Programme Specifications

International Relations and Climate Change


1 : Awarding Institution / Body
Aberystwyth University

2a : Teaching Institution / University
Aberystwyth University

2b : Work-based learning (where appropriate)


Information provided by Department of International Politics:

N/A



3a : Programme accredited by
Aberystwyth University

3b : Programme approved by
Aberystwyth University

4 : Final Award
Bachelor of Arts

5 : Programme title
International Relations and Climate Change

6 : UCAS code
27LF

7 : QAA Subject Benchmark


Information provided by Department of International Politics:

The relevant QAA benchmark statement for Politics and International Relations can be found here: https://www.qaa.ac.uk/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements/subject-benchmark-statement-politics-and-international-relations



8 : Date of publication


Information provided by Department of International Politics:

September 2023



9 : Educational aims of the programme


Information provided by Department of International Politics:

The International Relations and Climate Change programme provides its graduates with an understanding of the international system, relationships between nation states, global resources, international cooperation, inequality and conflict with a particular focus on evaluating the nature of the climate challenge, its political and social impacts, and the political, social and human responses to climate change. International Relations is fundamentally interdisciplinary, drawing on several disciplines. This specific programme on International Relations and Climate change extends further on this approach owing to the programme’s emphasis on multidisciplinary learning and knowledge. The programme aims to produce students with the necessary skills to analyse and reflect on the subject matter of the degree scheme as well as acquire a broad range of transferable skills, to meet and exceed the generic statements as outlined in the Politics and International Relations Benchmark Statement. Skills in this subject will be, we believe, valuable for future employers and the wider civil society. International Politics and Climate Change offers a distinct understanding of the world in which we live and perhaps the most profound and complex challenge facing the world. 

10 : Intended learning outcomes


Information provided by Department of International Politics:

The learning outcomes of this programme are designed to meet the expectations of the Benchmarking Statement for Politics and International Relations. The structure and the delivery of the degree scheme recognizes the need to achieve an appropriate balance between the acquisition of subject specific knowledge, and the development of discipline specific and generic skills. Integrating these two components is a central feature of the learning outcomes. The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge, understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:

10.1 : Knowledge and understanding


Information provided by Department of International Politics:

A knowledge and understanding of:    

  • 1. The evolution of the international system from Westphalia to the present day    

  • 2. Key debates in the history of International Relations as a discipline    

  • 3. The core theories and concepts in the field    

  • 4. The main structures and processes in world politics, including knowledge of regional dynamics, regimes and institutions    

  • 5. The key actors in international relations    

  • 6. The key dynamics, processes and problems facing contemporary Global Politics.    

  • 7. How these approaches help us to explain and understand events in the world    

Teaching/learning and assessment methods:

Acquisition of 1-7 is through lectures, seminars, assessed coursework, exams and independent research. Students also learn through participation in discipline-specific student societies and public lectures as well as through other public resources such as newsprint media, TV, radio and the internet. Throughout, students are encouraged to undertake independent reading to supplement, consolidate and broaden individual knowledge and understanding of the subject. Knowledge and understanding (1-7) is tested through a combination of unseen and pre-seen written examinations (1-7), essays (1-7), dissertation (1-7, depending upon topic) and may, depending on option choices, include seminar presentations, reports, literature searches, book or film reviews, e-portfolios, learning logs or blogs. Students also learn through self-reflection when completing their entries to the Careers Development Programme. 



10.2 : Skills and other attributes


Information provided by Department of International Politics:

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills:

  • 1. Identify, describe and evaluate different approaches

  • 2. Identify and research issues

  • 3. Apply concepts, theories and ideas to concrete cases

  • 4. Identify, investigate and formulate solutions to intellectual problems

  • 5. Critically reason, analyse and interpret data and ideas

  • 6. Demonstrate and exercise independence of mind

  • 7. Reflect on experience of learning and adjust intellectual strategies accordingly

  • 8. The ability to apply acquired knowledge to solving hypothetical or actual problems

  • 9. The ability to distinguish relevance and irrelevance

  • 10. Recognition that problems often have more than one solution

Teaching and learning methods and assessment:

While lectures introduce students to topics and ideas, the development of intellectual skills takes place when students engage with the topic themselves and interact with others in the intellectual learning community both during discussions (in seminars, where tutors seek to guide and develop intellectual skills, and wider public debate), and in the process of reading and writing notes, essays or examinations. Reflection and self assessment are also integral to the learning of intellectual skills. Tutors form impressions of, and assess, a student's ability and progress through contact with students in seminars and in the assessment of written work. Intellectual skills (1-10) are assessed primarily in essay and examination performance, plus the other methods of assessment set out above. The published assessment criteria reflect these intellectual skills that in turn are mirrored in the feedback to students. Students can assess their own performance by gauging their rate of progress in comparison to that of their peers, and in the light of tutor's comments. Students are free to discuss the informal development and assessment of such skills during staff office hours. Personal learning (7) is not formally assessed but relative success is reflected in a student's ability to improve over time. Personal learning is also enhanced through engagement with the Careers Development Programme process.

10.2.2 Professional Practical Skills:

  • 1. Seek, extract and effectively annotate information from a range of sources

  • 2. Prioritise and organise information and deploy it as evidence in argument

  • 3. Plan, undertake and complete written work (to strict deadlines) suitable for different audiences or tasks

  • 4. Identify and retrieve relevant and up to date information

  • 5. Collate information and arguments at short notice to answer specific questions

  • 6. Express informed opinions through written work and discussion.

  • 7. Listen and respond appropriately to the opinions of others

  • 8. Formulate questions and explore links between divergent topics

  • 9. Learn from experience

Teaching and learning methods and assessment:

All core modules, and in particular those taught at Part One, contain elements which directly address the development of practical skills (1-8). The process of writing essays, reports and presentations etc (1-6) and preparing for examinations (1-6, 9) allows the student to hone skills through practice, guided by feedback from tutors. Discussion in seminars or engagement with debate in public fora leads students to improve their intellectual communication skills (2, 5-9). Students also learn and improve such skills through personal reflection on their learning experience and purposeful adaptation of their learning methods; a process reflected upon in all modules. Personal learning is also enhanced through engagement with the Careers Development Programme process.



10.3 : Transferable/Key skills


Information provided by Department of International Politics:

On completion of the programme the student will be able to take responsibility for themselves and their work. They will be able to:

  • Work independently

  • Work in a team

  • Respect the views and beliefs of others

  • Listen

  • Communicate orally

  • Communicate in writing

  • Communicate electronically

  • Word-process

  • Use the Web

  • Manage time and work to deadlines

  • Research issues

  • Solve problems

  • Adapt to change

  • Develop career awareness



11 : Program Structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards



BA International Relations and Climate Change [27LF]

Academic Year: 2024/2025Single Honours scheme - available from 2021/2022

Duration (studying Full-Time): 3 years
Last intake year: 2023/2024

Part 1 Rules

Year 1 Core (60 Credits)

Compulsory module(s).

Semester 1
BR16620

Climate and Climate Change

IP12420

Exploring the International 1: Central Concepts and Core Skills

Semester 2
IP12520

Globalization and Global Development

Year 1 Options

Single Honours students must take 60 credits (3 modules) of optional modules from the list below. Students may take 1 x 20 credit module outside the Department.

Semester 1
CY11020

Ymwneud â'ch pwnc yn Gymraeg: sgiliau dwyieithog ar gyfer y brifysgol a'r gweithle

GW12620

Y Tu ôl i'r Penawdau

IP12620

Behind the Headlines

IP12820

The Making of the Modern World: War Peace and Revolution since 1789

Semester 2
EN19920

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Climate Change

GW12920

Gwleidyddiaeth yn yr Unfed Ganrif ar Hugain

IP10320

War, Strategy and Intelligence

IP12920

Politics in the 21st Century

Part 2 Rules

Year 2 Core (60 Credits)

Compulsory module(s).

Semester 1
IP20720

Climate Change and International Politics in the Anthropocene

Semester 2
IP20120

International Relations: Perspectives and Debates

IP22320

The Governance of Climate Change: Simulation Module

Year 2 Options

In addition to the core modules, student must take 60 credits of optional modules from the list of those made avalable at pre-registration. Students may take 1 x 20 credt module outside the Department.

Semester 1
GQ20920

Y Meddwl Cymreig mewn Syniadaeth Ryngwladol

GQ23720

Gwleidyddiaeth mewn Cymdeithasau Amrywiaethol

GQ23920

Pobl a Grym: Deall Gwleidyddiaeth Gymharol Heddiw

IP21420

Climate Change Politics

IP23020

Science, Technology, and International Relations

IP23820

The European Union: Politics, Policies, Problems

IP26420

The Second World War in Europe

IP29220

International Politics and Global Development

IQ20220

Intervention and Humanitarianism

IQ20320

The BRICS in World Politics

IQ23420

Total War, Total Peace

IQ23720

Politics in Diverse Societies

IQ23920

People and Power: Understanding Comparative Politics Today

IQ24920

Russian intelligence from Lenin to Putin

IQ25120

Strategy, Intelligence and Security in International Politics

Semester 2
EN21120

Contemporary Writing and Climate Crisis

EN21220

Literature and Climate in the Nineteenth Century

GW25020

Datganoli a Chymru

IP20820

Militaries and Crisis: Where Strategy Meets Society

IP22220

Political Theory

IP24520

Terrorism & Counter Terrorism in the Modern World: Policing, Intelligence & War

IP25020

Devolution and Wales

IP25320

Warfare after Waterloo: Military History 1815-1918

IP26820

Questions of International Politics

IP28320

A War on the Mind: Propaganda and Secret Intelligence from the Great War to the 21st Century

IP28720

Contemporary Latin America

IQ21620

Trade Wars and the Liberal Order

IQ22820

Capitalism and International Politics

IQ25720

War Crimes

Final Year Core (40 Credits)

Compulsory module(s).

Semester 1
IP30000

Dissertation

Semester 2
IP30040

Dissertation

Final Year Options

Single Honours students must take 80 credits (4 modules) of optional modules from those made available at pre-registration. Students may take 1 x 20 credit module outside the Department.

Semester 1
BR33420

Global Biodiversity Conservation

GQ30920

Y Meddwl Cymreig Mewn Syniadaeth Ryngwladol

GQ33720

Gwleidyddiaeth mewn Cymdeithasau Amrywiaethol

GS37520

Urban Risk and Environmental Resilience

IP31420

Climate Change Politics

IP33020

Science, Technology, and International Relations

IP33820

The European Union: Politics, Policies, Problems

IP36420

The Second World War in Europe

IQ30220

Intervention and Humanitarianism

IQ30320

The BRICS in World Politics

IQ33420

Total War, Total Peace

IQ33720

Politics in Diverse Societies

IQ34920

Russian intelligence from Lenin to Putin

Semester 2
GW35020

Datganoli a Chymru

IP30820

Militaries and Crisis: Where Strategy Meets Society

IP32220

Political Theory

IP34520

Terrorism & Counter Terrorism in the Modern World: Policing, Intelligence & War

IP35020

Devolution and Wales

IP36820

Questions of International Politics

IP38320

A War on the Mind: Propaganda and Secret Intelligence from the Great War to the 21st Century

IP38720

Contemporary Latin America

IQ31620

Trade Wars and the Liberal Order

IQ32820

Capitalism and International Politics

IQ35720

War Crimes

WR31820

Crisis Writing


12 : Support for students and their learning
Every student is allocated a Personal Tutor. Personal Tutors have an important role within the overall framework for supporting students and their personal development at the University. The role is crucial in helping students to identify where they might find support, how and where to seek advice and how to approach support to maximise their student experience. Further support for students and their learning is provided by Information Services and Student Support and Careers Services.

13 : Entry Requirements
Details of entry requirements for the scheme can be found at http://courses.aber.ac.uk

14 : Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of teaching and learning
All taught study schemes are subject to annual monitoring and periodic review, which provide the University with assurance that schemes are meeting their aims, and also identify areas of good practice and disseminate this information in order to enhance the provision.

15 : Regulation of Assessment
Academic Regulations are published as Appendix 2 of the Academic Quality Handbook: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/aqro/handbook/app-2/.

15.1 : External Examiners
External Examiners fulfill an essential part of the University’s Quality Assurance. Annual reports by External Examiners are considered by Faculties and Academic Board at university level.

16 : Indicators of quality and standards
The Department Quality Audit questionnaire serves as a checklist about the current requirements of the University’s Academic Quality Handbook. The periodic Department Reviews provide an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of quality assurance processes and for the University to assure itself that management of quality and standards which are the responsibility of the University as a whole are being delivered successfully.