Politics and International Relations (Bi-diplôme) - BA (Hons)

Course structure

Duration: 4 years full-time for BA, plus one additional year to obtain the Diplôme of the IEP

The BA in Politics and International Relations (Bi-diplome) is composed of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘elective’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.

The modules below are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

Modules offered at Sciences Po Lille will be taken in Stages one and four. For details of the modules available at Stage 5 please see the Sciences Po Lille website.

• Stage 1
• Year abroad
• Stage 4

Teaching and assessment

Our main teaching methods are lectures, seminars, working groups, PC laboratory sessions and individual discussions with your personal tutor or module teachers. Assessment is through continuous feedback, written examinations, assessed essays and oral presentations.

Politics Open Forum

We hold a weekly extra-curricular Open Forum organised by our School research groups, where students and staff have the opportunity to discuss and debate key issues of the day that affect higher education and politics in the world today.

Contact hours

For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours.  The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Programme aims

The programme aims to:

• meet the needs of those who wish to study politics and international relations within a broader social science context
• provide the opportunity to study in the UK and France and obtain degrees recognised in both educational systems
• enable you to experience academic and personal life in two different institutional, national and linguistic environments and develop knowledge and understanding of their respective cultures and societies
• place political questions, both domestic and international, at the centre of social-scientific analysis
• enable you to understand and use the concepts, approaches and methods of politics and develop an understanding of their contested nature
• enable you to link your studies to related disciplines such as economics, law and philosophy
• develop your capacity to think critically about political and social events, ideas and institutions
• encourage you to relate your academic studies to questions of public concern
• provide a curriculum supported by scholarship and a research culture that promotes wide-ranging intellectual enquiry and debate
• enable you to develop skills relevant to your vocational and personal development
• enable you to perfect your command of English and French.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

• key concepts, theories and methods and how to use them to analyse political ideas, institutions, practices and issues in the global arena
• the structure, institutions and operation of different political systems
• the social, economic, historical and cultural contexts of political institutions and behaviour
• the political dynamics of interaction between people, events, ideas and institutions
• the contestable nature of many concepts and different approaches to the study of politics and international relations
• the normative and positive foundations of political ideas
• the ways in which politics is linked to related disciplines such as economics, law and philosophy
• advanced use of the French language
• in-depth knowledge of French culture and society.

Intellectual skills

You gain intellectual skills in how to:

• gather, organise and deploy information from a variety of primary and secondary sources
• identify, investigate, analyse, formulate and advocate solutions to problems
• develop reasoned arguments, synthesise relevant information and exercise critical judgement
• reflect on, and manage, your own learning and make use of constructive feedback to enhance your own performance and personal skills
• use your understanding of different educational curricula and learning methods in your own work
• integrate into a different educational, cultural, social and linguistic environment.

Subject-specific skills

You gain subject-specific skills in:

• understanding the nature and significance of politics as a human activity within its wider economic, legal and philosophical context
• the application of concepts, theories and methods to the analysis of political ideas, institutions, practices and issues in the global arena
• how to evaluate different interpretations of world political events and issues
• the ability to describe, evaluate and apply different approaches to collecting, analysing and presenting political information
• either economics, law, philosophy or a third European language, depending on the option chosen
• advanced knowledge and use of the French language
• in-depth knowledge of French culture and society.

Transferable skills

You develop transferable skills in the following areas:

• communication – how to communicate effectively in speech and writing in both English and French; how to organise information clearly; how to use communication and IT for the retrieval and presentation of information, including statistical or numerical data
• numeracy – how to make sense of statistical materials; integrate numerical and non-numerical information, and understand the limits and potentialities of arguments based on quantitative information
• information technology – how to produce written documents; undertake online research; communicate using email; process information using databases
• reflective learning – how to explore personal strengths and weaknesses; review your working environment (especially the student-staff relationship); develop autonomy in your learning; work independently, demonstrate initiative, self-organisation and time-management
• working with others – how to define and review the work of others; work co-operatively on group tasks; understand how groups function; collaborate with others and contribute to the achievement of common goals
• problem solving – how to identify and define problems; explore alternative solutions and discriminate between them
• intercultural awareness – how to recognise the differences and similarities between British and French academic and cultural contexts and develop the flexibility to perform well in different environments.

Careers

Graduate destinations

As part of your degree, you develop critical thinking and transferable knowledge and skills that enable you to work in a variety of professions.

Our graduates have gone on to work in:

• local and central government
• practical politics
• the diplomatic service
• EU administration
• financial services
• non-governmental organisations
• journalism
• international business or international organisations
• teaching
• publishing.

Help finding a job

The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can give you advice on how to:

• apply for jobs
• write a good CV
• perform well in interviews.

Work experience

You complete a mandatory internship of at least six weeks before the start of your fourth year. Past students have had internships with international organisations, NGOs, think-tanks, governments, museums and media across Europe and beyond.

Career-enhancing skills

Our graduates develop substantial transferable skills that are valued in a range of professions.

These skills include:

• planning and organising projects
• analysing and summarising complex material
• expressing your opinions coherently and with sensitivity
• cultural and political literacy for the UK and France.

You can also gain extra skills by signing up for our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering