The BA International Relations Combined Honours Degree three-year programme is designed to be an immersive experience that draws on the significant expertise of our diverse academic specialists in the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Are you passionate about developing critical global perspectives and actionable insights on subjects ranging from Republicanism, empire and revolution to War and the International?
See Department of Politics and International Studies
Other disciplines – Development Studies, East Asian Studies, Economics, History, Languages and Cultures, Law, Politics, Social Anthropology
Languages – Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean
Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings
Start of programme: September
Mode of Attendance: Full-time
BTEC: DDD
Access to HE: Minimum of 30 Level 3 Credits at Distinction
Scottish Highers: AAAAA
Scottish Advanced Highers: AAA
Irish LC: 360 points from 5 Higher level subjects at grade C1 or above
Advanced Placement: 4 5 5 (Two semesters - UCAS Group A) plus US HSGD with GPA 3.0
Euro Bacc: 85%
French Bacc: 15/20
German Abitur: 1.5
Italy DES: 85/100
Austria Mat: 1.5
Polish Mat: 80%
Fees for 2021/22 entrants per academic year
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.
Dr Kerem Nisancioglu Convenor
Please see the Unistats data for the various combinations of this programme under the Combinations tab.
The study of International Relations can be combined with a wide range of social science and humanities subjects, or with the study of languages and regions of Asia, Africa and the Middle East only available at SOAS.
* Students taking BA International Relations with another subject must satisfy the requirements of both Departments.
+ 4 year degree with (compulsory) 1 year abroad
++ 3 or 4 year degree with option of 1 year abroad
Click on a combined programme to load KIS data
The BA International Relations and… is a two-subject degree.
Over the course of a three-year degree, students must complete 360 credits. These can be split evenly between both subjects (180/180), or be varied between the two subjects if the programme structure gives scope for this. Students must have at least 150 credits in one subject (with a maximum of 240 credits being possible) and 120 credits in the other subject (with a maximum of 210 credits being possible) in order to be awarded a two-subject degree. The subject in which the higher amount of credits has been passed will be named first on the final degree awarded.
Please note: Students taking BA International Relations with another subject must satisfy the requirements of both Departments.
Students will take the following core modules:
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Global History | 153400084 | 30 | Full Year |
| Introduction to International Relations | 153400085 | 30 | Full Year |
Students will take modules to the value of 60 credits from the second subject
Credits must be taken in the following combination;
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Politics of Nationalism | 153400057 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Politics of the World Economy | 153400083 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Religion and World Politics | 153400162 | 15 | Term 1 |
| War and the International | 153400167 | 15 | Term 1 |
| International Institutions and World Politics | 153400068 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Postcolonial theory | 153400160 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Relations of the Middle East | 153400081 | 30 | Full Year |
| International Relations of Africa | 153400090 | 30 | Full Year |
| International Relations of East Asia | 153400155 | 15 | Term 1 |
| International Relations of South Asia | 153400082 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Globalising East Asia | 153400151 | 15 | Term 2 |
Students will take modules to the value of 60 credits from the second subject.
Credits must be taken in the following combination;
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Globalisation and global governance | 153400070 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Palestine/Israel and the International | 153400087 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Critical Security Studies | 153400148 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Decolonising World Politics | 153402002 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Environment and Climate Crisis | 153400150 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Taiwan's International and Cross-Strait Relations | 153400166 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Conflict, Rights and Justice | 153402006 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Year Project in International Relations | 153402005 | 30 | Full Year |
| Politics of Nationalism | 153400057 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Elections, Gender and Social Movements in Taiwan | 153400149 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Republicanism, empire and revolution | 153400163 | 15 | Term 1 |
| African Political Thought | 153402004 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Politics of Gender | 153400074 | 15 | Term 2 |
Students will take a minimum of 30 credits from the second subject.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fees for 2021/22 entrants per academic year
| Programme | Full-Time | |
|---|---|---|
| UK Students |
Overseas Students |
|
|
BA, BSc, LLB |
£9,250 |
£19,560 |
| BA/BSc Language year abroad | £1,385 | £9,780 |
Please note that fees go up each year.
For full details of undergraduate tuition fees, see our Registry's undergraduate tuition fees page.
Application Deadline: 2020-04-30 15:00
For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section
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:
Find out about our Careers Service.
Inger Lise Ellingsen, University of OsloIt is truly an international place where you meet people from all around the world, practice foreign languages and broaden your knowledge and perspective on life.
If you still have questions about this programme or studying at SOAS get in touch.
Undergraduate applications should be made through UCAS.