Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations and Spanish BA (Hons)

In Year 2 (Level 5), you will be immersed in the most important contemporary challenges in global affairs, with opportunities for experiential learning throughout the year, and a placement either in the UK or abroad in the third term.

You will study global conflict, security and peacebuilding, and have opportunities to engage with specialist practitioners working in protracted conflict around the world, seeing inside the missions that work on building peace and engaging with the practices that transform conflict. You will study international trade, power and diplomacy to understand the economic, cultural, political, diplomatic and societal relationships that combine to shape our world. You will explore global development, considering how global historical and contemporary injustices have created contemporary development inequalities, and learning about what makes a real transformational impact and how to do that through a series of professionally-directed assignments.

You will engage with the philosophies, theories and ethics beyond the West and the relationship of the West and non-West in geo-politics in both the past and present, learning to consider ‘whole world’ thinking as you engage with global challenges and problem-solving to create solutions that have impact. Finally, you will engage in researcher, practitioner and professional development to enhance your theoretical, applied and professional skills in the field of global affairs.

In this year, your Spanish is further applied to real-world situations in preparation for living, studying or working abroad. You may choose to take a language study placement abroad at the end of Year 2, or undertake a Cambridge CELTA qualification for teaching English to speakers of other languages.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

The Year Abroad brings you exciting opportunities to develop your language skills and cultural and intercultural understanding while continuing to study global affairs, politics and international relations at our partner universities in Spain or Mexico. Alternatively, you can become embedded in a local community by undertaking a British Council English Language Assistantship, or finding a work or volunteering placement in a Spanish-speaking country. 

In Year 3 (Level 6), you will refine your research, applied and professional skills in global affairs, politics and international relations, with opportunities to dive deep into specialised subjects and pursue an independent project aligned with your interests.

In this year, you will explore a range of modules including Africa in the World, where you will gain a nuanced understanding of African politics and international relations from 'the inside', through the concepts, theories, paradigms and contexts in which the political, economic and social logic of Africa come together, and which engage and challenge contemporary thinking and dominant thinking about politics and international relations.

You will explore sustainability as a global challenge that addresses the urgent need to balance economic wellbeing with social equity and the environment. In Global Communication, you will critically analyse the strategies used in political communication and their profound impact on global governance and power structures. In International Political Economy, you will investigate the intricate relationship between global politics and economics, and how power dynamics, trade policies and financial systems shape the world, offering fascinating insights into the forces that influence global prosperity and inequality and drawing on cases from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and our own place in the world.

You will undertake a major project in the field of global affairs, politics and international relations, with guidance from specialist researchers and practitioners; you will have the option to choose the format of this, which will depend on your professional aspirations. You might choose a dissertation, a policy paper or a research article ready for publication.

The year will end with a professional conference showcasing your specialist knowledge and understanding to a wider audience.

You will study social change in the Spanish-speaking world, as well as gaining practical, professional skills in translation and mediation. You may also choose to delve deeper into the study of languages in their diverse cultural contexts or to take your major project in Spanish, supported by a supervisor, on a research topic of your own choice, connected to issues of interest to you or that will help to prepare you for a future career pathway.

You will also have the option of extending your degree to four years if you choose to spend a full year abroad with one of our partners between your second and third years of study at the University of Chester.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
• Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials.

Students often elect to purchase a laptop; where students choose to do so, the cost is likely to be around £800-£1,000.

Most software specific to your course is available free to students through agreements we have with the software vendors. 

Occasional, optional field trips may be offered, depending on student demand. These are typically within the UK and, where chargeable, the cost is likely to be under £100. Students are not required to participate in order to successfully complete the course. 

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.