Overview and entry requirements
BA International Relations taught by our expert research-active academics is an excellent grounding in the complex cultural issues of global politics.
Exploring the political issues of Africa, Asia and the Middle East on a level no other university can, students learn about mainstream approaches to the study of world politics, as well as critiques.
You will develop a historicised appreciation for how, where and why Western-centric lenses of international relations were formed, how relevant they are to the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and what alternative approaches have emerged from these regions.
The programme is genuinely interdisciplinary in nature. It draws on approaches from political science, global history, political economy and sociology to give students an in-depth understanding of international relations and foreign policy across a variety of thematic areas and to develop expertise in regional politics
Our graduates work in a wide variety of fields, including politics, the civil service, the charity sector, media, business, consulting, law and activism. Many also go on to successfully pursue a postgraduate degree in the UK and around the world.
See Department of Politics and International Studies
Why study BA International Relations at SOAS
- we’re ranked 5th in the UK for Politics (QS World University Rankings 2022)
- as well as 3rd globally for academic reputation (QS World University Rankings 2022)
- study key issues in world politics today, including questions of war, empire, environmental politics, gender, international institutions, and the global political economy.
- learn the discipline of International Relations and how to question its boundaries and assumptions.
- study International Relations from the perspectives beyond the Anglo-American canon, through a focus on the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
- students can choose to study a language in second and third years
Explore
Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings
Start of programme: September
Mode of Attendance: Full-time
Entry requirements
- duration:
- 3 Years
Fees 2022/23
Fees for 2022/23 entrants per academic year
- UK fees:
- £9,250
- Overseas fees:
- £20,350
Please note that fees go up each year. Further details see 'Fees and funding' (tab on this page) or the Registry's undergraduate tuition fees page.
Structure
The BA International Relations is a three-year degree programme. In each year, students need to take modules to the total value of 120 credits following the below structure. Students have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of disciplinary and regional modules offered within the Politics Department, as well as modules offered in other Departments at SOAS as part of their 'open options'.
Year 1
Compulsory Modules
Students will take the following three compulsory modules (90 credits total):
Optional Modules
Students can take ONE of the following 30 credit guided options OR modules to the value of 30 credits from the Language Open Options list.
Year 2
Credits must be taken in the following combination;
- Introduction to Research Methods (153400156) (15 credits)
- 30-45 credits from Year 2 Disciplinary options AND
- 30-45 credits from Year 2 Regional options AND
- Up to 30 credits from Second Year Options OR Languages Open Option list
Disciplinary Options
Regional Options
Second Year Options
Year 3
Credits must be taken in the following combination;
- 45 credits from List A AND
- At least of 45 credits from List B AND
- Remaining credits can be taken from Open Options Language Open Options | Non-language Open Options.
List A
List B
Programme Specification
Important notice
The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. If you are a current student you can find structure information on the previous year link at the top of the page or through your Department. Please read the important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules.
Teaching & Learning
By the end of the programme students will have acquired a range of transferable skills. This includes the ability to collect and synthesise information, read and evaluate complex materials, assess the evidence for a range of different positions, construct arguments, exercise independence of judgement and communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Contact hours
Most of our modules are taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials. Lectures (50 minutes) provide broad overviews of the topic. They are accompanied by tutorials (50 minutes) that give students the opportunity to discuss readings and key issues in small groups. In the final year, modules may also take the form of two-hour seminars allowing for deeper engagement with more specialised topics. The programme provides methodological and skills training throughout and allows final year students to undertake an independent research project, such as a dissertation, supervised by an academic member of staff
Learning resources
Students also benefit from the vibrant learning environment SOAS provides more broadly. The 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. Moreover, every year there is a lively events programme that attracts renowned speakers from around the world, allowing students to engage with cutting edge debates on contemporary politics.
Tuition fees
Fees for 2022/23 entrants per academic year
| Programme |
Full-Time |
UK
Students |
Overseas
Students |
|
BA, BSc, LLB
|
£9,250
|
£20,350 |
| BA/BSc Language year abroad |
£1,385 |
£10,175 |
Please note that fees go up each year.
For full details of undergraduate tuition fees, see our Registry's undergraduate tuition fees page.
Scholarships
Application Deadline: 2020-04-30 15:00
For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section
Employment
SOAS Politics and International Relations students leave SOAS not only with a knowledge and understanding of the complex political and cultural issues of our time, but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers.
Recent graduates from the Department of Politics and International Studies have been hired by:
- BBC World Service
- Bloomberg
- British Red Cross
- British Council
- Center for International Peace Operations
- Channel 4
- Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA)
- Department for International Development (DfID)
- Eversheds LLP
- Financial Times
- Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
- Global Policy Institute
- Go East Consulting
- Grassroot Diplomat
- Palestine Red Crescent Association
- Save the Children
- UNICEF Ethiopia
- United Nations
Find out about our Careers Service.
A Student's Perspective
Located at the centre of Europe, SOAS offers a great course for students who want to study International Relations from a non-Eurocentric perspective. All the staff and students are passionate about what they are doing, the class is always full of energy and fun. If you want to learn about the world from a non-Western aspect, SOAS is definitely the best choice.
Yumeng Li
