International Relations and Development

About this programme

If you are interested in tackling the world’s biggest challenges – climate change, conflict, migration – and shaping fairer, more sustainable worlds, our BA International Relations and Development is built for you. The course uniquely combines the study of world politics with a deep exploration of development, empowering you to make sense of how societies across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East grow, change, and imagine their futures. You will explore how power, governance, and development interact across diverse regions, and how these in turn respond to the pressures of globalisation, inequality, and the environmental crisis. The course engages with global development not as a technical problem but as a political, ecological, and ethical project. It provides a theoretical framework for understanding the legacies of colonialism and the challenges of decolonisation at a time of crisis and complexity. Designed for global citizens and future leaders energised by the possibility of transformative change, this degree prepares you for a professional life in a range of sectors, including international development, public policy, government and the Civil Service, NGOs, consultancy, journalism, teaching and further research. In this course, you can take advantage of exceptional pathways to boost your employability. You will have the opportunity to spend one optional year working full-time in organisations such as NGOs, the private sector, or even the United Nations. You can also take an optional year abroad, to complete a placement or study at one of our partner universities, or