International Relations (BA)

You'll mostly be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops.

Lectures take a range of forms, but generally provide a broad structure for each subject, introduce key concepts, and convey relevant up-to-date information.

Seminars provide an opportunity to ask questions and discuss key ideas in a small group environment. This helps you to integrate the information and ideas you receive from lectures and readings and to explore issues critically and in depth. Set questions and readings form the basis for discussion by directing your attention to relevant aspects of the subject matter and to various types of sources of information. Giving presentations develops your capacity to gather, organise and synthesise relevant information and ideas and to communicate these in a logical and concise manner. Tutor-led and student-led discussion hones logical skills and gives you practice in applying different concepts, theories and methods to the subject-matter at hand. It also exposes you to different interpretations of political ideas and events. Group problem-solving will help to develop collaborative skills. Workshops are like seminars, but they tend to involve more structured activities and the involvement of more students and staff.

Our in-person, face-to-face teaching and learning is supported and complemented by various digital tools. Each module makes extensive use of Learning Central, which is the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). On Learning Central, you’ll find discussion forums, pre-recorded videos, links to relevant web-based resources, multimedia materials and course materials.

How will I be supported?

You'll be allocated a personal tutor who will help you reflect on your performance on the programme and advise you on study techniques, module selection and career planning (in conjunction with the University’s careers support). They will also provide a first point of contact if you experience any difficulties. Additionally, all teaching staff keep set office hours when you can meet with them and discuss any learning queries arising from the module or from your studies in general.  If you wish to study through the medium of Welsh, you’ll be designated a Welsh-speaking personal tutor.

All modules within the programme make extensive use of the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, Learning Central, where you can access discussion forums and find course materials including multimedia materials, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises, discussion groups, etc. You'll also be able to reflect on your progress and on the skills that you will develop through a section on the University’s Central Learning site called Planning Personal Development.

Within modules, the requirements and expectations of learning and assessment will be explained carefully by the module leader in the class and through supporting materials available on Learning Central. This will include a weekly ‘module map’ to provide detailed instruction of the following week’s learning activities.

Modules include forms of assessment that are designed, in part, to monitor progress and to provide feedback before more substantial assignments later in the module. You will receive written feedback on all coursework.

A range of staff are available to provide further support, including a specialist librarian. A member of academic staff acts as a designated Disability and Diversity Officer and ensures that reasonable adjustments are made for students with disabilities.

 Additionally, the University offers a range of support services located in the Centre for Student Life, including the careers advice and guidance, money advice, counselling and wellbeing services, disability and dyslexia support, and student mentoring. You’ll also have access to excellent libraries and resource centres.

Feedback

Assessments are not used solely for marking purposes. They are mainly used to provide advice and written feedback to help you to achieve the learning outcomes on each module and to help explain what is required to improve your work in future. This is known as formative feedback. Formative feedback helps you to:

• Identify your strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need work;
• Address problems identified with targeted strategies for improvement. This is sometimes called ‘feedforward’.

The marking dimension of assessment also has a name: summative assessment. It is summative feedback that contributes to progression and degree classification decisions. The goal of summative assessment is to indicate how well you have succeeded in meeting the intended learning outcomes of a module or programme. All feedback should link to assessment criteria that is readily available for you to consult.

Beyond comments on work submitted (which is sometimes in the form of audio feedback), feedback is also given in seminars, personal tutor meetings, and other learning environments.

How will I be assessed?

The programme structure is intended to progressively develop skills of academic study and independent research. This is delivered through a carefully designed teaching programme which is supported by bespoke study skills sessions within first year provision, specific research training in the second year, and longer research essays, primary research exercises and, if selected, a dissertation at third year.

Forms of teaching and assessment across the 3 years of the programme include a wide range of methods and approaches. These include essays, group work, written examinations, portfolios, primary document analysis, presentations, writing briefings, and learning diaries.

The optional final-year dissertation provides you with the opportunity to investigate a specific topic of interest to you in depth and to acquire detailed knowledge about a particular field of study, to use your initiative in the collection and presentation of material and present a clear, cogent argument and draw appropriate conclusions. There is also the opportunity to undertake more group-focused extended research projects.

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will achieve by the end of your programme at Cardiff University and identify the knowledge and skills that you will develop. They will also help you to understand what is expected of you.

On successful completion of your Programme, you will be able to:

Knowledge & Understanding:

• Demonstrate an understanding of theories, concepts, and debates in International Relations (IR), such as realism, liberalism, constructivism, and critical theories, and their application to global politics.
• Show knowledge of key international institutions, actors, and processes, and an awareness of how they interact on the global stage.
• Engage with the historical context of international relations and understand processes of continuity and change in international politics, particularly in relation to key events, crises, and developments in the 20th and 21st centuries.

• Show understanding of key global issues, including conflict and security, human rights, environmental challenges, migration, and the global economy, and how these issues reflect the interdependent nature of global politics.
• Identify and interrogate established and orthodox structures, and ways of thinking and engage with alterative perspectives.

Intellectual Skills:

• Analyse and evaluate political arguments, data, and sources in International Relations, assessing their validity, relevance, and reliability in explaining complex global phenomena. 
• Apply theoretical frameworks and abstract concepts to identify, investigate, and propose solutions to global political problems, considering ethical, cultural, and geopolitical factors.
• Conduct independent research using appropriate methods and theoretical approaches, critically engaging with relevant literature and data sources in International Relations to formulate and defend evidence-based arguments in a dissertation/project.
• Integrate and synthesise insights from related disciplines such as political science, history, economics, philosophy, and sociology to develop a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of global issues and international relations.

Professional Practical Skills:

• Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate policy initiatives and international interventions, offering informed, evidence-based policy recommendations that consider political, economic, and legal factors at the global and national levels.
• Present arguments, theories, and data related to international relations clearly and persuasively in both written and oral forms, tailored to different professional and academic audiences.
• Work effectively both independently and as part of a team to manage projects, demonstrating leadership, initiative, and the ability to collaborate with diverse groups to achieve common goals in a professional setting.
• Demonstrate the ability to engage critically with contemporary global political debates, showcasing an informed understanding of international law, diplomacy, and global governance challenges faced by decision-makers.

Transferable/Key Skills:

• Demonstrate critical thinking skills by identifying and evaluating the assumptions, methodologies, and implications of different approaches to global issues, making informed decisions in complex and uncertain environments.
• Use qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills to interpret international political trends, construct evidence-based arguments, and present findings clearly and concisely, both visually and in written formats.
• Display appropriate levels of intercultural awareness and sensitivity in understanding and addressing global political issues, recognising the importance of diverse perspectives and cultural contexts in international relations.
• Demonstrate the ability to adapt to new and changing environments, challenges, and information in global politics, showing a commitment to self-directed learning and professional development in an ever-evolving international landscape.