Global Affairs Politics and International Relations with Economics BSc Hons

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Course Summary

Embark on a transformative educational journey with our degree in Global Affairs, Politics, and International Relations with Economics. This multidisciplinary course, offered at our Exton Park site, is designed to equip you with an in-depth understanding of the complex interplay between global politics, international relations, and economic principles.

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the need for professionals who can navigate the intricate webs of global economics and politics is paramount. Our course provides you with a robust foundation in political theory, international relations, and economic analysis, preparing you to become a leader in shaping global policies and strategies.

In this degree, you will explore key topics such as international trade, global financial systems, economic development, and the impact of economic policies on global affairs. Our curriculum is carefully crafted to blend theoretical knowledge with practical applications, ensuring you gain real-world insights into the challenges and opportunities in the field of global economics and politics.

Our academic team comprises experienced professionals and academics who bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise. They are not just teachers but mentors who will guide you through your academic journey. Through engaging lectures, dynamic seminars, and hands-on projects, you will develop critical thinking, analytical skills, and a nuanced understanding of global issues.

The course also offers opportunities for work placements, study abroad options, and participation in conferences and events, providing you with invaluable experiences and networking opportunities. These experiences will not only enrich your understanding but also enhance your employability in a competitive global job market.

Graduates of this degree are well-equipped for careers in government, international organisations, NGOs, think tanks, consultancy firms, and multinational corporations.

Why you'll Love it

Integrated Analytical Approach

Experiential Learning and Industry Engagement

Global Perspective with Local Expertise

Student working on computer during data science lecture

What you'll study

In your first year of study, you will develop an understanding of global affairs, the key questions and challenges in the world, why these matter and who is affected.

You will study patterns of globalisation in the past and present, questioning Western and universalised approaches to world political, cultural, social and economic history through an examination of Eastern and Southern-led processes. Students will develop critical thinking, understanding the creation of the world system through processes of unequal power, violence and oppression contrasted with new and emerging technologies and broader change. You will interrogate the big questions in global affairs and international relations, exploring the theoretical lenses of international relations with the practice in world politics, enabling a deeper consideration of how the world might be understood and transformed. You will learn to decode global affairs, becoming empowered with the analytical and methodological tools required to comprehend how major global events are portrayed and re-presented in the media, news, documentary, film and academic texts. You will learn to unpack, and critically assess the narratives and representations surrounding significant international occurrences, doing so methodologically, and placing these in context and the valuable skills of political communication. You will explore key concepts, political ideas and key thinkers that underpin political and economic thought, enabling you to make sense of political ideas associated with industrialisation and modernity and how those developments have influenced political relationships between countries across time. It will provide students with the critical and reflective skills to be able to participate in the social, political and ideological nature of contemporary global debates.

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.

In your second year of study, 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 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 your third year of study, 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. 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 well being 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 with the option to choose the format of this and depending 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.

Students also have the option of extending their degree to four years and spending a full year abroad with one of our partners between their second and third years of study at the University of Chester.

This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term, students study 40 credits comprised of either one or two modules. There are specialisations within modules, where students can explore the areas that most interest them.

Scheduled contact hours in the classroom range between approximately six and ten hours per week per module, depending upon level of study and the complexity of the material being taught. Students can expect to take part in interactive sessions comprising of lectures, seminars, workshops, and peer-led seminar discussions. The course blends theoretical, practitioner and professional development across the years to enable students to apply their knowledge and skills in the real-world environment and become future leaders.

In addition to timetabled sessions, students spend an average of 30-34 hours a week on their studies which may include weekly asynchronous learning activities for each module, undertaking wider reading, using the University’s library, individual tutorial time with staff, working with peers, and preparing work for summative assessments. 

Teaching is delivered by our distinguished academic team, composed of experienced professionals and renowned academics. We provide insightful guidance, fostering critical thinking, and analytical skills. We are not just educators but mentors who are invested in your success, offering personalised attention and supporting your academic and professional aspirations.

You will be assessed through a broad range of research, practitioner and professional coursework, that demonstrates your knowledge, skills and understanding and provides for your career aspirations. Each assessment is comprehensively supported by specialist staff, who provide workshops around assessment. Formative feedback is provided, prior to the submission of work.

Assessments may include reading diaries, critical reviews, case analyses, portfolios, posters, podcasts, policy documents, conflict mapping exercises, resilience analysis and evaluations of projects, geo-political crisis response reports, digital scrapbooks, simulated debates, independent research and practitioner and professional based tools and applications.

These assessment methods optimise learning and skill development for a diverse range of learners with unique needs and preferences, and to enable students to build a wide array of skills to thrive in the workplace. This will help to ensure that students are exposed to the different types of tasks they might encounter in the workplace and have the opportunities to build the skills and confidence to manage these effectively.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Study a Common First Year

This course shares a common first year with students on the Global Affairs, Politics & International Relations pathway.

This means that you’ll learn alongside students studying a similar discipline, helping to broaden your knowledge and exposure to other concepts, perspectives and professions in the first year of your degree.

As you learn and collaborate with students from other courses, you'll not only widen your social and professional network but also learn new skills that will set you up for success in your industry.

In your second and third years, you will progress to studying more specialist modules within Global Affairs, Politics & International Relations, developing your skills to become a World Ready graduate.

Entry requirements

112UCAS points

UCAS Tariff	112 points
GCE A Level	Typical offer – BCC-BBC
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM
International Baccalaureate	26 points
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers - H3 H3 H3 H3 H4 Scottish Highers - BBBB
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above
T Level	Merit
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diplima: DMM
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

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.

72UCAS points

UCAS Tariff	72 points
GCE A level	72 points overall, including grade D in A level
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: MMP
International Baccalaureate	24 points
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 Scottish Highers: CCDD
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma – Pass overall
T Level	T Level: Pass (D or E on the core)
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diploma: MMP
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree.

Fees and funding

£9,250per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,250 a year, or £1,540 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

The University may increase these fees at the start of each subsequent year of your course in line with inflation at that time, as measured by the Retail Price Index. These fee levels and increases are subject to any necessary government, and other regulatory, approvals.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £13,950.

This fee is set for each year of study. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships which are applicable to each year of study.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.

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 it likely to be around £800-£1000.

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.

Where you'll Study Exton Park, Chester

The location

Modern learning resources and library

Seaborne library, seating and reception area.

Support Services

Fitness Facilities

A male student wearing goggles is swimming in the training pool between the red rope lane marker lines.

Chapel, Chaplaincy and Multi-Faith Spaces

Accommodation

Catering

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

Individuals who study with us have a wide range of career opportunities across various sectors, capitalising on their understanding of economic principles in the context of global systems. Some of the career paths include:

International Development
Economic Policy Analysis
Diplomacy and Foreign Service
Global Finance
International Trade and Commerce
Consulting
Research and Academia
Non-Profit Sector
International Journalism
Public Sector

These career paths leverage the graduates' ability to analyse economic issues within the broader context of global political and social systems, making them valuable assets in a variety of professional roles.

Careers Service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations with Economics BSc (Hons)

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