BA Hons Law & Politics and International Relations at University of Strathclyde

Study with us

• develop an awareness of law and the legal implications of business operations which is sought after by employers
• access the resources of the Andersonian Library, one of the finest in Scotland, offering a wide range of law reports, legislation, serials and monographs
• progress to our LLB (Graduate Entry) after completing a joint Honours degree with Law and another subject
• our BA degrees in Humanities & Social Sciences are initially broad-based. In Year 1 you'll study three subjects, including your chosen subject(s)

Why this course?

There are a number of ways you can study law at Strathclyde, one such way being the BA degree in combination with another subject.

Law is concerned with the study of the obligations, duties and rights which every member of society has in relation to one another and to the state. Please note that studying law within the BA degree will not qualify you for entry to the legal profession. For professional qualifications in law, students follow the LLB programme.

The study of law is regarded not as purely vocational, but part of a broader education.

As a politics student, you'll look at the work of governments and their policies and study the behaviour of those who govern - and who they are governing - both at home and abroad. You'll also gain knowledge of domestic and international institutions and issues relating to conflict and cooperation.

Learning & teaching

Law

Our teaching aims to help students develop knowledge and understanding of the principles, nature and development of law and legal institutions in Scotland and in other jurisdictions. The programme is delivered by leading academics through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and webcasts.

Politics

In Politics Years 1-3, lectures and tutorials are the main forms of teaching. In methods classes, lab sessions and practical group work are used. At Honours level, all classes are taught in a small group seminar format.

Tutorials, seminars and student presentations form an essential part of your learning and development. In addition, work on essays, book reviews and other class projects are part of the teaching and learning environment.

At Honours level, students work on a specific project for their Honours dissertation under the personal supervision of a member of the teaching staff.

Careers

Law

Graduates who have studied Law and another discipline may find openings in government services, commerce and industry, banking and insurance, management and administration, where knowledge of the legal implications of business practice is of value. Some graduates continue to an accelerated graduate LLB degree, usually with the aim of entering the legal profession.

Politics

Politics graduates are employed in the media, management, teaching, sales and advertising, local government, further and higher education and social work.

Knowledge of the political process is also useful in a business career and this degree provides the normal route of entry into business traineeships. Employers are particularly interested in the high-level written and verbal skills of Politics graduates and their ability to research and analyse information.

Courses in Politics are recognised in the training of Modern Studies teachers, and a politics degree is also particularly appropriate for entry to the civil service.

Students who specialise in research methods acquire social science research skills and expertise in the analysis of data, while the study of institutions is an extremely good background for those entering government service or communications, eg journalism, television and advertising.