BA Politics and International Relations
Entry requirements
A level: ABB IB: 34 (6,5,5 HL) BTEC: BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: DDM BTEC Level 3 National Diploma: DD plus one A level at Grade B BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate: D plus two A levels at Grades BB Preferred BTEC: BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma Applied Science, Business, Health and Social Care, IT, Sport. Other BTEC subjects may be considered when offered in combination with one A level from the following list: Biology, Business, Classical Civilisation, Chemistry, Economics, English Language/Literature, Geography, History, Languages, Law, Maths/Further Maths, Philosophy, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Religious Studies, and Sociology.
Admissions (2022 entry, home applicants)
Offer rate 92%: 288 offers from 313 applications, from the university's Freedom of Information return.
What students say
Based on about 20 final-year students who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 89%
- Learning opportunities: 90%
- Assessment and feedback: 88%
- Academic support: 92%
- Organisation and management: 94%
- Learning resources: 95%
- Student voice: 88%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 55 students who started
- Continued on course: 98%
- Left higher education: 2%
What graduates do next
Based on about 14 graduates who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 65%
- Working and studying: 5%
- Further study: 5%
- Unemployed: 10%
Most common jobs
- Administrative occupations: 25%
- Media Professionals: 25%
- Business and public service associate professionals: 20%
- Managers, directors and senior officials: 15%
- Caring personal services: 5%
- Find their work meaningful: 100%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 85%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 45%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 185 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North West: 3%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 4%
- East Midlands: 6%
- West Midlands: 8%
- East of England: 17%
- London: 37%
- South East: 19%
- South West: 5%
- Wales: 2%
Who gets in
Based on about 55 students who started
- A levels: 96%
- Baccalaureate: 4%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Gold overall, Gold for student experience, Gold for student outcomes.
Modules
- The Global Cold War
- Academic Foundations in International Relations, Politics and History
- The Contemporary World Arena (20 credits)
- International Political Theory (20 credits)
- The Making and Unmaking of the World Order (10 credit)
- Power, Politics & Ideology in Modern Europe (10 credit)
- Power, Politics & Ideology in Modern Europe (20 credit)
- Politics and Government (10 credits)
- Politics and Government (20 credits)
- Introduction to Film
- Slavery to Black Lives Matter: African American Culture 1840 - present
- What is History?
- Art and visual culture since 1850
- Families, Relationships and Communities
- University-wide Language Programme
- Research Methods in Politics and International Relations
- Research Design
- Globalization
- Social Difference
- Critical Security Studies
- History of Political Thought (10 credit)
- History of Political Thought (20 Credit)
- Politics of Development
- Small Wars (10 credit)
- Small Wars
- Your Future Career: Preparing for the World of Work
- Modern China in a Global Perspective
- The American Century: US Politics and Society in the 20th Century (10 credits)
- Political Simulation
- The Politics of Star Wars
- Political Economy: Capitalism, Democracy and the State
- Gender and Global Politics
- Modern Germany: Recovery from Ruin, 1945-present (20 credit)
- African States and Nations: Before and After Colonialism, 1850-1990
- Digital Lives and Society
- University-wide Language Programme
- Dissertation
- The Asia-Pacific in Global Politics
- Contemporary Political Philosophy
- Feminist Philosophy
- International Politics of the Middle East
- Politics at the End of the World
- The Politics of Terrorism
- Geographies of Home and Work
- Jim Crow, Bootleggers and Okies: American Culture 1865-1940
- The Soviet Security State, 1917-present
- Gender, Intersectionality and Society
- War in the 21st Century
- International Conflict Management
- Environmental Thought
- Special Relationship? Anglo-American Relations since 1900
- Mobilities, transnationalism and diaspora
- After Empire: South Asia since 1945
- The Politics of Monsters
- 'Race', Racism and Social Justice in the Modern World
- Poverty, Pay and Living Standards
- University-wide Language Programme
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Politics and International Relations at Loughborough University earn?
The median salary is £30,000 after 15 months, £30,500 after 3 years, £38,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £30,500 and £55,000. The £38,000 median after five years is £4,000 more than the UK median for Politics.
What do graduates of BA Politics and International Relations at Loughborough University do next?
75% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Politics and International Relations at Loughborough University?
89% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Politics and International Relations at Loughborough University?
The typical offer is ABB at A level. The average entrant had 129 UCAS points.
What is the offer rate for BA Politics and International Relations at Loughborough University?
92% of home applicants received an offer for 2022 entry: 288 offers from 313 applications, according to the university's Freedom of Information return.
How many students continue on BA Politics and International Relations at Loughborough University?
98% of students continued into their second year, and 2% left higher education.