Why study this course?
If you’re passionate about international relations but don’t have the necessary requirements to enter the three-year undergraduate degree, this four-year course is perfect for you. On our International Relations (including foundation year) BA degree, you’ll gain all the academic skills necessary to succeed in undergraduate study, while being introduced to a wide range of current affairs and social sciences topics.
After completion of Year 0, you’ll study the same content and have the same choice of modules as students on the International Relations BA course. You’ll graduate with a full undergraduate degree with the same title and award as those who studied the traditional three-year course.
More about this course
The International Relations (including foundation year) BA course is excellent preparation for academic study and a career within diplomacy, politics or non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Your foundation year will be shared with students from other disciplines, so you’ll get to learn alongside individuals with different academic interests and strengths. You’ll find that the foundation year is a unique opportunity to improve your academic skills including critical thinking, essay writing and research in the context of social sciences.
The foundation year will also provide a broad base for the study of international relations. You’ll explore topics such as media, crime, race, society and identity, all of which affect the realm of national and international politics. These modules are also great in helping you develop vital academic skills, critically analyse material, and improve your writing and research abilities. During this year, you’ll also study a module more related to international relations, which will allow you to get a better understanding of the subjects and themes you’ll study in the subsequent three years.
We pride ourselves on providing excellent academic and pastoral support to our students. Your academic tutor and mentor will ensure that you have all the tools necessary to progress within your degree and settle well into life at university. There will also be opportunities to attend academic skills and career-oriented workshops, if you want to make the most of your study at London Met.
At the end of your foundation year you’ll continue on to undergraduate study, where you’ll find the course will focus on the in-depth study of the field of international relations. During your final years you’ll experience greater flexibility in choosing your modules and specialising in topics that interest you.
After completion of Year 0, you’ll study the same course content as students who have started on the three-year International Relations BA course. Learn more about the final three years of your degree on our International Relations BA course page.
Accreditation of Prior Learning
Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course.
Modular structure
The modules listed below are for the academic year 2022/23 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.
Year 0 modules include:
Critical Thinking (core, 15 credits)
Interventions for Change (core, 15 credits)
Media, Crime and ‘Race’ (core, 15 credits)
Reflecting on Self and Society (core, 15 credits)
Researching Discrimination (core, 15 credits)
Researching Inequality (core, 15 credits)
Social Issues in Context: Text to Essay (core, 15 credits)
Studying London (core, 15 credits)
Year 1 modules include:
Global Politics, Economy and Society (core, 30 credits)
Introduction to International Relations (core, 30 credits)
Peace, Conflict and Diplomacy since 1945 (core, 30 credits)
Politics and Government (core, 30 credits)
Year 2 modules include:
Approaches to International Relations and Foreign Policy (core, 30 credits)
Shifting Global Power in the 21st Century (core, 15 credits)
Strategy in the Contemporary World (core, 15 credits)
American Foreign Policy (option, 15 credits)
Contemporary US Politics (option, 15 credits)
Diplomacy Old and New (option, 30 credits)
Empowering London: Working within the Community (option, 15 credits)
Immigrants and Nativists (option, 15 credits)
Peace and Conflict in Theory and Practice (option, 30 credits)
Political Theory (option, 30 credits)
Politics of the Middle East (option, 15 credits)
Racism and Ethnicity (option, 30 credits)
The Politics of the European Union (option, 15 credits)
Year 3 modules include:
International Security in an Era of Globalisation (core, 30 credits)
Placement 1 Year (alternative core, 30 credits)
Project 1 Semester (alternative core, 15 credits)
Project 1 Year (alternative core, 30 credits)
Action and Identity: Gender and Political Participation (option, 15 credits)
African Politics (option, 15 credits)
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (option, 30 credits)
Empowering London: Working within the Community (option, 15 credits)
Human Rights and International Conflict (option, 15 credits)
Latin American Politics (option, 15 credits)
Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (option, 30 credits)
The Politics of Modern States (option, 30 credits)
Where this course can take you
Graduates have progressed into careers within international relations, politics and related disciplines. They now work for companies including Muslim Aid, the American Cultural and Educational Centre of Bahrain, the UK Department for International Development and the United Nations.
The course is also excellent preparation for postgraduate study should you go on to study any of our international relations or politics courses at a higher level.
