BA Politics with Year Abroad
About this course
Bachelor of Arts in Politics with Year Abroad, a politics degree exploring global affairs, political theory, and international relations. Core topics include Research Methods and Global & Comparative Perspective. The course includes a compulsory year abroad. The first year covers foundational ideas through Debates in World Politics I, Understanding Politics, and Introduction to Political Theory. The second year builds core knowledge with Comparative Politics, Research Design, and Challenges to Liberal Democracy in Europe, alongside a wide range of options covering regional politics and political theory. The third year is spent studying abroad. The final year allows students to undertake a Dissertation, complemented by advanced optional modules such as American Foreign and Security Policy, Global Security, and Media, Politics and Public Opinion.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A Level: AAB. IB: 6,6,5 at Higher Level with a minimum of 32 points overall. BTEC: BTEC options considered
What students say
Based on about 233 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Teaching on my course: 88%
- Learning opportunities: 82%
- Assessment and feedback: 81%
- Academic support: 93%
- Organisation and management: 89%
- Learning resources: 88%
- Student voice: 77%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 260 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- Continued on course: 96%
- Left higher education: 4%
What graduates do next
Based on about 61 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Working: 69%
- Working and studying: 10%
- Further study: 12%
- Unemployed: 4%
Most common jobs
- Business and public service associate professionals: 25%
- Finance Professionals: 12%
- Business, Research and Administrative Professionals: 9%
- Elementary occupations: 8%
- Media Professionals: 6%
- Find their work meaningful: 71%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 66%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 40%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 295 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 1%
- North West: 7%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 2%
- East Midlands: 4%
- West Midlands: 20%
- East of England: 8%
- London: 33%
- South East: 17%
- South West: 5%
- Wales: 2%
- Scotland: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 360 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- A levels: 93%
- A degree: 1%
- Other HE qualification: 2%
- Other qualifications: 4%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Bronze for student experience, Gold for student outcomes.
Modules
- Debates in World Politics I
- Debates in World Politics II
- Pathways to Political Research I
- Pathways to Political Research II
- Global History
- Introduction to Political Theory
- Understanding International Relations
- Understanding Politics
- Comparative Politics
- History of Political Ideas: power, revolution and the state
- Research Design
- AI Essentials and Geopolitics
- Challenges to Liberal Democracy in Europe
- Digital Democracy
- Global Governance
- Feminist Political Ideas
- Globalisation, Capitalism and Welfare
- International Political Economy
- International Relations of Theory
- International Politics of East Asia
- International Relations of the Middle East
- International Security
- Parties and Voters across the Globe
- Political Ethics
- Politics of Sex and Sexuality
- Politics of Sustainable Development
- Post-Colonial Britain: Race, Identity & Belonging
- Russian Politics: From Revolution to Putin
- Sexuality and Identity Politics
- The International Law and Politics of Armed Conflict
- The Politics of the European Union
- UK Politics in a Time of Crisis
- US Politics
- Year Abroad
- Dissertation
- American Foreign and Security Policy
- China: State and Society
- Conflict and Peace in Deeply Divided Societies
- Contemporary International Political Economy
- Corruption and Clientelism: Global Perspective
- Environment and climate politics: from global to local
- Global Capitalism and Migration
- Global Security
- Identity in Middle East International Politics
- International Cooperation among Developing states
- International Negotiation
- Media, Politics and Public Opinion
- Nuclear Crises
- Parliamentary Studies
- Political Theory and Social Criticism
- Politics of South Asia
- Racism, Empire, and Political Thought
- Rising Powers & Global Order
- Social Justice and Politics
- Statelessness and Citizenship
- Strategy, Leadership and Foreign Policy
- The Diplomacy of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
- The Politics of Gender, Sex and Sexuality
- The Politics of Memory
- The Politics of Protest and Dissent
- Topics in British Politics
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Politics with Year Abroad at University of Birmingham earn?
The median salary is £31,000 after 15 months, £28,000 after 3 years, £36,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £29,000 and £47,500. The £36,000 median after five years is £2,000 more than the UK median for Politics.
What do graduates of BA Politics with Year Abroad at University of Birmingham do next?
90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Politics with Year Abroad at University of Birmingham?
88% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Politics with Year Abroad at University of Birmingham?
The typical offer is AAB at A level, or 32 points in the IB. The average entrant had 134 UCAS points.
Does BA Politics with Year Abroad at University of Birmingham include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has a compulsory year abroad.
How many students continue on BA Politics with Year Abroad at University of Birmingham?
96% of students continued into their second year, and 4% left higher education.