Why study International Relations and Military History at Aberystwyth University?

• Our department is ranked in the top 40 in the world for academic reputation (QS, 2017);
• You will become a student in the world’s first department of international politics, founded in 1919 after the end of World War I to help the world understand the world;
• You will be guided and mentored by lecturers who are enthusiastic and committed to providing you with an outstanding and dynamic learning environment;
• All students will have the opportunity to participate in our renowned ‘Crisis Games’; a three-day role-playing exercise in political, economic and diplomatic manoeuvre, developing negotiation and communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills;
• The Department operates a prestigious Parliamentary Placement Scheme, enabling you to gain valuable experience working alongside an MP (House of Commons, Westminster) or an AM (Welsh Assembly, Cardiff) for a period of 4-6 weeks during the summer. During this time you will write reports and speeches, undertake research projects, and respond to constituency issues. There may be further opportunities for you to get involved in elections and various international issues;
• The Department also has an International Student Exchange Programme based on close links with carefully selected universities in Europe, Asia, North America and Australia, offering you an excellent opportunity to expand your academic and social horizons by spending a part of your university experience abroad;
• The Department is also home to Interstate, the oldest student-run international politics journal in the United Kingdom, providing a unique opportunity for you to publish your work (particularly advantageous if you wish to progress to postgraduate study) or gain valuable experience working as part of the editorial team. Stimulating student societies foster a strong sense of community within the department, offering a programme of political debates, visiting speakers, conferences and workshops, alongside numerous social activities such as an annual ball;
• Last, but not least, the Department also offers a number of degree schemes and modules taught entirely or partially through the medium of Welsh. Further details may be obtained from the Department.

Our Staff

Lecturers in the Department of International Politics are all research active and qualified to PhD level, and most also have a PGCHE.

Employability is embedded within all courses provided by us. Our degrees provide a solid foundation for a vast array of careers across a range of sectors. In a rapidly shifting global economy, our graduates are adaptable and able to draw on a range of transferable skills, ensuring that they are always in demand.

The skill sets include:

• Effective problem solving and creative thinking skills
• Information technology skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Time-management, organisational skills
• Communication skills both written and oral
• Self-motivation and self-reliance.

What opportunities are there for me after I complete my degree?

Here is an example of what some of our graduates are doing:

Roles in the development sector, local and national politics, the Civil Service, Government research, Social researcher, roles in the third sector such as with NGOs, work with international organisations, journalism.

What opportunities are there for me whilst studying at University?

Employability is embedded across our teaching. We teach our students to aim for the career they want, not the job that they can get.

• The Department operates a prestigious Parliamentary Placement scheme, enabling you to gain valuable experience working alongside an MP (House of Commons, Westminster) or an AM (Welsh Assembly, Cardiff) for a period of 4-6 weeks during the summer. During this time, you will write reports and speeches, undertake research projects, and respond to constituency issues. There may be further opportunities for you to get involved in elections and various international issues.
• The Department is also home to Interstate, the oldest student-run international politics journal in the United Kingdom, providing a unique opportunity for you to publish your work (particularly advantageous if you wish to progress to postgraduate study) or gain valuable experience working as part of the editorial team. Stimulating student societies foster a strong sense of community within the department, offering a programme of political debates, visiting speakers, conferences and workshops, alongside numerous social activities such as an annual ball.

What work experience opportunities exist whilst studying?

Find out about the various opportunities that our Careers Service offers.

Enhance your employability prospects with GO Wales and Year in Employment Scheme managed by our Careers Service.

What will I learn?

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the four-year degree scheme.

In the first foundation year, you will be introduced to core components of International Relations and Military History.

In your second year you have the opportunity to explore:

• Key issues in the fields of War, Strategy and Intelligence
• International History and the Making of the Modern World
• A range of perspectives and approaches to the study of international politics
• Contemporary political problems and how they are portrayed
• The different methodologies to analyse topical issues in international and domestic politics.

In your third and fourth years, you will have the opportunity to study issues such as:

• The evolution of warfare since Napoleon
• The role of war and warfare in the history of key states and regions (such as the USA, the UK and Ireland, Russia, and the Middle East)
• Key aspects of the Cold War, the Second World War, the relations between state, societies and the military, Total war, Intelligence and warfare
• And undertake a compulsory dissertation in the final year to demonstrate your substantive knowledge in your chosen subject area.

How will I be taught?

We deliver this degree through the medium of lectures and seminars.

We will assign you a personal tutor who will be with you throughout your degree, this person will help you any problems whether these are academic-related or personal issues.

We assess our students through essays, reports, examinations, book reviews, learning logs and presentations.

We encourage our students to take part in the Crisis Games, which is a twice-yearly residential course away from Aberystwyth. Crisis games have been based on humanitarian crises, the Northern Ireland peace process, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the US presidential election, an Arctic environmental disaster, the war between Russia and Georgia. The Crisis Games will allow you to learn about aspects of international politics which cannot be taught in lectures and seminars, especially the constraints which political leaders face in responding to various crises. This is no doubt, the highlight of the year.