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Full Time: 4 Years
Study Politics and Economics with Placement Year and examine the key political and economic issues that dominate the headlines and develop a deep understanding of how they shape the world in which we live.
In politics, you will acquire a solid foundation in the fundamental aspects of the subject, including political ideas and democratic processes. Choose from a broad range of specialist, core and optional modules, spanning topics from British government and politics, to European political integration and political thinking. The course is flexible, and encourages you to forge your own pathway by selecting modules that reflect your interests. Gain first-hand experience through work placements, and gain direct insight into political processes and apply your skills and knowledge to real-world scenarios through our Model United Nations, US Foreign Policy and Middle East simulations.
Your learning is informed by our world-leading research and is led by expert staff who have direct experience of the world of politics and international affairs. Most of your learning time will be spent in small seminar groups, allowing you to interact directly with staff and other students and add your own voice to the discussion.
In economics, you will explore the relationship between economics and society, and acquire knowledge of both applied and practical issues. Less emphasis is placed on mathematical and statistical content, and instead you will focus on the relevance of these techniques to applied problems. You will still need to learn necessary maths skills in your core modules, but extensive support is available should you need it.
You will be able to choose from a wide variety of modules which cover the theoretical aspects of economics, as well as its real-world applications. Depending on your interests, optional modules cover topics including business, policy, economic history and the economics of climate change. You will be taught by staff who are active researchers, with many involved in research that informs policy decisions by governments, major multinational organisations and international agencies like the UN. The course gained a 92% overall satisfaction score in the 2020 National Student Survey. This joint degree also gives you the option to select modules from other subject areas including history and international relations.
Placement
As part of this degree, we provide you with the opportunity to go on a one year placement in industry between your second and final year of study, which we encourage students to do.
A successful industry placement can also lead to a job offer with your placement company upon graduation. You will also have plenty of opportunity to develop excellent professional contacts that will stand you in good stead for the future.
For more information about securing and completing a placement for your placement year, please visit our Important Information page.
Typical offer A Level BBB | IB 30 points overall
What will you study?
How much will it cost?
New UK/EU students: £9,250* per year
New international students: £17,320 per year
* UK and EU fee changes
UK undergraduate fees are regulated by the government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK and EU** students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.
From 2020, the UK government may link tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
**EU students
For more information on fees, loans and grants for EU students, see fees and funding for home/EU students.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Placement Year fees
If you spend a full year on placement – including professional and research placements and industrial experience – you’ll pay a discounted tuition fee for that year.
For Home/EU students, the discounted fee is subject to parliamentary approval and is currently capped at £1,385.
For International students, the discount is 15% of your normal tuition fee.
For more information, please contact placements@reading.ac.uk.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
What career can you have?
Our courses will help you develop strong analytical and research skills and gain experience in delivering presentations and working as part of a group, which makes you suitable for a wide range of careers. Graduates with degrees in social science subjects such as politics and international relations are highly sought after by employers for their wide range of transferable skills.
Past students have put their political analysis skills to direct use in the home and European civil services, political research units, think tanks, non-governmental organisations and journalism. Others have gone into media, retail, management consultancy and banking.