The joint BA programme in Politics & International Relations offers students the ability to combine our two disciplinary streams throughout their training, giving them a broad base of knowledge from which to analyse politics within and amongst countries. Students will choose from the options available to both joint degree programmes, and will take a compulsory course in Political Analysis in the first year.

At the end of the course, students will have developed a uniquely insightful and rounded approach to understanding political questions and current affairs across the world. The degree structure offers deep engagement with regional and international politics in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as problem-driven engagements with war, development, international organisations, state power, social movements, the global economy and other aspects of political life.

Teaching on the degree programme is tailored towards improving students’ understanding of the subjects, writing and presentation abilities and developing their skills as independent and critical thinkers. Whilst more introductory courses often consist of larger lectures followed up by smaller group seminars, more advanced and specialised courses encourage more student responsibility and leadership over the material.

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

Learn a language as part of this programme

Degree programmes at SOAS - including this one - can include language courses in more than forty African and Asian languages. It is SOAS students’ command of an African or Asian language which sets SOAS apart from other universities.

Year 1

Core Module

Students will take the following core modules (60 credits total):

Compulsory Modules

Students will take the following two compulsory modules:

Guided Options

Students will take TWO of these two guided option modules (60 credits total):

Year 2

Core Modules

Students will take the following core module:

Politics Disciplinary Options

AND

Students will take compulsory modules to the value of 30 credits from list A below

AND

Students will take compulsory modules to the value of 30 credits from list B below

Year 3

Credits must be taken in the following combination;

• A minimum of 30 credits from List A
• A minimum of 30 credits from List B
• Remaining credits can be taken from Lists A, B OR open options (maximum of 30 credits from the Open Options list Language Open Options | Non-language Open Options).

Politics Regional Options

International Relations Regional Options

List A

List B

Programme Specification

• BA Politics and International Relations Programme Specification 2021/22 (pdf; 214kb)

Important notice

Teaching & Learning

Classes are taught through lectures, tutorials and seminars. Assessment is by a combination of written examination and essays.

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.