Politics and International Relations with a Placement Year University of Reading

Overview

Why is the world not solving the climate emergency? Are our societies descending into authoritarianism? How do wars start and by what strategies do they end? How should international actors respond to conflict in the Middle East? 

Key facts

If you care about questions like these – and want to learn about the fundamental elements of politics and international relations – then our four-year degree can get you started.

As a student in the Department of Politics and International Relations, you will benefit from a learning environment driven by high-quality research. We're ranked 6th in the UK for research quality in Politics and International Studies, with 97% of our research outputs rated ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (Times Higher Education analysis of the latest REF 2021 – when scoring by GPA Output). Learn more about our research impact.

The areas of strength include: 

• political theory

• comparative politics

• international relations

• contemporary war and peace.

Careers

Throughout this course, you will develop strong analytical and research skills, as well as gain experience in delivering presentations and working within groups. These skills are valued by employers in many industries, giving you the option to apply for roles that are both directly related to your degree or in completely different fields, including:

• British and European civil services

• political research units

• think tanks

• non-governmental organisations

• advertising

• management consultancy

• media

• banking.