International Relations and Development BA (Hons)

at University of Sussex

Year 1 at Sussex

Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Autumn teaching

• Colonialism and After
• Global Development Paradigms, Policy and Politics
• Introduction to International Relations
• The Rise of the Modern International Order

Spring teaching

• Classical Political Theory & International Relations
• Global Development Challenges and Innovation
• Key Thinkers in Development
• The Short Twentieth Century and Beyond

Year 2 at Sussex

Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Autumn teaching

• Contemporary International Theory
• Introduction to International Political Economy

Study abroad or Placement

• Study abroad (optional)
  Apply to study abroad – you’ll develop an international perspective and gain an edge when it comes to your career.
• Placement (optional)
  To help you gain experience and increase your employability, you can apply for an optional placement as part of your course. You’ll be responsible for applying for and securing your placement. Our dedicated careers team can provide you with information and advice. If you’re successful in obtaining a placement, this will form part of your course.

Year 3 at Sussex

Options

You choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

Autumn teaching

• Critical Perspectives on Conflict and Violence
• Cultures of Colonialism
• Development Tools and Skills
• Geographies of Money, Finance, and Debt
• Horizontal Development(s)
• Human Rights
• International Relations of the Modern Middle East
• Mercenaries, Gangs and Terrorists: Private Security in International Politics
• Mobilities and Global Inequalities
• Political Economy of the Environment
• Race, Gender and Global Capitalism
• Refugees, Migrants and Religion
• Religions in Global Politics
• Religions in Global Politics
• The Global Politics of Health
• The Global Politics of Health
• The Politics of Armed Groups: Rebels, State and Society
• The Politics of Armed Groups: Rebels, State and Society
• Trade, (De)Globalisation, and the New Mercantilism

Autumn and spring teaching

• International Development Thesis

Spring teaching

• Capitalism and Geopolitics
• Decolonial Movements
• Development, Business and Corporate Social Responsibility
• Digital Development: Gender, Health and Technology
• Dirty Wars? Conflict and Military Intervention
• East Asia Rising: Beyond the American Century?
• Geographies of Rising and Declining Powers
• Global Politics of Food
• Global Politics of Food
• Global Resistance: Subjects and Practices
• Global Resistance: Subjects and Practices
• NGOs in World Politics
• Politics of Terror and Global Histories of Violence
• Putin, Power, Populism: Russia and Eurasia in Global Politics
• Race, Ethnicity and Identity
• Urban Futures
• What is War
• Whose Histories Matter? Doing Decolonial Heritage and National Identities

A-level

Typical offer    
ABB-BBB

Contextual offer    

• BBC-BCC
• Not everyone has the same support to get to higher education – we help you reach your potential. When we receive applications through UCAS, we consider all factors and will sometimes make contextual offers as part of our Access and Participation Plan

GCSEs    
You should have a broad range of GCSEs grade 9-4 (A*-C), including good grades in relevant subjects.

Extended Project Qualification    
We take the EPQ into account when considering your application and it can be useful in the summer when your results are released if you have narrowly missed the conditions of your offer.  We do not routinely include the EPQ in the conditions of your offer but we sometimes offer alternative conditions that include the EPQ. 

• Home students: £9,250 per year
• Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £9,250 per year
• International students: £18,500 per year

Note that your fees may be subject to an increase on an annual basis as the Government reviews the fee levels.

Your International Relations and Development degree develops your communication, analytical and cultural awareness skills.

You could go into graduate jobs at multinational companies, national and international organisations, and employers such as:

• the Civil Service and government
• non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• charities and voluntary organisations.

You also benefit from our specialised career events. At these events, you can meet employers and find out more about UK and international graduate jobs.

Recent events have included advice sessions on the Civil Service Fast Stream graduate programme and NGO opportunities.

Graduate destinations

Recent International Relations graduates have started jobs as:

• programmes administrator, International Rescue Committee
• consultant, UN Migration Agency
• project manager, American Express.