Politics & International Relations

Teaching on politics modules at Dundee usually takes the form of lectures and seminars (sometimes called tutorials). The lectures (one or two weekly) are designed to convey the essential information, concepts and theories associated with a particular topic. While all the students on a particular module will attend the lecture, the seminar is a smaller group - normally around ten to fifteen in number. At the seminar the lecture topic will be explored in more detail, perhaps through group work or individually prepared presentations.

Honours Degree

An honours degree normally takes four years, full time, you study levels 1-4, as described below.

Advanced Entry Honours Degree

It is possible to study for most of our honours degrees in three years if you have the required grades and subjects as listed in the Entry Requirements section. You study levels 2-4 below. There are definite advantages to considering this route as the time needed to study is reduced by one year which enables you to start working and earning earlier.

Typical Degree Programme

Visit the MA overview page for general information on our MA degree programme.

Level 1

A total of 6 modules, including:

• Politics and Policy (compulsory) which looks at UK politics. It has three sections:
  • Political and civil institutions in the UK. Who actually governs the UK and how?
  • How we choose and influence our leaders and how civil society is maintained (e.g. law and order)
  • UK public policy in action

and 5 other modules which might include:

• Introduction to Political Theory - provides you with a systematic introduction to the most important political ideologies. Through this module you will obtain an excellent grounding in the world views that have dominated politics across the world during the last two centuries. Topics covered include socialism, liberalism, conservatism, feminism, fascism, nationalism, environmentalism and Islamic political ideas.
• The Globalising World - provides a multidisciplinary study of some of the main themes of international relations from the end of the Second World War to today. It has three parts:
  • Global change since 1945 (includes globalisation, the end of the Cold War, the United Nations and the Global South, the changing nature of security and decolonisation)
  • Transatlantic relations from 1945 to the present day
  • Europe and European Integration

Level 2

A total of 6 modules, including:

• Comparative Politics (compulsory) - provides an introduction to the study of comparative politics. It explores areas such as power, political culture, party systems and political behaviour. It does this through the study of:
  • Comparative methodology: how do we compare political systems?
  • Two case studies (usually two of Russia, the USA and Spain)
• International Relations (compulsory) - introduces you to the structures and processes which underlie the relationships between states and other actors in the contemporary international system. It looks at:
  • The international 'system': what it is and how it has developed
  • How the political world 'works' through examining the competing international relations theories
  • The processes that keep international relations 'moving': diplomacy, international law, international organisations and conflict

Level 3

A total of 4 modules (2 modules for joint Honours), including:

• Theorising Politics (compulsory for single Honours Politics and joint Honours Politics and International Relations)

and other modules chosen from:

• Collapse of the Soviet Union
• Contemporary Politics in Ireland
• Contemporary Politics in the UK
• European Union Politics
• Foucault: Power and Knowledge
• Gender, Feminism and Political Theory
• Governing the USA
• Politics of the United Nations
• Politics of Transatlantic Relations

Level 4

A total of 4 modules (2 modules for joint Honours), including:

• Dissertation (compulsory for single Honours)

and other modules chosen from:

• Environmental Politics
• Gender, Power and Sexuality
• International Peacekeeping
• International Political Economy
• International Politics of Crime and Terrorism
• Marx's Capital
• Philosophy of Peace and War
• Russia in Transition
• Scottish Politics
• US Foreign Policy since 1945

To learn more about the modules that are typically offered at levels 3 and 4, please download our MA degree booklet or view the MA booklet online .

Honours Degree

An honours degree normally takes four years, full time, you study levels 1-4, as described below.

Advanced Entry Honours Degree

It is possible to study for most of our honours degrees in three years if you have the required grades and subjects as listed in the Entry Requirements section. You study levels 2-4 below. There are definite advantages to considering this route as the time needed to study is reduced by one year which enables you to start working and earning earlier.

Typical Degree Programme

Visit the MA overview page for general information on our MA degree programme.

Level 1

A total of 6 modules, including:

• The Globalising World - provides a multidisciplinary study of some of the main themes of international relations from the end of the Second World War to today. It has three parts:
  • Global change since 1945 (includes globalisation, the end of the Cold War, the United Nations and the Global South, the changing nature of security and decolonisation)
  • Transatlantic relations from 1945 to the present day
  • Europe and European Integration

and 5 other modules which might include:

• Politics and Policy (compulsory) which looks at UK politics. It has three sections:
  • Political and civil institutions in the UK. Who actually governs the UK and how?
  • How we choose and influence our leaders and how civil society is maintained (e.g. law and order)
  • UK public policy in action
• Introduction to Political Theory - provides you with a systematic introduction to the most important political ideologies. Through this module you will obtain an excellent grounding in the world views that have dominated politics across the world during the last two centuries. Topics covered include socialism, liberalism, conservatism, feminism, fascism, nationalism, environmentalism and Islamic political ideas.

Level 2

A total of 6 modules, including:

• International Relations (compulsory) - introduces you to the structures and processes which underlie the relationships between states and other actors in the contemporary international system. It looks at:
  • The international 'system': what it is and how it has developed
  • How the political world 'works' through examining the competing international relations theories
  • The processes that keep international relations 'moving': diplomacy, international law, international organisations and conflict

and 5 other modules which might include:

• Comparative Politics (compulsory) - provides an introduction to the study of comparative politics. It explores areas such as power, political culture, party systems and political behaviour. It does this through the study of:
  • Comparative methodology: how do we compare political systems?
  • Two case studies (usually two of Russia, the USA and Spain)

Level 3

A total of 4 modules (2 modules for joint Honours), including:

• Theorising Politics (compulsory)

and 1 or 2 International Relations modules chosen from:

• Governing the USA
• Politics of Transatlantic Relations
• European Union Politics

The remaining 1 or 2 modules might be chosen from:

• Contemporary Politics in the UK
• Contemporary Politics in Ireland
• Collapse of the Soviet Union
• Politics of the United Nations
• Foucault: Power and Knowledge
• Gender, Feminism and Political Theory

Level 4

A total of 4 modules (2 modules for joint Honours), including:

2 or 3 International Relations modules chosen from:

• Dissertation
• Environmental Politics
• International Peacekeeping
• International Political Economy
• International Politics of Crime and Terrorism
• US Foreign Policy since 1945

The remaining 1 or 2 modules might be chosen from:

• Gender Power and Sexuality
• Philosophy of Peace and War
• Russia in Transition
• Scottish Politics

To learn more about the modules that are typically offered at levels 3 and 4, please download our MA degree booklet or view the MA booklet online .

Honours Degree

An honours degree normally takes four years, full time, you study levels 1-4, as described below.

Advanced Entry Honours Degree

It is possible to study for most of our honours degrees in three years if you have the required grades and subjects as listed in the Entry Requirements section. You study levels 2-4 below. There are definite advantages to considering this route as the time needed to study is reduced by one year which enables you to start working and earning earlier.

Typical Degree Programme

Visit the MA overview page for general information on our MA degree programme.

Level 1

A total of 6 modules, including:

• Politics and Policy (compulsory) which looks at UK politics. It has three sections:
  • Political and civil institutions in the UK. Who actually governs the UK and how?
  • How we choose and influence our leaders and how civil society is maintained (e.g. law and order)
  • UK public policy in action
• The Globalising World - provides a multidisciplinary study of some of the main themes of international relations from the end of the Second World War to today. It has three parts:
  • Global change since 1945 (includes globalisation, the end of the Cold War, the United Nations and the Global South, the changing nature of security and decolonisation)
  • Transatlantic relations from 1945 to the present day
  • Europe and European Integration

4 other modules which might include:

• Introduction to Political Theory - provides you with a systematic introduction to the most important political ideologies. Through this module you will obtain an excellent grounding in the world views that have dominated politics across the world during the last two centuries. Topics covered include socialism, liberalism, conservatism, feminism, fascism, nationalism, environmentalism and Islamic political ideas.

Level 2

A total of 6 modules, including:

• Comparative Politics (compulsory) - provides an introduction to the study of comparative politics. It explores areas such as power, political culture, party systems and political behaviour. It does this through the study of:
  • Comparative methodology: how do we compare political systems?
  • Two case studies (usually two of Russia, the USA and Spain)
• Contemporary Challenges for Europe (compulsory)

Level 3

A total of 4 modules, including:

• Politics of the European Union (compulsory)

3 other politics/ international relations modules chosen from:

• Collapse of the Soviet Union
• Contemporary Politics of Britain
• Contemporary Politics of Ireland
• Foucault: Power and Knowledge
• Gender, Feminism and Political Theory
• Governing the USA
• Politics of the United Nations
• Politics of Transatlantic Relations

Level 4

A total of 4 modules, chosen from:

• Dissertation
• European Studies (core module)

2 other politics/international relations modules chosen from:

• Environmental Politics
• Gender, Power and Sexuality
• International Peacekeeping
• International Political Economy
• International Politics of Crime and Terrorism
• Marx's Capital
• Philosophy of Peace and War
• Russia in Transition
• Scottish Politics
• US Foreign Policy since 1945

To learn more about the modules that are typically offered at levels 3 and 4, please download our MA degree booklet or view the MA booklet online .

Honours Degree

An honours degree normally takes four years, full time, you study levels 1-4, as described below.

Advanced Entry Honours Degree

It is possible to study for most of our honours degrees in three years if you have the required grades and subjects as listed in the Entry Requirements section. You study levels 2-4 below. There are definite advantages to considering this route as the time needed to study is reduced by one year which enables you to start working and earning earlier.

Typical Degree Programme

Visit the MA overview page for general information on our MA degree programme.

Level 1

A total of 6 modules, including:

• The Globalising World - provides a multidisciplinary study of some of the main themes of international relations from the end of the Second World War to today. It has three parts:
  • Global change since 1945 (includes globalisation, the end of the Cold War, the United Nations and the Global South, the changing nature of security and decolonisation)
  • Transatlantic relations from 1945 to the present day
  • Europe and European Integration

and 5 other modules including one each from politics and geography

Politics modules available are:

• Politics and Policy (compulsory) which looks at UK politics. It has three sections:
  • Political and civil institutions in the UK. Who actually governs the UK and how?
  • How we choose and influence our leaders and how civil society is maintained (e.g. law and order)
  • UK public policy in action
• Introduction to Political Theory - provides you with a systematic introduction to the most important political ideologies. Through this module you will obtain an excellent grounding in the world views that have dominated politics across the world during the last two centuries. Topics covered include socialism, liberalism, conservatism, feminism, fascism, nationalism, environmentalism and Islamic political ideas.

Level 2

A total of 6 modules, including:

• International Relations (compulsory) - introduces you to the structures and processes which underlie the relationships between states and other actors in the contemporary international system. It looks at:
  • The international 'system': what it is and how it has developed
  • How the political world 'works' through examining the competing international relations theories
  • The processes that keep international relations 'moving': diplomacy, international law, international organisations and conflict
• Politics and Policy (compulsory) which looks at UK politics. It has three sections:
  • Political and civil institutions in the UK. Who actually governs the UK and how?
  • How we choose and influence our leaders and how civil society is maintained (e.g. law and order)
  • UK public policy in action

and 4 other modules which might include:

• Comparative Politics (compulsory) - provides an introduction to the study of comparative politics. It explores areas such as power, political culture, party systems and political behaviour. It does this through the study of:
  • Comparative methodology: how do we compare political systems?
  • Two case studies (usually two of Russia, the USA and Spain)

Level 3

A total of 4 modules, including:

• Geographical Methods (compulsory)

• 1 approved geography module

2 international relations modules chosen from:

• Collapse of the Soviet Union
• European Union Politics
• Governing the USA
• Politics of the United Nations
• Politics of Transatlantic Relations

Level 4

A total of 4 modules, including:

• Dissertation (compulsory on approved geopolitics topic)
• 1 or 2 approved geography modules

1 or 2 international relations modules chosen from:

• US Foreign Policy since 1945
• International Peacekeeping
• Environmental Politics
• International Political Economy
• International Politics or Crime and Terrorism
• Russia in Transition

To learn more about the modules that are typically offered at levels 3 and 4, please download our MA degree booklet or view the MA booklet online .

Your performance on modules is assessed by a wide variety of means - from formal exams where you answer essay-type questions from a previously unseen paper to 'seen' exams where you know the questions in advance but still must answer them in timed exam conditions. Prepared essays on a specific topic are also part of the assessment of almost all modules.

Additionally, seminar presentations may be marked and included in the overall assessment. As a general principle, modules will involve a mixture of assessment techniques in order to achieve an all-round picture of your abilities and to give you a chance to shine in the type of test that suits you best.