Bachelor of Science in Politics

at Brunel University London United Kingdom

If you follow the news and keep up-to-date on what’s happening in the world, you will know that the challenge of keeping people and nations secure is a focus and a priority across the globe. What does the future hold for keeping us safe, and how are solutions concluded?

Everyone wants to feel secure. Whether it is the security of our borders, our food and water supplies, our data or our homes, securing the safety of our resources and ourselves has never posed as big a challenge as it does today.

Alongside the core spine of your Global Challenges degree, you will take an in-depth look at issues such as climate change, sustainable development, migration, terrorism, inequality and poverty and how they affect the world we live in, this pathway will give you a greater understanding of security issues, whether they’re on the ground, in space or in cyberspace.

Your studies are structured into three levels which reflect the depth and breadth of the subject: integrated, applied and advanced security. The integrated security modules in your first year will introduce you to four themes including security, intelligence, reasoning and influence. In your second year you move on to look at applied security issues to help integrate your knowledge into new topics of war and crime, space and risk. Then, in your final year, you go on to look at more advanced security themes like threats and government.

As part of your course, you will also investigate some of the measures adopted in crisis management including the security implications of militarisation. This interesting course will take you on a journey through variety of subjects including military studies, criminology, sociology, politics and war.

Throughout your course you will build your ability to work in a team as you build skills in project management, presenting and team pitches. A third year Enterprise Project will help to bring all these skills together as you work on a group project with a real organisation.

You have the option to apply for an internship at the end of your first year and can take a one-year placement between years two and three, giving you valuable work experience and a step ahead for your career when you graduate.

Are you curious about how to deal with ecological and environmental challenges that affect nations across the world? Our new Global Challenges undergraduate degrees have been designed with disrupters in mind – people who aren’t afraid to ask questions and to pull in knowledge from across disciplines to get to the root of the planetary problems we face.

Within the core spine of your Global Challenges degree, you will take an in-depth look at issues such as climate change, sustainable development, migration, terrorism, inequality and poverty and how they affect the world we live in, the Planetary Health pathway will also introduce you to the impact human activity has on the earth systems and in turn affects our health.

You will explore questions about the environmental challenges current and future populations face as you learn to analyse and manage issues alongside the Brunel experts teaching this course.

Planetary health is a global concern. The impact of human activity must be addressed and managed so that we do not continue to damage our ecology and ultimately ourselves. As part of the Planetary Health Alliance, Brunel University London works alongside 70 dedicated universities, NGOs, government entities and research institutes who are committed to making advances in this area. This means that the knowledge you gain during your studies will come directly from the most up-to-date sources.

As part of your course you will look at the connections between changes in the environment and health outcomes. For example, how the environment has caused certain wildlife species to become extinct, or how the use of pesticides in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables may have physical or mental health risks.

You will also explore some of the technologies and political and economic strategies employed in healing the planet, such as the reduction of greenhouse gasses by avoiding the use of damaging household products, to saving energy around the home.

Throughout your course you will build your ability to work in teams as you pick up skills in project management, presenting and team pitches. A third year Enterprise Project will help to bring all these skills together as you work on a group project with a real organisation.

You have the option to apply for an internship at the end of your first year and can take a one-year placement between years two and three, giving you valuable work experience and a step ahead for your career when you graduate.

As a graduate of the new Global Challenges course you will be inquisitive and analytical with a large amount of knowledge that could change the world, as you’ll have learnt how to assess contrasting sets of data and different arguments to form your own ideas and opinions.

Often credited as the ‘father of immunology’ Edward Jenner is said to have saved more lives than any other human being through his discovery of the smallpox vaccine. Modern study of immunology is an exciting and fast moving area of biomedicine and remains an extremely rewarding one to be part of.

At Brunel, we understand that your specialist knowledge should be built on a sound grounding of all the areas of biomedical sciences. This means that your first year will cover areas such as the human body, biochemistry and research skills. As you continue through your degree, you'll study specialist areas that will give you a greater understanding of the role of the immune system. You’ll learn about how the human defence system helps to prevent disease and you’ll focus on how this can fail through deficiencies in immunity.

And if you change your mind about your specialist area, don’t worry. The flexibility of our course at Brunel means that you can switch to another specialist pathway in the second year or even take the general Biomedical Sciences BSc.

The Royal Society of Biology has awarded its accreditation to all of Brunel’s undergraduate Biomedical Sciences courses. This means you can be confident that your degree will prepare you for the working world – and your prospective employers will know this too. You'll receive a one year’s membership as an Associate Member once you graduate, integrating you into the sector with access to key contacts and up-to-date knowledge.

In your final year, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to our research programmes in cellular and biochemical pathways, the regulation of gene expression, DNA repair and immunological responses to microbial infection. This will give you first-hand experience of real-world laboratory research and prepare you for your future career.

Our global temperature has increased to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. What is the impact of this and what will happen if it continues to rise? Studying Environmental Sciences at Brunel will give you the foundation you need to pursue a career that makes a difference to our planet.

At Brunel you’ll develop your scientific skills in the classroom, laboratory and through field work. You’ll attend residential field trips in the UK and abroad. Our current trips take students to Dorset and Tenerife.

Your first year will bring together many different disciplines. You’ll use physical, chemical and biological knowledge to develop an understanding of the Earth’s environment.

Your course is based on the 15 “most wanted skills” identified from a national employer’s survey by the Natural Environment Research Council. This means that in addition to studying scientific topics, you’ll learn to use computer programs such as GIS, you’ll perform data analysis and be trained in areas such as public engagement, communication, leadership and teamwork.

You'll also have the option to carry out a placement as part of your degree, giving you the experience to create a stand-out CV. The Environmental Sciences BSc offers a unique compressed degree where you can carry out two placements within your three year degree during summer vacations, where you’ll earn a graduate level salary. You can also carry out a one year placement between years two and three, as part of a four year degree.

The Brunel Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences (Physical Education, Coaching and Social Issues) BSc is for students who are interested in working in physical education or youth sport, developing sport in communities, helping individuals fulfil their potential in sport and health, as well as those seeking to gain a strong understanding and application of sports coaching principles and practices.

You'll explore the sociological, political, pedagogical and psychological factors that influence participation in physical education and sport, and how these relate to sports performance, physical activity, health and wellbeing. You'll learn how to plan, deliver, manage and evaluate high-quality activities and events aimed at encouraging and enabling people to get involved in sport and physical activity, from grassroots to elite level.

You’ll also explore social issues in physical education such as gender, race and religion and inclusive practice. In addition, you'll learn historical and philosophical aspects related to PE.

Your studies will be supported by some of the best teaching and sports facilities in the UK that include our:

• State-of-the-art physiology, biomechanics and psychology laboratories
• World-class indoor athletics centre
• International-standard 400m six-lane athletics track with full field event facilities
• Large indoor netball hall
• Multi-use sports centre equipped with squash, basketball and netball courts, as well as a superb climbing wall.
• Members-only fitness suite featuring treadmills, cycles and rowing machines
• A weight-training area with free and fixed weights
• Grass and third-generation (3G) all-weather pitches
• Outdoor tennis courts

You'll also have the opportunity to carry out a placement as part of your degree. This will give you the type of experience that will enable you to create a standout CV. Our Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences (Physical Education, Coaching and Social Issues) BSc offers two placement options: you can choose to carry out two placements during the summer vacations within the three year degree, or a one year placement between years two and three, as part of a four year degree.

Learn what role the media plays in shaping our society and influencing peoples’ thoughts and behaviours by studying our exciting Sociology (Media) BSc.  

By adding media studies to your study of sociology, you’ll be able to explore and specialise in areas such as the social impact of new media, the internet and other information and communications technologies, media discourse, media policy and regulation.

The first year is designed to offer you a solid base in theoretical and methodological innovations in sociology and media. You will explore the similarities and differences in the methodologies used in sociology, media, and communications. The focus of study is upon all aspects of societal relations: it’s personal, social and cultural dimensions.

As you progress through the course, you will be able to choose modules you are interested in to actively shape and apply your learning to the issues you wish to interrogate. In your third year, you’ll work on a dissertation focusing on an area of interest of your choice. Your dissertation can be a theoretical or practical dissertation, so you can work to your own strengths.

Depending on the modules you choose, you may have the option go on fieldtrips where you will be able to apply your learning to current issues and broaden your theoretical imagination. Previous fieldtrips have included: Barbican; British Board of Film Classification; London Migration Museum; Museum of Comedy; Museum of London; regeneration areas (e.g. Spitalfields, Smithfield); and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

As you’ll be taught and supported by academics who are not only experts in their field but are actively engaged in research, you’ll develop skills that can be applied from the classroom to the workplace. They know the industry inside out, so you know you are learning from experienced professionals who will bring their unique insights into the classroom and will ensure your learning is up-to-date.

Gain an insight into life after your studies by putting your learning into practice by opting for a one-year work placement or two short placements for six months at a time. You will graduate with valuable work experience to enhance your employment prospects and will be able to develop an understanding the working world. We have excellent links with a wide range of notable external organisations, so you will have the opportunity to apply for high quality placements across London.

Some of our sociology and media students have undertaken placements in a variety of companies including the political research unit at the Conservative Party Campaign HQ, the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office, the Prince’s Trust, the Crime Statistics Unit at the Home Office, Citizens Advice Bureau and the Department of Work and Pensions.

This is a broad-based degree which will enable and encourage you to specialise in areas which particularly fascinate you. As a graduate of this dynamic degree, you will leave us with various transferable skills that are key to the contemporary employment market. 

This conversion course has been tailored to provide you with a firm foundation in the core areas of psychology as defined by the British Psychological Society (BPS). These include biological, cognitive, social, developmental, social psychology, individual differences and statistics and research methods.

You’ll also develop analytic expertise and research skills, creating a solid basis for further advanced study within the discipline (e.g. PhD, ClinPsyD, DEdPsy).

Our academic experts use a wide variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars and self-directed learning to provide you with a comprehensive learning experience. You’re fully supported throughout the whole degree process including having a personal tutor and receiving one-to-one specialist academic supervision to complete the empirical research project that will demonstrate your depth of knowledge of a specialist area in psychology.

You’ll qualify for membership of the BPS – a mark of quality and an essential entry qualification for postgraduate professional training in psychology to practise as a health professional.
This course is now available to study fully online, which means you can earn your conversion master’s from wherever you live and work. Studying online, you’ll still benefit from connecting to fellow students, professionals, and academics worldwide, through our innovative online learning platform.  

The Brunel Economics and Business Finance BSc gives students interested in pursuing careers in finance the theoretical and practical skills needed to understand and analyse economic and corporate financing and investment decisions in the business world.

You’ll get a solid grounding in the analytical techniques of micro and macroeconomics and develop your ability to critically evaluate economic events and their impact on financial markets.

You’ll study econometrics and develop highly valued skills in data modelling, and will get training in analytical packages widely used by business and financial institutions such as SAS, EViews, Bloomberg, Reuters and STATA.

We offer two study options. You can choose three years full-time or four years full-time with a one-year professional placement between years two and three that will give you the chance to apply the theoretical principles you’ve learned to a working environment.

You can tailor the final year of your course to specialise in an area of particular interest.

The degree is accredited the ACCA and CIMA, which means you’ll gain exemptions from certain professional qualifying exams.

In a financial marketplace that is becoming more complex and sophisticated, the skills and knowledge that you’ll gain from your Brunel BSc will stand you in good stead for a successful career.

This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.

As the amount of digital information increases, major institutions in sectors such as finance and medicine rely on robust structures that can grow and adapt. By specialising in software engineering, you’ll focus on how to build high quality systems which will be easier to maintain and develop as the requirements of the system change and available technologies evolve. The techniques involved include testing, service-oriented architectures, and refactoring.

On the Computer Science (Software Engineering) BSc degree course, you’ll also learn how to build different types of software, from web-based systems to mobile solutions. In the final year you’ll take compulsory modules in advanced computer science and choose optional modules that interest you in a variety of compelling areas.

In addition, you’ll acquire in-depth knowledge of algorithms, design, programming and testing techniques. By the end of the course, you’ll have confidence in your knowledge of common system and network architectures and system development approaches, requirements capture, design methods, models, tools, and techniques.

You’ll become well-versed in implementing and testing systems and software maintenance. Key to this course is cultivating a reflective approach to project management issues arising from team-based software development.

This specialist degree course allows you to display an in-depth knowledge of the management, organisation and execution of large-scale software design and development activities including reuse and integration. All our degrees emphasise acquiring knowledge and skills to develop your new understanding creatively and professionally. Although this is an academic degree, the course balances theory with real-world practice in information and computer management.

Our course is designed for flexibility, so if you’re not sure which route you want to go, you can select modules and specialise gradually during your time with us. You can transfer between Computer Science and Business Computing up to the start of Level 2, then, should you wish, to choose a specialism up to the start of Level 3.

We know that when you graduate, you’ll be working on large projects. That’s why one third of each year of our programmes is project-based. On Levels 1 and 2, you’ll build a software solution in a team, and in your final year you’ll carry out an individual project. You’ll also have the opportunity to showcase your projects at the annual  Made in Brunel (Software Innovation) event, with awards presented by the likes of Cisco, Sky and Xerox.

As part of your degree course, you’ll have the chance to take a year-long work placement between your second year and third year. We’ll support you in finding that all-important paid professional experience, in the UK or abroad. The feedback we’ve received is that those who have taken a placement are much more likely to find a job for which their degree was a formal requirement as it gives you a competitive advantage. Recent graduates have gone on to work for well-known names such as Accenture, Toshiba, Microsoft, British Airways, O2, and Barclays.

Our programmes are accredited by the British Computer Society, the Chartered Institute for IT, for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP), and on behalf of the Engineering Council, for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partially meeting the academic requirement for a Chartered Engineer (CEng). 

The accreditation also allows you to apply for professional membership of the BCS after you have successfully completed your degree.

The department has been awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze, recognising our dedication to the advancement of gender equality in STEM subjects. We now have an ongoing three-year action plan to further implement strategies and improve our practices. As part of this endeavour, Brunel’s  Women in Engineering and Computing mentoring scheme provides our female students with invaluable help and support from the industry.

Our Electronic and Electrical Engineering (Artificial Intelligence) BEng degree is a modern course that has been developed to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to work and research in electronic and electrical engineering with specialisation in artificial intelligence applications. The programme will help to develop key concepts of intelligent processing systems and intelligent software applications, implement intelligent systems and evaluate biologically inspired engineering systems that are essential for current and future needs.

You’ll gain a good understanding of the different engineering areas, giving you the opportunity to learn more about the fundamental engineering subjects such as design, structures, materials, fluid mechanics, electronics and maths and gain skills in technical drawing.

By specialising in artificial intelligence you’ll develop in-depth knowledge of artificial intelligence principles and electronic and electrical engineering techniques.

Access is available to modern technical facilities including computer, electronics, and power and control laboratories where you’ll work on your experiments. The latest industry standard engineering software packages are available for you to use in dedicated computer clusters.

Brunel's BEng electronic and electrical engineering (artificial intelligence) course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). This professional engineering institution ensures that your engineering degree meets the academic requirement to qualify as a professional engineer. This accredited BEng degree in electronic and electrical engineering can be studied full-time over three years, or four years with a placement year. The BEng degree meets the educational requirement to become an Incorporated Engineer (IEng).

We encourage the placement year option. This time in industry helps you to further prepare for the world of work and you’ll have a year’s worth of invaluable professional experience when you graduate. If you decide to go on an engineering placement year, you will have the opportunity to work in an engineering or technology company.

You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.