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BSc in International Relations

Programme Code: UBIR

Department: International Relations

For students starting this programme of study in 2022/23

Guidelines for interpreting programme regulations

Three-year classification scheme for BA/BSc degrees for all students from the 2018/19 academic year

Students on this programme have the opportunity to receive a language specialism attached to their degree certificate and transcript. See the details at the bottom of this page for more information.

Please note that places are limited on some optional courses. Admission onto any particular course is not guaranteed and may be subject to timetabling constraints and/or students meeting specific prerequisite requirements.

Paper

Course number, title (unit value)

LSE100

LSE100 is a half unit taken by all students, running across Michaelmas and Lent Terms in the first year. The course provides one of the marks that is eligible to be included in the calculation of the First Year Average for purposes of classification.

Students will choose ONE of the three half-unit options below:

LSE100A The LSE Course: How can we avert climate catastrophe? (0.5)

LSE100B The LSE Course: How can we control AI? (0.5)

LSE100C The LSE Course: How can we create a fair society? (0.5)

Year 1

Paper 1

IR100 International Relations: Theories, Concepts and Debates (1.0)

Paper 2

IR101 Contemporary Issues in International Relations (1.0)

Paper 3

Courses to the value of 1.0 unit(s) from the following:

 

HY113 From Empire to Independence: The Extra-European World in the Twentieth Century (1.0) or

 

HY116 International Politics since 1914: Peace and War (1.0)

Paper 4

A course to the value of 1.0 unit relevant to the study of International Relations from outside the Department, approved by the candidate's Academic Mentor and the Departmental Tutor. The following courses are strongly recommended (if not already chosen for Paper 3):

 

EH101 The Internationalisation of Economic Growth, 1870 to the present day (1.0)

 

GV101 Introduction to Political Science (1.0)

 

HY113 From Empire to Independence: The Extra-European World in the Twentieth Century (1.0)

 

HY116 International Politics since 1914: Peace and War (1.0)

 

PH103 The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy (1.0) #

 

SO100 Key Concepts: Introduction to Social Theory (1.0)

Undergraduate Outside Options List (Year 1)

 

OR

An approved foreign language course from the Foreign Language Selection List:

Language Courses

Skills course

Students take the following non-assessed course:

 

IR102 Thinking Globally: Studying International Relations (0.0)

Year 2

Papers 5, 6 & 7

Courses to the value of 3.0 unit(s) from the following:

 

IR200 International Political Theory (1.0) #

 

IR202 Foreign Policy Analysis 1 (1.0)

 

IR203 International Organisations (1.0) #

 

IR205 International Security (1.0)

 

IR206 International Political Economy (1.0)

Paper 8

One from:

A further full-unit course from Papers 5, 6 & 7:

 

IR200 International Political Theory (1.0) #

 

IR202 Foreign Policy Analysis 1 (1.0)

 

IR203 International Organisations (1.0) #

 

IR205 International Security (1.0)

 

IR206 International Political Economy (1.0)

 

OR

A course to the value of 1.0 unit relevant to the study of International Relations from outside the Department, approved by the candidate's Academic Mentor and the Departmental Tutor. The following courses are strongly recommended:

 

GV264 Politics and Institutions in Europe (1.0) #

 

HY206 The International History of the Cold War, 1945-1989 (1.0)

 

HY235 Modernity and the State in East Asia: China, Japan and Korea since 1840 (1.0)

 

LL278 Public International Law (1.0)

 

OR

An approved foreign language course to the value of 1.0 unit, approved by the candidate's Academic Mentor and the Departmental Tutor.

Language Courses

Year 3

Papers 9, 10 & 11

Courses to the value of 3.0 unit(s) from the following:

 

IR305 Strategic Aspects of International Relations (1.0)

 

IR312 Genocide (0.5)

 

IR313 Managing China's Rise in East Asia (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR314 Southeast Asia: Intra-regional Politics and Security (0.5)

 

IR315 International Relations of the Middle East (1.0) #

 

IR317 American Grand Strategy (0.5) #

 

IR318 Visual International Politics (0.5)

 

IR319 Empire and Conflict in World Politics (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR320 Europe's Institutional Order (0.5) # 1  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR322 Sovereignty, Rights and Justice: Issues in International Political Theory (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR323 Gendered/ing and International Politics (0.5) # 2

 

IR324 The Practices of Transitional Justice (0.5) # 3  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR325 The Situations of the International Criminal Court (0.5) 4  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR326 The Rule of Law: A Global History (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR345 Global Politics of China (1.0)

 

IR349 Conflict and Peacebuilding (1.0) #

 

IR354 Governing International Political Economy: Lessons from the Past for the Future (0.5) #  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR355 Economic Diplomacy (0.5) #

 

IR367 Global Environmental Politics (0.5) #

 

IR368 The Political Economy of Trade (0.5) #

 

IR369 Politics of Money in the World Economy (0.5) #

 

IR372 Nuclear Non-proliferation and World Politics (Special Topics in International Relations) (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR373 China and the Global South (0.5) #

 

IR377 The Politics of Peace & Security in Sub-Saharan Africa (0.5)

 

IR378 Critical War Studies (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

 

IR379 Russia in World Politics (0.5) #

 

IR380 The Politics of Inequality and Development (0.5) #

 

IR395 The Politics of Displacement and Refuge (0.5)

 

IR398 Dissertation (1.0)

Paper 12

Courses to the value of 1.0 unit from the following: G

 

IR200 International Political Theory (1.0) #

 

IR202 Foreign Policy Analysis 1 (1.0)

 

IR203 International Organisations (1.0) #

 

IR205 International Security (1.0)

 

IR206 International Political Economy (1.0)

 

LL342 International Protection of Human Rights (1.0) # 5

Selection List of Papers Approved by the Department as Relevant to the Study of International Relations

Papers 9, 10 & 11 options list

Language Courses (intermediate, advanced or proficiency level)

Selection List of Papers Approved by the Department as Relevant to the Study of International Relations

EC2A5 Microeconomics II (0.5) #

EC2B5 Macroeconomics II (0.5) #

EH225 Latin America and the International Economy (1.0)  (not available 2022/23)

GV245 Democracy and Democratisation (1.0) #  (not available 2022/23)

GV251 Government, Politics and Public Policy in the European Union (1.0) #

GV262 Contemporary Political Theory (1.0) #

GV264 Politics and Institutions in Europe (1.0) #

GY202 Introduction to Global Development (1.0)

GY220 Environment: Science and Society (1.0)

HY206 The International History of the Cold War, 1945-1989 (1.0)

HY226 The Great War 1914-1918 (1.0)  (not available 2022/23)

HY242 The Soviet Union: Domestic, International and Intellectual History (1.0)

HY319 Napoleon and Europe (1.0)  (not available 2022/23)

LL250 Law and The Environment (1.0)

LL278 Public International Law (1.0)

PH203 Philosophy of the Social Sciences (1.0) #


Papers 9, 10 & 11 options list

IR305 Strategic Aspects of International Relations (1.0)

IR312 Genocide (0.5)

IR313 Managing China's Rise in East Asia (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

IR314 Southeast Asia: Intra-regional Politics and Security (0.5)

IR315 International Relations of the Middle East (1.0) #

IR317 American Grand Strategy (0.5) #

IR318 Visual International Politics (0.5)

IR319 Empire and Conflict in World Politics (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

IR320 Europe's Institutional Order (0.5) #  (not available 2022/23)

IR322 Sovereignty, Rights and Justice: Issues in International Political Theory (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

IR323 Gendered/ing and International Politics (0.5) #

IR324 The Practices of Transitional Justice (0.5) #  (not available 2022/23)

IR325 The Situations of the International Criminal Court (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

IR326 The Rule of Law: A Global History (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

IR345 Global Politics of China (1.0)

IR349 Conflict and Peacebuilding (1.0) #

IR354 Governing International Political Economy: Lessons from the Past for the Future (0.5) #  (not available 2022/23)

IR355 Economic Diplomacy (0.5) #

IR367 Global Environmental Politics (0.5) #

IR368 The Political Economy of Trade (0.5) #

IR369 Politics of Money in the World Economy (0.5) #

IR372 Nuclear Non-proliferation and World Politics (Special Topics in International Relations) (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

IR373 China and the Global South (0.5) #

IR377 The Politics of Peace & Security in Sub-Saharan Africa (0.5)

IR378 Critical War Studies (0.5)  (not available 2022/23)

IR379 Russia in World Politics (0.5) #

IR380 The Politics of Inequality and Development (0.5) #

IR395 The Politics of Displacement and Refuge (0.5)

IR398 Dissertation (1.0)


Language Courses

LN100 Russian Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN101 Russian Language and Society 1 (beginner) (1.0) #

LN102 Russian Language and Society 2 (intermediate) (1.0) #

LN104 Mandarin Language and Society Level 1 (Beginner) (1.0) #

LN110 German Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN112 German Language and Society 2 (Intermediate) (1.0) #

LN120 Spanish Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN121 Spanish Language and Society 1 (beginner) (1.0) #

LN122 Spanish Language and Society 2 (intermediate) (1.0) #

LN130 French Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN131 French Language and Society 1 (beginner) (1.0) #

LN132 French Language and Society 2 (intermediate) (1.0) #

LN140 Mandarin Language and Society 3 (Advanced) (1.0) #

LN142 Mandarin Language and Society 2 (Intermediate) (1.0) #

LN200 Russian Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN210 German Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN220 Spanish Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN230 French Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN240 Mandarin Language and Society 4 (Proficiency) (1.0) #

LN250 English Literature and Society (1.0) # A

LN251 Comparative Literature and 20th Century Political History (1.0) # B

LN252 Contemporary Literature and Global Society (1.0) # C

LN253 European Literature and Philosophy (1.0) # D

LN254 Literature and Aspects of Ethics (1.0) # E

LN270 Society and Language: Linguistics for Social Scientists (1.0) F

LN320 Spanish Language and Society 5 (mastery) (1.0) #

LN330 French Language and Society 5 (mastery) (1.0) #

LN340 Mandarin Language and Society 5 (Mastery) (1.0) #


Language Courses (intermediate, advanced or proficiency level)

LN100 Russian Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN102 Russian Language and Society 2 (intermediate) (1.0) #

LN110 German Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN112 German Language and Society 2 (Intermediate) (1.0) #

LN120 Spanish Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN122 Spanish Language and Society 2 (intermediate) (1.0) #

LN130 French Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN132 French Language and Society 2 (intermediate) (1.0) #

LN140 Mandarin Language and Society 3 (Advanced) (1.0) #

LN142 Mandarin Language and Society 2 (Intermediate) (1.0) #

LN200 Russian Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN210 German Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN220 Spanish Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN230 French Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN240 Mandarin Language and Society 4 (Proficiency) (1.0) #


Undergraduate Outside Options List (Year 1)

Where the regulations refer to an approved paper taught outside the department, this means that you may take any course in a subject other than the principal subject(s) of your degree, subject to timetabling constraints and any restrictions listed in the Course Guides. If your degree is for joint honours (e.g. Philosophy and Economics) or is a major/minor combination (e.g., Geography with Economics), a course outside the department means a course taught in any department other than the two named in the title of your degree. The home department of each course is indicated by the first two letters in its code.

Please note that some course combinations are not allowed. Please see the Mutually Exclusive Options list.

The courses available as outside options where regulations permit are:

Outside Options for students in Year 1:

AC102 Elements of Financial Accounting (0.5)

AC103 Elements of Management Accounting, Financial Management and Financial Institutions (0.5)

AN100 Being Human: Contemporary Themes in Social Anthropology (1.0)

AN101 A History of Anthropological Theory (1.0)

AN102 Ethnography through Mixed Media (1.0)

DS101L Fundamentals of Data Science (0.5) ~1

DS101M Fundamentals of Data Science (0.5) ~2

DS105L Data for Data Science (0.5) ~3

DS105M Data for Data Science (0.5) ~4

DS202 Data Science for Social Scientists (0.5) #

EC1A3 Microeconomics I (0.5) # ~5 *

EC1A5 Microeconomics I (0.5) ~6

EC1B3 Macroeconomics I (0.5) # ~7 *

EC1B5 Macroeconomics I (0.5) # ~8

EH101 The Internationalisation of Economic Growth, 1870 to the present day (1.0)

EH102 Pre-industrial Economic History (1.0) *

FM101 Finance (0.5)

GV100 Introduction to Political Theory (1.0)

GV101 Introduction to Political Science (1.0)

GY100 Introduction to Geography (1.0)

GY103 Contemporary Europe (1.0)

GY120 Environmental Change: Past, Present and Future (1.0)

GY121 Sustainable Development (1.0)

GY140 Introduction to Geographical Research (1.0)

HY113 From Empire to Independence: The Extra-European World in the Twentieth Century (1.0)

HY116 International Politics since 1914: Peace and War (1.0)

HY118 Faith, Power and Revolution: Europe and the Wider World, c.1500-c.1800 (1.0) ~A

IR100 International Relations: Theories, Concepts and Debates (1.0) * ~B

LL104 Law of Obligations (1.0)

LL105 Property I (0.5)

LL106 Public Law (1.0)

LL108 Criminal Law (1.0)

LL109 Introduction to the Legal System (0.5) ~C

LN100 Russian Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN101 Russian Language and Society 1 (beginner) (1.0) #

LN102 Russian Language and Society 2 (intermediate) (1.0) #

LN104 Mandarin Language and Society Level 1 (Beginner) (1.0) #

LN110 German Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN112 German Language and Society 2 (Intermediate) (1.0) #

LN120 Spanish Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN121 Spanish Language and Society 1 (beginner) (1.0) #

LN122 Spanish Language and Society 2 (intermediate) (1.0) #

LN130 French Language and Society 3 (advanced) (1.0) #

LN131 French Language and Society 1 (beginner) (1.0) #

LN132 French Language and Society 2 (intermediate) (1.0) #

LN140 Mandarin Language and Society 3 (Advanced) (1.0) #

LN142 Mandarin Language and Society 2 (Intermediate) (1.0) #

LN200 Russian Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN210 German Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN220 Spanish Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN230 French Language and Society 4 (proficiency) (1.0) #

LN240 Mandarin Language and Society 4 (Proficiency) (1.0) #

LN250 English Literature and Society (1.0) #

LN251 Comparative Literature and 20th Century Political History (1.0) #

LN252 Contemporary Literature and Global Society (1.0) #

LN253 European Literature and Philosophy (1.0) #

LN254 Literature and Aspects of Ethics (1.0) #

LN270 Society and Language: Linguistics for Social Scientists (1.0)

LN320 Spanish Language and Society 5 (mastery) (1.0) #

LN330 French Language and Society 5 (mastery) (1.0) #

LN340 Mandarin Language and Society 5 (Mastery) (1.0) #

LN342 Academic Chinese for International Relations (1.0) # *

MA100 Mathematical Methods (1.0) #

MA102 Mathematical Proof and Analysis (0.5) #

MA103 Introduction to Abstract Mathematics (1.0) #

MA107 Quantitative Methods (Mathematics) (0.5) # *

MG104 Operations Management (0.5) ~D

MG105 Organisational Behaviour and Leadership (0.5) ~E

PB100 Foundations of Behavioural Science (1.0) # *

PB101 Foundations of Psychological Science (1.0) # * ~F

PB102 Social Psychology (1.0)  (not available 2022/23)

PH103 The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy (1.0) #

PH105 Historical and Global Perspectives on Philosophy (0.5)

PH111 Introduction to Logic (0.5) ~9

PH112 Intermediate Logic and Probability (0.5) # ~10

SO100 Key Concepts: Introduction to Social Theory (1.0) ~G

SO110 Power, Inequality, and Difference: Contemporary Themes in Sociology (1.0) ~H

SP110 Sociology and Social Policy (1.0) #

SP111 Social Economics and Policy (1.0) #

SP112 Politics of Social Policy Making (1.0)

ST101 Programming for Data Science (0.5) # *

ST102 Elementary Statistical Theory (1.0) # ~11

ST107 Quantitative Methods (Statistics) (0.5) # ~12

ST108 Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences (1.0) # ~13  (withdrawn 2022/23)

ST109 Elementary Statistical Theory I (0.5) # ~14

ST110 Elementary Statistical Theory II (0.5) # ~15

ST115 Managing and Visualising Data (0.5) # *

Footnotes for Undergraduate Outside Options List (Year 1)

~A : HY118 can be taken in Year 1 only

~B : IR100 can be taken in Year 1 only

~C : LL109 can be taken in Year 1 only

~D : MG104 can be taken in Year 1 only

~E : MG105 can be taken in Year 1 only

~F : PB101 is not available to third year students.

~G : SO100 can be taken in Year 1 only

~H : SO110 can be taken in Year 1 only

Prerequisite Requirements and Mutually Exclusive Options for Undergraduate Outside Options List (Year 1)

~1 : DS101L can not be taken with DS101M

~2 : DS101M can not be taken with DS101L

~3 : DS105L can not be taken with DS105M

~4 : DS105M can not be taken with DS105L

~5 : EC1A3 can not be taken with EC1A5

~6 : EC1A5 can not be taken with EC1A3

~7 : EC1B3 can not be taken with EC1B5

~8 : EC1B5 can not be taken with EC1B3

~9 : PH111 can not be taken with PH101, PH104

~10 : PH112 can not be taken with PH101, PH104

~11 : ST102 can not be taken with ST107, ST108, ST109, ST110

~12 : ST107 can not be taken with ST102, ST108, ST109, ST110

~13 : ST108 can not be taken with ST102, ST107, ST109, ST110

~14 : ST109 can not be taken with ST102, ST107, ST108

~15 : ST110 can not be taken with ST102, ST107, ST108


Prerequisite Requirements and Mutually Exclusive Options

* means available with permission

1 : Before taking IR320 you must take IR203

2 : Before taking IR323 you must take IR200

3 : Before taking IR324 you must take IR203
     Before taking IR324 you must take IR200

4 : Before taking IR325 you must take IR200
     Before taking IR325 you must take IR203

5 : Before taking LL342 you must take LL278

Footnotes

A : LN250 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes. 

B : LN251 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes. 

C : LN252 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes. 

D : LN253 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes. 

E : LN254 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes. 

F : LN270 Not available to 2nd and 3rd year students on the BA/BSc in Social Anthropology programmes. 

G : Courses selected from the list of language courses must be approved.

# means there may be prerequisites for this course. Please view the course guide for more information.

Language Specialism:

Students who have taken and passed at least one language course in each year of their degree (i.e. 25% of their overall programme of study) will be offered the opportunity to receive a language specialism attached to their degree certificate and transcript. Students must take all courses in the same language (French, Spanish, German, Mandarin or Russian) in order to qualify for the specialism. The three courses must also be consecutively harder in level, for example: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Students who choose to take language courses are not obligated to receive a specialism, but have the option if they wish. Degree certificates which include a language specialism will state the language in the title, for example: BSc in International Relations (with French).

Note for prospective students:
For changes to undergraduate course and programme information for the next academic session, please see the undergraduate summary page for prospective students. Changes to course and programme information for future academic sessions can be found on the undergraduate summary page for future students.