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Politics and International Relations BSc

London, Bloomsbury

Want to understand the substance behind the political headlines and deepen your knowledge of the forces shaping today's world? Develop the skills to assess some of the most pressing challenges of our time, both domestically and globally, while learning to analyse data and conduct impactful research. You’ll engage with practitioners from the world of politics, policy, and activism and be equipped to make your mark in the public and private sector, grassroots movements, NGOs, think tanks and academia.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 academic years
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£9,535
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
Programme starts
September 2026
Application deadline
14 Jan 2026
UCAS course code
L251
Apply via UCAS

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
AAA
Subjects
No specific subjects. An essay based subject is preferred but not required. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
GCSEs
English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4.

Contextual offer information

Grades
ABB more about contextual offers
Subjects
No specific subjects. An essay based subject is preferred but not required. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4.
Points
38
Subjects
A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5. An essay based subject at higher level is preferred but not required.

Contextual offer

Points
34 more about contextual offers
Subjects
A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

D3,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects.

AAA at Advanced Highers (or AA at Advanced Higher and AAA at Higher).

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

International applications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview


The three-year curriculum delivers both structured training in political science and the opportunity for you to focus on the questions that interest you most. Year 1 begins by investigating some of the great political challenges in the world today. You will also explore some of the main subfields of politics, including international relations, comparative politics, public policy and political philosophy. You will also have access to a number of ‘hot topics’ modules which tackle some of the most pressing social and policy problems we are facing globally.

Across Year 1 you will also develop your writing skills and learn about the use and misuse of data in politics.

The second year deepens your substantive knowledge. You will choose modules from a wide variety of options offered by the department. You will also delve deeply into the main methods in political science, learning the skills to undertake a wide array of research in your mandatory quantitative and qualitative research modules. Additionally, you will engage with practitioners from the world of politics and policy.

Finally, in Year 3, you are free to concentrate on the particular subfields, issues, and methods that interest you most, choosing several options from the full array of intermediate (level 5) and advanced (level 6) undergraduate modules offered by the department (and, subject to approval, offered by external departments). 

A limited number of study abroad placements may be available (subject to first-year grades and a successful application in their second year) for students who wish to undertake a year abroad. If successful securing a study placement, students will undertake the year abroad in their third year after transferring to the four-year programme at the end of the second year.

What this course will give you

Learn from world-leading experts in politics and international relations in the UCL Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy, who will teach your classes. 

Acquire the knowledge and know-how you need to analyse the major political problems of our time and evaluate how we should respond to them. 

Link your studies with real-world political developments, both through coursework that engages with current events and by learning from eminent practitioners at our flagship Policy & Practice Seminar Series.

Develop a portfolio of skills in how to undertake research; analyse data; argue persuasively and communicate effectively, valued by employers in both the public and private sectors. 

Teaching and learning

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BSc (Hons) in Politics and International Relations.

Modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

The three-year curriculum delivers both highly structured training in political science, and the opportunity for you to focus on the subfields, questions, and methods that interest you most. The first year begins by investigating some of the great political challenges in the world today. You will break into groups that explore contemporary “hot topics” in depth. Each Hot Topic Module is designed to address a pressing and timely political issue, and the smaller group setting allows you to develop a closer intellectual community with your peers as well as receive better support from your module instructors as you transition into university learning. 

In your compulsory modules, you will also explore some of the main subfields of political science, including international relations, comparative politics, and political theory. During the first year, you will also develop your skills of written and oral communication, and learn about the use and misuse of data in politics.

Year 2 begins by deepening your substantive knowledge. You will choose modules from a wide variety of options offered by the department. In Term 1, you will have two electives, and in Term 2 you will have three electives. The other three compulsory modules, including Quantitative Data Analysis and Qualitative Research Methods, will allow you to delve deeply into the main methods in political science, learning the skills to do a wide array of research - crucial both for success during the remainder of the degree, and for securing a job in the public or private sector afterward.

Finally, in Year 3, you are free to concentrate on the particular subfields, issues, and methods that interest you most, choosing six modules from the full array of intermediate and advanced undergraduate modules offered by the department (and, subject to approval, offered by external departments). You will also undertake a final year-long research project on an approved topic of your choosing, culminating in a dissertation.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Compulsory modules








Compulsory modules





Compulsory modules



Optional modules
















Migration, Politics and Policy


America in the World




Historical Injustice and the Politics of Decolonization




Your learning

Teaching is usually conducted through lectures and seminars delivered by the teaching staff of the UCL Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy. Lectures are typically accompanied by seminars that enable an in-depth and participatory discussion on the topics each week.

Typical contact hours vary between 8-12 hours per week, depending on the year of study and module choice, and include lectures, seminars, practice-based activities and e-learning activities. Students will also display a level of independent study (25-30 hours per week), for example, by engaging with key topics and required readings in preparation for the discussions promoted in the programme.

Assessment

Assessment includes essays, problem sets, examinations, presentations, literature reviews, policy briefs, research designs, course portfolios, and a final research project, culminating in a dissertation. 

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Politics and International Relations BSc Q&A (AM)

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Join us for an engaging online Q&A session, where you can ask any questions you may have about the programme. Speak directly with the Programme Director, current students, and Teaching & Learning staff to gain a thorough understanding and clarify any uncertainties. This interactive session is designed to provide you with valuable insights, helping you make an informed decision about your academic future. Don’t miss this chance to explore what the programme has to offer! 

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Politics and International Relations BSc Q&A (PM)

—

Join us for an engaging online Q&A session, where you can ask any questions you may have about the programme. Speak directly with the Programme Director, current students, and Teaching & Learning staff to gain a thorough understanding and clarify any uncertainties. This interactive session is designed to provide you with valuable insights, helping you make an informed decision about your academic future. Don’t miss this chance to explore what the programme has to offer! 

The foundation of your career

The Politics and International Relations BSc will equip you with a range of skills. Your training in independent research, data analysis, writing, and logical reasoning, alongside the breadth of knowledge you will acquire, will be valued by employers across the public and private sectors. 

Alumni of the UCL Department of Political Science have gone on to careers working for the civil service, members of parliament, domestic and international NGOs, management consultancies and other private sector organisations, news organisations and think-tanks, as well as undertaking postgraduate study.  (Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 cohorts).

Employability

Our goal is to produce graduates who can undertake independent research on complex questions, collecting and analysing data and other forms of evidence; who can express complicated ideas clearly and communicate them effectively in speech and writing and who can construct and defend reasoned arguments about politics and public policy.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £9,535
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000

Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

If you wish to study abroad during your programme at UCL, this is likely to incur additional costs. Studying abroad may cost between £200– £1,000 per month depending on where you choose to study. The cost of studying abroad can be difficult to predict as it will depend on your priorities and choices. There is more information available on the UCL Study Abroad website

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

We are looking for students with an interest in current political issues and a desire to understand the forces that shape our world. Applicants should express their own opinions on topics related to politics and international relations, and demonstrate critical engagement with contemporary political challenges. We are keen to see evidence of good communication skills, analytical ability, and self-motivation.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Apply via UCAS
Application guidelines
Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

Political Science
Political Science

polsci.admissions@ucl.ac.uk

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