Politics & International Relations

• Politics & International Relations is unique in Scotland in bringing together these two cognate, but distinct, subjects. Teaching and research are both enhanced by this framework and many students feel there is a great benefit in being able to study the two side by side

• Politics and International Relations at Aberdeen continues to excel in the annual National Student Survey

• Highly rated in research as well as teaching terms, the Department brings active research culture into its teaching, helping to take students to the forefront of contemporary debates and knowledge in the field

• Areas of special expertise include Interest Groups, Public Policy, Comparative Political Parties and Elections, European Integration and Regionalism, Security Studies, Cross National Surveys, Scottish Politics, Regional IR, Human Rights and Development Issues, Political Communication, and Democracy and Democratization

• The Department encourages students to spend their second year of study abroad. The University offers support centrally for taking a year abroad in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong or North America Degree Programme Structure & Content

Courses in both Politics and International Relations are available from first to fourth year. There is a four year Honours degree in Politics & International Relations and a Designated Degree in Political Studies which can be obtained after three years of study.

First Year

POLITICS
Comparative Politics: USA and Russia examines the political systems of the USA and Russia in a comparative manner.

Comparative Politics: Europe currently extends the comparative analysis to European states, currently UK and Germany.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Introduction to International Relations looks at the state-of-the art of theorising international relations, via consideration of the major schools of theory and the work of major authors.

International Organisations in Europe offers an introduction to the European Union, NATO, OSCE and the Council of Europe. The course pays particular attention to the dynamic evolution of the EU and its relationship to member-states.

Second Year

POLITICS
Political Ideologies considers differing theoretical notions of the state and democracy. It provides an introduction to some of the broad theoretical and conceptual challenges and problems involved in political analysis.

Political Behaviour is an empirical study of the relationship between state and society. Particular attention is given to political party membership and voting behaviour.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Theories of IR is an introduction to the major perspectives that have evolved in the discipline of International Relations within a framework emphasising the importance of methodological issues to our understanding of the subject.

International Political Economy introduces the study of the global distribution of wealth and power and how this shapes the conduct of international relations.

Third & Fourth Year (Honours)

Honours courses taken in the third and fourth year vary widely and are chosen from a menu of over thirty options, drawing on the research expertise of staff.

HONOURS OPTIONS IN POLITICS CURRENTLY INCLUDE:
Political Parties in the UK; War; Scottish Politics; Interest Groups; The Extreme Right in Western Europe; Theories of Democracy; Political Communication; Democratisation; Human Rights.

HONOURS OPTIONS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS CURRENTLY INCLUDE:
International Security; War and the International System; Middle Easter Politics; Soviet and Post-Soviet Foreign Policy; Japan and the World; Human Security; Modern Day Latin America; Modernity and Islam; Nuclear Weapons in World Politics.

Teaching & Assessment

Teaching in first and second year is by a combination of formal lectures and small group tutorials (usually 8-12 students). Honours teaching varies in style, although many courses are based on seminars. Assessment is generally by traditional exams and assessed essays, although in some courses group work, projects and other techniques are used. Students are expected to write a Dissertation in their final year.