War, Peace and International Relations with Placement Year Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

Specialise in warfare and strategy within international politics, drawing on the research strengths of strategic specialists with our BA War, Peace and International Relations with a Placement Year.

Gain an in-depth understanding of the most important issues in international relations today: war and peace. Our specialist BA in War, Peace and International Relations with a placement year course examines strategies of warfare and mechanisms of peace-building in contemporary world politics, drawing on the research strengths of our academic experts. 

Why do conflicts erupt and how can they be resolved? You will learn about the role of war as a driving force in the formation, evolution, and collapse of state and world systems. You will also study the complex mechanisms of conflict prevention and resolution, and explore challenging ethical puzzles around the justification of military force. 

As a student in the University of Reading’s Department of Politics and International Relations you will benefit from a learning environment driven by high-quality research.  We’re ranked 6th in the UK for research quality, with 97% of our research outputs rated ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (Times Higher Education analysis of the latest REF 2021 – Politics and International Studies, when scoring by GPA Output).  

Our areas of strength include: 

* contemporary conflict, war and peace 


* governance, legitimacy and order 


* historical perspectives on global politics. 

Integrated Placement Year 

This four-year course features a year-long placement in industry between your second and final year of study. 

This is an opportunity to enhance your employability, build your network and develop excellent professional contacts. A successful industry placement can also lead to a job offer with your placement company upon graduation. 

We have a dedicated placement coordinator who can provide advice and support in your search for a placement. 

For more information, please visit the course page: