International Security Studies Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

Are you looking to understand the most pressing security challenges of the 21st century? Would you like to be part of the solution to these global problems?

Our BA International Security Studies provides you with the theoretical and practical tools to address key political and security issues of our time and provide the key transferrable skills to equip you to understand, and work in a complex geopolitical environment.

Whether you're interested in combatting terrorism, managing the response to natural disasters, or promoting national security, our modules provide you with a deep understanding of the most pressing issues and debates in global politics and security, taught by our team of security experts in the School of Politics and International Relations. With a focus on both theoretical and practical learning, you'll be prepared to tackle real-world challenges and devise strategic solutions.

Our course goes beyond the theoretical, providing you with insights into the politics of the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa, and the EU. You’ll study traditional security threats and topics such as human, health and energy security, widening the security agenda. You may also have the option to study organisations that deal with emergent security threats, taking your interest further with dissertation supervision in your final year.\
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This course sets you up for a career in the private, public or charitable sectors. Whether you're interested in working as a parliamentary assistant, councillor, civil servant, researcher, or policy analyst, our course can help you achieve your career goals. Our school alumni have secured jobs at top organisations such as the BBC, Citibank, PwC, the Civil Service, the House of Commons and UNISON.

Course Highlights:

* Our placements and internship opportunities provide valuable real-world experience that looks great on your CV (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/politics/study/careers/placements/index.aspx).

* Join our student societies, such as the Politics Society, Debate Society and United Nations Society (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studywithus/ugstudy/articles/explore-more-articles/social-sciences/the-united-nations-society-at-the-university-of-nottingham.html), which offer networking opportunities, talks from guest speakers and trips.

* Study abroad opportunities in locations such as China, Europe and the USA.

Proven Results:

* We're ranked in the top 20 in the UK for politics (Complete University Guide 2026).

* Politics and international relations graduates earned a median salary of £39,400 five years after graduation (LEO data from 2022/23 tax year, published in 2025).