Year 1 only ~C : LL109 can be taken in Year 1 only ~D : MG104 can be taken in Year 1 only | |
Prerequisite Requirements and Mutually Exclusive Options for Undergraduate Outside Options List (Year 1)~1 : DS101L can not be taken with DS101M ~2 : DS101M can not be taken with DS101L ~3 : DS105L can not be taken with DS105M ~4 : DS105M can not be taken with DS105L ~5 : EC1A3 can not be taken with EC1A5 ~6 : EC1A5 can not be taken with EC1A3 ~7 : EC1B3 can not be taken with EC1B5 ~8 : EC1B5 can not be taken with EC1B3 ~9 : PH111 can not be taken with PH101, PH104 ~10 : PH112 can not be taken with PH101, PH104 ~11 : ST102 can not be taken with ST107, ST108, ST109, ST110 ~12 : ST107 can not be taken with ST102, ST108, ST109, ST110 ~13 : ST108 can not be taken with ST102, ST107, ST109, ST110 | |
Prerequisite Requirements and Mutually Exclusive Options
* means available with permission
1 : Before taking IR320 you must take IR203
2 : Before taking IR323 you must take IR200
3 : Before taking IR324 you must take IR203
Before taking IR324 you must take IR200
4 : Before taking IR325 you must take IR200
Before taking IR325 you must take IR203
5 : Before taking LL342 you must take LL278
Footnotes
A : LN250 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes.
B : LN251 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes.
C : LN252 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes.
D : LN253 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes.
E : LN254 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes.
F : LN270 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes.
G : Courses selected from the list of language courses must be approved.
# means there may be prerequisites for this course. Please view the course guide for more information.
Language Specialism:
Students who have taken and passed at least one language course in each year of their degree (i.e. 25% of their overall programme of study) will be offered the opportunity to receive a language specialism attached to their degree certificate and transcript. Students must take all courses in the same language (French, Spanish, German, Mandarin or Russian) in order to qualify for the specialism. The three courses must also be consecutively harder in level, for example: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Students who choose to take language courses are not obligated to receive a specialism, but have the option if they wish. Degree certificates which include a language specialism will state the language in the title, for example: BSc in International Relations (with French).
Note for prospective students:
For changes to undergraduate course and programme information for the next academic session, please see the undergraduate summary page for prospective students. Changes to course and programme information for future academic sessions can be found on the undergraduate summary page for future students.