| Qualification | Start dates | Entry requirements | Full- or Part-time | UCAS Code | Assessment | |
| Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) | January July September* | A-level: BBB | Level of English required | Full-time | L9R1 | Exam and written assessment |
Course Outline
An important feature of the modern world which is widely recognised and commented upon by business people, journalists, politicians, diplomats, teachers and virtually anyone with the alertness to look about them, is its increasing inter-dependence and ‘internationalisation’. Your ability to read this message on the World Wide Web is itself a manifestation of the power of ideas to transcend national boundaries with great rapidity and at low cost. Technology has proved to be an agent which encourages co-operation across national boundaries. Technological developments in transport, telecommunications and computing have encouraged economic changes such as the decline in barriers to trade, the internationalisation of financial markets, the rise of global companies, and a massive increase in the volume of international trade in goods and services. These trends have been accompanied by political developments such as the rise of regional trading groupings of countries, international efforts to agree about common legal and technical rules to govern business dealings, arguments about ‘tax competition’ between countries, as well as increasing concern about the environmental consequences associated with world economic development. Enormous social tensions arise as these international forces come into conflict with long established ways of doing things in every country. Political and social systems are in a continuous process of adjustment to an increasingly open world.
The International Studies programme at Buckingham gives you an opportunity to learn about these fundamental problems. With students coming to Buckingham from over 80 countries, it is an ideal environment to learn about matters of international concern and to discuss them with people from differing cultural backgrounds. The programme is inter-disciplinary and covers economic, political, legal, historical and cultural dimensions. Graduates from the International Studies programme will have acquired a knowledge of economics sufficient to analyse and understand the global marketplace; a familiarity with political systems in a range of different countries; and a good historical understanding of how the international framework has evolved over time.
Students wishing to pursue careers in the media, journalism, international business, politics, diplomacy or education should find the programme very attractive for their first degree. Many students following an International Studies degree programme will be aiming to work in an international environment where the knowledge of several languages is expected. Some may wish to acquire language skills in order better to understand particular regional political and economic developments. The Department therefore offers programmes in which students can take a language along with an International Studies ‘major’. The ‘major’ comprises the main politics, international relations and history components of International Studies.
Teaching Methods
The Department employs a variety of teaching methods in different modules. Lectures and small group tutorials form the backbone of the teaching. Personal contact with members of the academic staff is considered to be essential if each student’s personal enthusiasm for their studies is to be stimulated. A range of activities is pursued within the tutorial groups depending upon the module. Some modules emphasise problem solving as a means of reinforcing and cementing the important ideas – for example the module in Microeconomic Theory. Occasionally we use game playing to encourage discussion and understanding – for example when competing groups of students try to control a computer model of the economy in Principles of Macroeconomics. Other modules place greater emphasis on writing short and accurate technical pieces (Welfare Economics) or longer more discursive papers.
*Students wishing to undertake a foreign language minor without any previous experience of the language must commence their studies in September in order for their degree to qualify them.
What our students and alumni say
“The only two factors necessary for learning any language are motivation and a good learning method. So the motivated amongst you are indeed lucky: Buckingham sports a wonderful language department with very friendly teachers. I was lucky enough to study both French and Spanish and, thanks to the efforts of my tutors, I achieved excellent results in both.
Why study a language as part of your degree? Two reasons. Firstly, knowledge of a foreign language gives you a clear advantage in an increasingly competitive and globalised job market. Second, and perhaps most crucially, it gives one a certain je ne sais quoi, a particular charm which can be most favourable when engaging in courtship rituals with your fellow lady or gentleman. Think James Bond.”
Student profile: Viresh Jansari (International Studies with French)
