Overview

Understanding today's most pressing global challenges, from migration to conflict, requires genuine insight into the geographies, histories and political forces that have shaped them. The BA (Hons) Global Studies with Politics at the University of Essex takes a genuinely interdisciplinary approach, combining global studies with dedicated political study, taught jointly by the Interdisciplinary Studies Centre and the Department of Government, one of the most research-active politics departments in Europe. Students investigate how democracies function and how ideas of capitalism and colonialism continue to shape the modern world, learning from academics whose expertise spans history, law, literature, film and sociology. The course suits students drawn to big, borderless questions, trained to question everything and support their views with rigorous evidence.

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What You'll Learn

• How societies have interacted and shaped one another across history

• War, conflict and the war on terror

• International relations and the management of relationships between nations

• Political power and how it is exercised globally

• Globalisation and its impact on political economies and cultures

• Migration and its social, economic and political effects

• How dominant ideas of capitalism and colonialism have shaped the modern world

• Interdisciplinary approaches spanning history, politics, literature and sociology

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to critically analyse the geographies, histories and political forces shaping global challenges, drawing on interdisciplinary study across politics, history and the social sciences. They will be equipped to investigate how democracies operate and how structures of power, colonialism and capitalism continue to shape international relations. Through rigorous, evidence-based inquiry, students will develop the confidence to question assumptions and construct strong, well-supported arguments about global affairs. Graduates will leave with strong analytical, research and communication skills, well suited to careers across international development, government, NGOs, business, media and a wide range of other globally-minded professions.