Program Overview

Why do international conflicts arise? Why are other parts of the world largely peaceful? What is the role of the United Nations and other international organisations? What is globalisation and how does it impact our daily lives? What are the prospects for international cooperation in addressing problems like global warming and environmental degradation?

Based in the top politics department in the country, this course should interest you if you want to understand how the international system works, how decisions are made and how lines are drawn. Taking this course gives you a foundation in politics, while the study of international relations develops your research and critical analysis skills, teaching you methods of analysis and giving you awareness of the world system.

This course explores many major areas of international relations, including:

• Conflict and security studies
• Comparative politics
• International political economy
• Political theory
• Politics of the Middle East

Politics at Essex is all about moving from opinions to evidence. You will quickly learn to ask – and how to answer – the “how do you know?” question. We train our students to be fearless and independent, to question everything and to draw on the broadest possible range of facts and ideas.

Study abroad

Your education extends beyond the university campus. We support you in expanding your education through offering the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of our partner universities. The four-year version of our degree allows you to spend the third year abroad or employed on a placement abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the three-year course.

Studying abroad allows you to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised.

If you spend a full year abroad you'll only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year. You won't pay any tuition fees to your host university.