Politics and International Relations
Few subjects are as directly engaged with big issues as politics. Our courses explore power – who exercises it, for whom, how it is unequally distributed, and with what consequences.
Political environment
Bristol is a politically engaged and culturally diverse city – a fascinating setting for studying politics and international relations.
Top reputation
Bristol is ranked 10th in the UK for both Politics and International Relations (Complete University Guide 2027).
Graduate success
Bristol graduates are the 6th most targeted by top UK employers (High Fliers Research 2026) and go on to successful careers in government, non-governmental organisations, finance, law, the media, research and voluntary sector work.
Politics and International Relations courses for 2027
Politics and International Relations at Bristol
Gain a world-class education in a diverse, supportive and engaging university.
Study the politics of individual countries and governments and the relationships between nations, communities and individuals. Explore different views and methods of analysis and learn to apply and evaluate them effectively. Join our expert scholars in a vibrant and challenging academic and social environment.
Our staff are global leaders in many areas of political study, including security, European politics, gender, political philosophy (analytic and continental), international development, international organisations, environmental politics, and US and British politics.
Our students reach a high level of achievement and Bristol graduates are in demand, with 83% in work or further education 15 months after graduation (DiscoverUni 2022/23).
The university is a platform for human and intellectual development. It's all about challenging yourself to be better as a student and as a person. I like the units on my course and it's easy to have cultural exchanges – I never stop learning from my peers.
Juan Pablo
BSc Politics and International Relations
Career prospects
Our graduates succeed with a wide variety of employers including UK government departments; international non-governmental organisations (such as Oxfam); finance; law; the media; education and research; and public and voluntary sector organisations.
You will learn how to operate in a deadline-driven environment and how to manage competing demands. You will enhance your IT, communication, learning and interpersonal skills and develop your ability to make critical judgements and reach evaluative conclusions.
Course structures
All our courses include a mix of world politics and international relations; comparative and national politics; political theory; and approaches and methods.
Our first-year core units provide an introduction to concepts such as power, the state, democracy, freedom and citizenship. Learn about political institutions and practice in a range of different countries; theories and controversies in international relations; and how we go about studying and researching the 'political'.
The second year introduces you to the major subfields of the discipline: political theory, international relations, and comparative and national politics. Units are exciting and varied and could include The Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa, Green Political Theory, Politics and Policymaking in the UK, and more.
The final year offers a wide choice from a changing menu of more specialist units, allowing you to focus on what interests you most. These may include:
- States and Markets
- Feminisms, Gender and International Relations
- The Politics of the Contemporary Labour Party
- Peace Building Theory and Practice
- Populism and Politics in India.
Single honours students will write a dissertation, providing an opportunity to concentrate on a single topic of special interest. Joint honours students can choose to take the dissertation as an option.
