Bachelor of Science in Politics and International Relations with Study Abroad

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

This course is ideal for students interested in learning more about how to use numbers and data within politics. It provides training in practical and analytical skills, which will enhance your career prospects and provide you with a strong platform for postgraduate study. No prior knowledge of statistical techniques is required.

About two thirds of your studies will follow the single honours Politics and International Relations course. You will study the politics of individual countries and governments and the relationships between countries, communities and individuals. You will become familiar with different views and methods of analysis, learning to apply and evaluate them.

The remaining third of your course will provide interdisciplinary training in quantitative methods. In year one of the quantitative pathway we discuss how numbers and data are used to tell convincing stories in the media and social research. We consider what is meant by segregation and how it can be mapped and measured.

Year two offers practical classes in social statistics and applied data analysis, which will develop your skills in numeracy and analysis and enable you to undertake your own individual research project in an area of quantitative social science in year three.

In year four we offer training in more advanced quantitative methods suitable for postgraduate research, while continuing to develop expertise and specialist knowledge in politics.

Our MA draws on these strengths. It is intended both for students who have a first degree in philosophy who wish to specialise in philosophy of science at a higher level, and for individuals with a background in pure science who wish to make a transition to philosophy of science or to explore foundational issues within the sciences.

The emphasis of the programme is on philosophical issues arising from specific scientific disciplines, with particular focus on physics, biology and mathematics. The history of science is studied in terms of the philosophical debate about the nature of scientific method and knowledge.

Studying abroad in Europe fosters language skills and intellectual growth as well as developing your breadth of perspective.

If you're driven by intellectual curiosity and enjoy the satisfaction of cracking difficult puzzles, this course offers a rigorous foundation in mathematics that will help you stand out to top employers.

Our lecturers are passionate about their subject, with modules informed by cutting-edge research in fundamental mathematical abstractions, statistics and practical applications to global problems. Vocational units, currently including Financial Risk Management and Maths in Schools, prepare you for a successful career in industry. Opportunities to undertake a research project could inspire you to pursue postgraduate study.

The first two years of the course provide a broad background in mathematics, similar to our single honours mathematics degrees, and include relevant European language units.

Provided you fulfil the progression requirements of the Study Abroad in a Modern Language course at the end of year two, you will spend your third year abroad in one of our partner universities, studying mathematics in a foreign language. Visit our Global Opportunities website to find out where you can study.

You will return to Bristol to complete the fourth year of the degree, where you will benefit from a wide choice of third-year units.

Years one and two provide a broad background in biomedical science as well as information about viruses and the diseases they cause.

You will study the immune system and how it controls infection. You will also learn about autoimmune diseases that can occur if the immune system attacks the body's own tissues rather than an infectious agent.

In your final year you will review the main viral diseases of humankind in terms of their natural history, biology, molecular biology, immunology, pathogenesis and epidemiology. These include HIV, hepatitis B and C, papilloma, influenza, measles and coronaviruses, among others.

You will learn about cutting-edge issues in virology and immunology, including emerging viruses such as the SARS-CoV-2, Marburg and Ebola viruses.

You will also learn about the problems associated with the production of vaccines. You will normally work on a research project in either virology or immunology.

This course gives you a thorough grounding in physics with astrophysics as a key component. It is led by an internationally renowned astrophysics research group and covers a broad range of contemporary astrophysics.

Study areas begin with a broad overview of all of the modern astrophysics followed by more advanced topics. These could include high-energy astrophysics, galaxy formation and evolution, general relativity and cosmology, and astrophysical fluids and plasmas.

Your final-year project will be with a member of the astrophysics research group. The group currently specialises in cosmology, the formation of clusters and galaxies, active galaxies, high-energy astrophysical processes, and the formation of extrasolar planets.

You will gain the skills needed for astronomical observations and analysis of data from international ground- and space-based observatories on this course. You will also have the opportunity to develop a physicist's broad range of transferable skills, including problem-solving, numeracy, teamwork and the ability to communicate complicated concepts.

You will join a friendly department with a very active, award-winning student society. This course prepares you for a research career in astrophysics but also gives you the flexible career options that a physics degree offers.

Our education master's degrees give you the opportunity to design a tailored program of study that suits your cultural and learning needs. You will be able to specialise and receive an award in a particular disciplinary area.

The Policy and International Development pathway focuses on the relationship between education policy and practice and international development. It probes the influence of global policy agendas on education and the contribution that education makes to social justice, economic growth and sustainable development.

In line with the sustainable development agenda, development is treated as an international issue and the pathway considers case studies from countries around the world as well as from within Bristol. It examines formal and informal education through diverse institutions and organisations, including schools, universities and community organisations.

This MSc takes a critical look at ideas about social development, such as human rights, the capability approach and peace building, and their implications for education policy and practice. There will be opportunities to explore how educational theories and practice travel between and are adapted to specific contexts. You will analyse the role of key organisations involved in the global governance of education, including civil society, international non-governmental organisations, development agencies and commercial bodies.

The Policy and International Development pathway develops your skills in using international and comparative research, both in education and in analysing education policy. You will be supported to develop your own reasoned position and distinctive critical voice for commenting on education policy and education’s role within social development at international, national and local level. You will have access to first-class library and information services, allowing you to study the specific ideas, issues, initiatives and policies you are interested in.