Politics, International Studies and German BA
AAB at A level, German; graduates earn a median £31,500 three years on.
German · 87% of entrants came with A levels · 98% stay on after year 1 · Warwick course page, Discover Uni
What do you need to get in?
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. A contextual offer can be lower for applicants from under-represented backgrounds; none is published for this course.
Warwick course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1German
- 2B at A-Level or grade 7/A at GCSE in a modern or classical language
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications4
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 34 points34 to include 5 in Higher Level German. 34 to include 5 at Higher Level or grade 7/A at GCSE in a modern or classical language. | 5 in Higher Level German |
| BTEC | —Will be considered as long as essential entry requirements are met. | — |
| Advanced Highers | ABAB in two Advanced Highers including German where a minimum of AAB has been achieved in three additional Highers subjects AA in two Advanced Highers including German where ABB/BBB has been achieved in | German where ABB/BBB has been achieved in three additional Highers subjects; a modern or classical language where ABB/BBB has been achieved in three additional Highers subjects |
| Access | 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis. Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Di | — |
What do you study?
Compulsory modules this year: social & cultural skills 52% · language & communication 28% · arts & humanities 13% · transversal skills 8%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Warwick course page · optional modules vary by year
- Provincial - Pariah - Powerhouse: Reading German-language Culture in a Global Perspective
What you learn (8)
- identify distinctive features of other cultures
- use the target language to understand cultural material
- describe features of a foreign culture and society
- explain how historical turning points shaped German identity and global culture
- describe conventions of different literary and media genres studied
- discuss topics using sources from various media in formal and informal contexts
- evaluate primary texts and secondary literature critically
- apply knowledge from lectures and seminars to conduct independent research
- Introduction to Politics
What you learn (8)
- identify major theoretical perspectives in political science
- critically discuss key debates within political science
- describe foundational concepts of political theory, processes and institutions
- explain patterns of political change over time
- construct a well-structured academic essay
- analyse and critique arguments in written work
- apply independent study techniques to manage learning
- communicate ideas effectively in academic contexts
- World Politics
What you learn (5)
- outline the history of world politics since 1945
- explain core concepts used to study world politics
- identify contemporary scholarly literature on world politics issues
- analyse ideas about world politics critically in written form
- analyse ideas about world politics critically in oral discussion
2 optional modules
- Modern German Language I
What you learn (8)
- apply core rules of German grammar accurately
- use grammar reference resources to verify syntax
- explain difficulties of translating German into English
- apply a range of translation strategies to German texts
- proofread written work for grammatical and lexical accuracy
- identify likely syntactic and lexical pitfalls when reading German
- communicate orally in German on familiar topics
- write in German on familiar topics
- Modern German Language 1 (Accelerated Beginners)
What you learn (13)
- produce written texts in german
- interpret written german texts
- compare features across languages through translation
- identify specific grammar and syntax problems in german
- discuss solutions to grammar and syntax issues
- distinguish language variations and registers in german
- identify intercultural differences between german and english-speaking contexts
- discuss intercultural issues in german-speaking contexts
- apply basic german grammar structures accurately
- adapt grammar use to different contexts
- use appropriate register in different communicative situations
- understand spoken german across varied topics
- communicate orally in german on diverse topics
Year 2 · 4 core, 18 optional · 90 credits ≈ 900 hours
- Modern German Language II
What you learn (11)
- apply advanced grammar rules accurately in German
- produce advanced written texts in German
- interpret a variety of German document types
- analyse translation challenges involving syntax, register and idiom
- translate texts between German and English
- communicate fluently and idiomatically in spoken German
- interpret spoken German accurately
- describe aspects of contemporary German society and culture
- explain intercultural issues linked to German culture
- proof-read German texts systematically for accuracy
- apply independent strategies to continue learning German
- Modern German Language 2 (Post Beginners)
What you learn (15)
- write short texts in German accurately
- read and interpret German texts
- translate texts between German and English
- identify specific problems of German grammar and syntax
- discuss solutions to grammar and syntax problems in German
- distinguish different varieties and registers of German
- apply basic German grammatical structures accurately
- use grammatical structures appropriately in different contexts
- use appropriate registers in German communication
- comprehend spoken German on a wide range of topics
- communicate orally in German on a wide range of topics
- identify intercultural differences between German and English-speaking contexts
- discuss intercultural issues relevant to German-speaking countries
- demonstrate sufficient German proficiency for academic study abroad
- demonstrate sufficient German proficiency for workplace placement
- Topics in Political Theory
What you learn (7)
- analyse complex arguments from contemporary political theory texts
- interpret diverse scholarly perspectives within political theory literature
- formulate a reasoned personal judgement on a political theory issue
- compare opposing arguments and perspectives on a political issue
- construct an original argument about core political values
- defend a political argument against sceptical objections
- apply insights from other disciplines to support a political argument
- Foundations of Political Theory
What you learn (5)
- explain how political theory addresses freedom, equality and human nature
- interpret key texts by major political thinkers
- critically evaluate arguments of major political thinkers
- analyse complex ideas in political theory
- construct and defend a written argument on political theory
18 optional modules
- The Strange World of Franz Kafka's Short Stories
What you learn (3)
- evaluate formal and stylistic features of Kafka's short prose
- situate Kafka's stories within their social and historical context
- evaluate Kafka's influence on modern German literature using scholarly sources
- Film in the Weimar Republic and under National Socialism
What you learn (3)
- evaluate the evolution of cinematic form across the Weimar and Nazi eras
- relate selected films to their historical and political background
- explain how film served as an instrument of cultural policy under different regimes
- Violent Women in the German Cultural Imagination
What you learn (7)
- describe recurring motifs in depictions of violent women in German culture
- exemplify links between debates on female violence and broader socio-political events
- evaluate the cultural significance of debates surrounding female violence
- demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences when interpreting foreign texts
- describe key features of a foreign culture and society
- analyse primary and secondary texts written in the target language
- apply disciplinary research methods relevant to cultural studies
- Politics of International Development
What you learn (6)
- explain major theoretical debates in development politics
- identify distinct development trajectories across world regions
- evaluate development policies and their underlying assumptions
- review academic literature on international development
- conduct research investigations on development topics
- present coherent arguments through academic writing
- Politics in the United Kingdom
What you learn (9)
- describe the institutions and structures of the UK constitution
- identify key academic research on UK politics
- compare competing scholarly interpretations of UK politics
- analyse UK politics using a comparative approach
- explain the historical origins of current debates in British politics
- construct arguments about British politics using empirical evidence
- relate case studies to theoretical frameworks in political science
- explain major UK public policy challenges such as immigration and climate change
- analyse specific aspects of contemporary UK politics
- Politics of the USA
What you learn (6)
- describe the foundational structures of the US political system
- explain the structure of major federal government institutions in the US
- explain the functions and powers of major federal government institutions
- identify key policy debates in contemporary US politics
- summarise a broad range of academic literature on US government and politics
- evaluate complex ideas relating to contemporary US politics
- Theories of International Relations
What you learn (5)
- identify core assumptions underlying different international relations theories
- differentiate between competing international relations theories based on their premises
- examine the internal logic and aims of international relations theories
- identify contradictions within contemporary international relations theories
- apply international relations theories to analyse real-world political issues
- States and Markets: An Introduction to International Political Economy
What you learn (6)
- explain key concepts in international political economy
- evaluate competing theoretical perspectives explaining political economy developments
- describe relationships between states and markets using political economy theories
- apply political economy theories to analyse specific themes and cases
- produce clearly structured written arguments on political economy topics
- locate and assess relevant sources for political economy research
- International Security
What you learn (6)
- explain key issues and dynamics in the use of military force
- discuss theoretical debates on security within international relations
- relate security theories to real-world security practices
- identify major security threats facing states and societies
- explain the concepts of war, security and peace
- produce clear written analysis of security topics
- Core Issues in Comparative Politics
What you learn (18)
- explain core concepts and theories in comparative politics
- describe methodologies used in comparative political analysis
- describe the structure of national political systems
- evaluate differences between national political systems
- apply political theory to practical case studies
- collect and organise data from secondary and primary sources
- analyse political problems and propose solutions
- advocate for solutions to identified political issues
- critique research material for validity and relevance
- design an original research project in comparative politics
- present own research findings in comparative politics
- present analytical arguments in written form
- present analytical arguments orally
- communicate research findings through an academic conference format
- produce a short film exploring the concept of democracy
- compose a research essay on a comparative politics topic
- develop a final independent research project in comparative politics
- present the outcomes of a final research project
- Gender Matters in Politics and International Studies
What you learn (4)
- evaluate competing feminist theoretical perspectives using critical analysis
- produce written analysis on gender and politics topics
- deliver oral presentations on gender-related political topics
- conduct independent research on gender and politics issues
- The Political Economy of Southeast Asia
What you learn (6)
- describe the historical evolution of Southeast Asia's political economy
- analyse how state-society relations are structured across Southeast Asian countries
- explain the economic effects of different state-society configurations
- identify cross-border flows of money, goods and people in the region
- explain how regional economic flows are regulated and governed
- evaluate historical and current regional economic cooperation initiatives
- Public Policy for 21st Century Challenges
What you learn (10)
- explain how interest groups shape public policy outcomes
- explain how institutional structures constrain policymaking
- explain how ideas shape the direction of public policy
- evaluate competing interpretations of the policymaking process
- identify key actors and institutions involved in policymaking
- compare policymaking approaches across different countries
- evaluate major political challenges facing policymakers
- outline key debates relating to selected contemporary policy challenges
- critique policy responses to contemporary challenges
- propose solutions to address contemporary policy challenges
Year 4 · 2 core, 23 optional · 45 credits ≈ 450 hours
- Exploring Zeitgeist: Politics, Culture and Society in Germany Today
What you learn (7)
- evaluate current German political and social events
- apply cultural theory frameworks to analyse discourse
- demonstrate intercultural competence in German contexts
- communicate in German with improved fluency and accuracy
- use German language skills to interact in international settings
- apply intercultural skills when engaging with diverse communities
- conduct independent research on cultural and political topics
- Modern German Language III
What you learn (10)
- apply complex grammar structures in german writing
- translate advanced texts between german and english
- produce advanced written german texts across contexts
- interpret spoken german across a wide range of topics
- communicate orally in german using varied registers and styles
- discuss socio-cultural issues within german-speaking contexts
- analyse intercultural concepts relevant to german society
- proofread german texts systematically for accuracy
- manage independent language learning strategies
- conduct independent research on language topics
23 optional modules
- The Self & the Others: Identity Gender & Ethnicity in German Culture around 1800
What you learn (3)
- situate texts within their historical and cultural context
- analyse texts depicting relationships between gender, ethnic and cultural groups
- apply historical and contemporary critical theories to analyse identity representations
- Gender Trouble in Contemporary German Culture
What you learn (8)
- critique contemporary debates about gender in germany
- assess how different media and genres shape political debates
- apply intercultural understanding when analysing cultural differences
- explain aspects of german literature, history and politics
- describe social and economic structures of german-speaking countries
- apply disciplinary methodologies appropriate to cultural and literary studies
- conduct independent research using appropriate academic sources
- evaluate the accuracy and bias of research sources
- Gender and Development
What you learn (6)
- explain core theoretical debates in gender and development studies
- evaluate competing theories of gender and development
- justify a preferred theoretical model with persuasive argument
- carry out independent research on gender and development issues
- apply statistical and qualitative development indicators to analyse gender issues
- structure written academic work clearly and coherently
- EU Policy Making
What you learn (4)
- describe how eu policy processes operate
- evaluate the defining features of eu policy processes
- assess the contributions of key actors shaping eu policy-making
- explain the dynamics of different eu policy sectors
- Dissertation
What you learn (8)
- structure a research project in a logical sequence
- formulate a research question suited to word limit and resources
- construct a sustained argument answering a research question
- select relevant evidence from diverse sources to support an argument
- apply correct citation conventions to acknowledge sources
- manage independent study to meet a fixed deadline
- gather research material from multiple sources
- evaluate the quality and relevance of collected research material
- Politics of Globalization
What you learn (10)
- explain differing scholarly definitions of globalisation
- evaluate approaches used to measure and date globalisation
- critique the roles and functions of major global governance institutions
- assess how global economic restructuring affects gender relations socially and culturally
- analyse how supranational economic shifts affect social actors
- present analysis of globalisation issues through spoken argument
- present analysis of globalisation issues through written argument
- discuss theoretical debates on globalisation's effects on nation-states
- evaluate the influence of financialisation on daily life
- analyse how shifts in production and consumption patterns shape global dynamics
- United States Foreign Policy
What you learn (6)
- explain theoretical debates underpinning us foreign policy analysis
- assess consequences of us foreign and defense policy decisions
- relate us international role to broader international relations debates
- identify classic and contemporary scholarship on us foreign policy
- critique complex ideas on current us foreign policy in writing
- critique complex ideas on current us foreign policy orally
- Critical Security Studies
What you learn (5)
- explain key theoretical debates within critical security studies
- differentiate critical security studies from traditional security studies
- position critical security studies within wider international relations debates
- identify contemporary issues framed as security threats
- describe current dynamics shaping the politicisation of security
- Vigilant State: Understanding Secret Intelligence
What you learn (5)
- explain the historical development of intelligence practice
- evaluate the features of intelligence accountability frameworks
- assess strengths and weaknesses of theories explaining the intelligence cycle
- analyse current issues in national and regional intelligence approaches
- present intelligence analysis in written form
- The Politics of Religion
What you learn (4)
- analyse theoretical debates on the relationship between politics and religion
- evaluate how religion has influenced contemporary political institutions
- explain the ongoing processes by which religion shapes current politics
- apply conceptual frameworks to analyse current religion-politics issues
- The Political Economy of Money
What you learn (4)
- explain theoretical debates on the role of money in political economy
- evaluate competing approaches to the role of money in political economy
- apply theories of money to diverse issues in political economy
- construct a well-substantiated argument on political economy topics
- Violence, Rights, Justice and Peace in the Middle East
What you learn (9)
- describe key historical events shaping the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
- identify the main actors involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
- apply international relations theories to analyse the causes of the conflict
- evaluate scholarly debates on human rights violations within the conflict
- assess prospects for peacemaking and a just resolution to the conflict
- explain competing conceptions of peace and justice in the conflict
- discuss differing views on the legitimacy of violence in the conflict
- construct independent arguments on the conflict using IR theories
- defend a personal position within key scholarly debates on the conflict
- The Global Energy Challenge: Environment, Development & Security
What you learn (7)
- describe the role of energy in modern society
- explain how energy use relates to energy policy and politics
- identify key political perspectives on energy
- analyse policy choices linked to different political perspectives on energy
- apply political perspectives to examine institutions involved in energy policymaking
- analyse the roles of key actors in shaping energy policy
- evaluate energy policies in relation to changing energy systems
- The Politics of Climate Change
What you learn (4)
- explain political debates surrounding greenhouse gas emission reduction
- analyse the roles of key institutions in climate change mitigation
- evaluate differing political approaches to climate change across sectors
- identify connections between global, national and local climate policies
- Gender, Race and Militarism
What you learn (10)
- explain how gender, race and militarism interconnect
- explain feminist theoretical approaches to war and militarism
- evaluate competing interpretations of gender, race and militarism relationships
- develop an original conceptual framework linking gender, race and militarism
- discuss the relevance of feminist approaches to global politics
- construct coherent written arguments on political topics
- collect and organise evidence from primary and secondary sources
- apply gathered data to support analytical arguments
- critically assess concepts and information for validity
- use digital tools to retrieve and present information
- Race and International Politics
What you learn (6)
- compare how race shapes governance across different policy areas
- critically assess how race drives political contestation in policy debates
- evaluate scholarly literature addressing race within international politics
- explain the historical origins of race as a political concept
- describe how imperial structures shaped the development of race as a concept
- analyse the ongoing influence of race on contemporary world politics
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
Where does it lead?
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 175 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 13, 23
Half of graduates earned between £25,500 and £40,500. Five years on, the median is £41,500. 89% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 76% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 12% left | 98% | 385 |
| In work or study, 15 months on10% studying | 89% | 165 |
| Professional or managerial job | 76% | 115 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £33,000 | 75 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £31,500 | 175 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £41,500 | 180 |
What does it cost?
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Warwick fees page · source
About £40,200 in fees over 4 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold.
What do students say?
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 79% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 460 students answered
Highest: 98% agreed on question 20; lowest: 74% on question 25.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 97% |
| Question 2 | 93% |
| Question 3 | 96% |
| Question 4 | 91% |
| Question 5 | 92% |
| Question 6 | 89% |
| Question 7 | 93% |
| Question 8 | 79% |
| Question 9 | 87% |
| Question 10 | 82% |
| Question 11 | 86% |
| Question 12 | 86% |
| Question 13 | 84% |
| Question 14 | 76% |
| Question 15 | 95% |
| Question 16 | 93% |
| Question 17 | 89% |
| Question 18 | 91% |
| Question 19 | 93% |
| Question 20 | 98% |
| Question 21 | 96% |
| Question 22 | 95% |
| Question 23 | 95% |
| Question 24 | 87% |
| Question 25 | 74% |
| Question 26 | 89% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Warwick’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Warwick is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.