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Birmingham City University: International Relations and Security

Institution Birmingham City University
Department School of Social Sciences
Web http://www.bcu.ac.uk
Email courseenquiries@bcu.ac.uk
Telephone 0121 331 6295
Study type Taught

Summary

The International Relations and Security course explores issues of power, governance, security, decision-making, conflict, and cooperation across the globe. Students develop knowledge and high-level skills that equip them for success in their careers.

The course provides knowledge and critical understanding of communities and states facing challenges such as migration, terrorism, state violence, climate change and social inequalities. The study of International Relations encompasses relations between human beings and their socio-political and ecological environments at local, national and global levels. This course explores security, power relations, globalisation and the ways states interact, whether through cooperation or through conflict.

This course is designed with employability at its core, both through the teaching and through authentic assessments.

Authentic assessments such as projects, crisis games, live debates or presentations, directly link learning to meaningful contexts. Students actively engage with the material, seeing its relevance to future careers. This fosters intrinsic motivation and deeper understanding. Through authentic tasks you develop key skills: authentic tasks require you to apply knowledge, analyse, synthesise, and collaborate with classmates. These skills are sought by employers and are vital for lifelong learning. Authentic assessments provide opportunities for ongoing feedback and self-reflection.

Opportunities include placements, work experience or volunteering with external organisations, or through work-like learning and research experiences embedded into the course via simulations, role-play and practical problem-solving activities. You will gain work-related learning through employer insight visits, authentic assessments and volunteering; you will be able to apply knowledge in combination with transferrable skills, through guest lectures and employer-led skills sessions, as well as in-class tasks that help you develop skills in negotiation, time management, risk assessment, leadership and teamwork.

You can succeed in a wide variety of career pathways: policy-oriented work - within domestic and international NGO, charity and other third sector organisations; enterprise work - within social sciences-driven start-ups or private sector organisations; and working within institutional settings such as the civil service or diplomatic service, educational institutions, media and political institutions at the national and local levels.

Professional Placement option This course offers an optional professional placement. This allows you to spend 20 weeks with an employer, following completion of your taught modules, and is a great way to enhance your employability.

The experience you gain through your placement will allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.

If you choose the placement option, you will be responsible for finding and securing a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will be able to draw on the University’s extensive network of local, regional and national employers, and the support of our Careers teams. If you do not secure a suitable placement, you will automatically be transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.

Please note: Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process. As such, the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the professional placement option.

MA

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