Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in International Politics

at University of Stirling United Kingdom

With around 250 million French speakers and 400 million Spanish speakers on the planet, a firm grasp of both languages can open up boundless opportunities.

At the University of Stirling, we specialise in teaching French and Spanish in a contemporary, global context. You’ll develop high-level written and spoken linguistic skills in both languages, as well as build an understanding of the diverse societies, literature and visual cultures that surround them. You’ll also enjoy extensive opportunities to sharpen your French and Spanish skills through our study abroad links with universities in France, Spain, Morocco, Switzerland, Canada or Latin America.

To help you find the perfect professional context for your Modern Languages study, you’ll combine the course with one of eight other subjects that range from International Politics and Management Studies to Secondary Education. Wherever you hope your new-found knowledge of French and Spanish will lead you, we’ll pour all our energy and expert knowledge into helping you get there.

This is an integrated academic and professional course which develops the intellectual and practical skills necessary for professional practice as a social worker.

We promote an understanding of social work which is informed by social justice and human rights, a profession that acknowledges the links between 'public issues' and 'private troubles' and seeks to address both. We value social work practice that has prevention at its heart and recognises the importance of collective approaches, actively engaging with and learning from user movements.

Our course is taught by qualified social workers including world leaders in their research field, and academics who maintain close connections with practice. You'll experience inspirational contributions to teaching by people who have used social work services, as well as from practicing social workers.

You’ll enjoy the benefits of smaller class sizes with creative approaches to teaching and assessment as well as detailed feedback on your progress. On your practice placements, you’ll be supported and assessed by Practice Educators who are qualified or undertaking their Practice Educator training.

People have an enormous impact on their environment through resource use, habitat loss and degradation, and climate change. Understanding how our actions impact the ecological balance across the planet has never been more important.

Our BSc (Hons) Ecology and Conservation course will teach you the science of ecology and conservation and provide practical training in field and laboratory techniques. You will understand how animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms interact with their environment, as well as the relationship between people and the rest of the biosphere. It will also provide you with a deep understanding of the complex relationships between environments and their inhabitants. You’ll learn about the policies and management strategies that aim to safeguard our biodiversity and the ecosystem services upon which humans depend.

Stirling is a superb place to study Ecology and Conservation. We’re near to diverse landscapes and can link up with more environmental and conservation organisations than anywhere else in the UK. Several organisations have offices on our campus, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, British Trust for Ornithology and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. We work closely with these and other organisations, including conservation charities and Government agencies in conducting research, arranging placements and field training for our students.

This interdisciplinary Masters degree is jointly taught by leading academics in media and social science research. You’ll gain both a theoretical and practical understanding of social science research methods, and learn how to apply these to the media and cultural industries. Covering social sciences and humanities approaches, our Masters will give you solid, extensive training in advanced media research methods. You’ll be encouraged to explore your own research interests, gain real-world experience of research and develop your own approach to research throughout the course.

The degree is primarily targeted at anyone needing research training before embarking on a higher research degree, such as a PhD. The course also offers an excellent grounding in social science methods, which are transferable to media research for industry, journalism, marketing and advertising research, production research and wider aspects of social research consultancy.

Enhancing your employability is one of our top priorities. That’s why all MRes students are given the opportunity for a research placement as part of our course where you can apply your learning to the real world.

If you have aspirations of working in the heritage, conservation or tourism sectors, our dedicated Heritage and Tourism degree is the perfect starting point. This course is a fully integrated degree taught in conjunction with Forth Valley College. You'll spend the first two years studying at the college and the final two studying at the University of Stirling campus, whilst benefitting from dual registration and the full range of their combined resources and facilities.

The course is supported and shaped by leading organisations such as Historic Environment Scotland, VisitScotland and Scottish Canals, and delivered jointly by the University of Stirling and Forth Valley College. Your studies will reflect the importance of combining academic knowledge with a firm grasp of management and business. You’ll learn about heritage, tourism, history, exhibition design, sociology, marketing and environmental studies – as well as the challenges facing the management and promotion of historic and natural environments in Scotland and beyond.

Every aspect of the course is informed by the internationally-recognised expertise of our academic staff and their extensive networks with professional partners, helping to distinguish our programme from other heritage and tourism courses. You can be confident that everything you’re learning is rooted in the latest academic and applied industry thinking, and designed to prepare you for a career in the heritage and tourism sectors. You’ll also apply your skills in real-world settings while you study – further sharpening the skills you’ll put to use when you transition into the exciting professional world of heritage and tourism.

Become a Sport and Exercise scientist with our BSc Sport and Exercise Science degree and you can transform lives and sporting careers.

As Scotland’s official University for Sporting Excellence, we place Sport and Exercise Science at the heart of everything we do. We prepare athletes for success on the world stage and improve the health of the nation through physical exercise. It’s why we're 1st in Scotland for research outputs in Sport (REF 2021).

Study our BSc Sport and Exercise Science degree and you’ll learn from our experts in sport and exercise physiology, nutrition, genetics, medicine, health and physical activity.

Our research and performance analysis laboratories enable you to develop your scientific and practical skills in a world-class learning environment. Our course will prepare you for the many career opportunities available in Sport and Exercise Science. Our research ranges from molecular mechanisms through to the whole body level.

Our MSc Criminology course establishes clear connections between conceptual theories of crime and justice, and applied examples of how they affect contemporary societies. The course has an international focus that goes beyond UK or Scottish borders, making it appealing for a diverse student cohort.

The course content encourages the pursuit of innovative and socially just responses to the problem of crime, from crimes in the street or at home, to crimes of the powerful, crimes across borders, the much newer phenomenon of online crime, and the drug problem. Throughout the course, there's an emphasis on the need for a strong critical understanding of how research is framed, used and developed, which is delivered via modules in data analysis and research design, as well as criminological and socio-legal research methods. You’ll have the opportunity to explore concepts of criminal justice, the social contexts of crime, and a variety of criminological theoretical perspectives as well as applied insights.

With elective modules in specialist subjects you can acquire and develop a range of skills which will significantly enhance your confidence in criminology and your employability. Subjects include:

• Rehabilitation and criminal justice work
• Drug policy and interventions
• Criminalisation, social control and human rights

Our MSc Business and Management course gives you the knowledge and skills you need to be an inspiring, effective and resilient manager. We combine management theory with development of practical skills, and our course is taught by internationally recognised subject experts.

The course focuses on operations and strategic management, and explores the need for managing limited resources effectively, with maximum business impact. This is the ideal Masters if you're looking to take your first steps into management. We cover the major functions of organisations – accounting, marketing, operations, people and talent management. Finance and economics are integrated through our strategic orientation.

We aim to create industry leaders, managers and entrepreneurs, who're confident in the use of business analytics tools and critical thinking abilities. This allows for better and informed decision making in your management career. There’s an emphasis on entrepreneurship, innovation and strategic management. You’ll also develop an appreciation of corporate social responsibility, ethical decision making and managing change.

Our Psychological Research Methods course combines training in psychological theory with practical skills development - a modern approach to studying mind and behaviour preparing you for a future career in psychology. You’ll gain a thorough introduction to quantitative and qualitative research, the analysis and interpretation of data, and a critical, sceptical approach to psychological science.

The unique feature of this course is flexibility - you’re free to investigate a wide range of topics across the discipline while maintaining a high standard of training. This encourages an understanding of different methods and perspectives within the field of Psychology helping you make choices which will benefit your future career.

There are a number of degree pathways available:

• Child Development
• Cognition and Neuropsychology
• Evolutionary Psychology

Opportunities for practical hands-on skills development are built in, ranging from low-tech observational assessment to high-tech eye-tracking. You’ll carry out a work placement, typically in an external company, charity or third sector organisation. This provides you with a fantastic opportunity to develop relevant work-based employment skills, and to develop a network of contacts relevant to your future career goals. Students benefit hugely from this experience, combining skills and experience with personal and professional development.

You’ll be based in a dedicated MSc office, or within an appropriate research group, and allocated a peer mentor. You’ll also have an academic supervisor in Psychology who supports and guides your development, including your research dissertation project.

Equip yourself with a rich breadth of knowledge in business and management with our flexible Business Studies course.

When you choose Business Studies at Stirling, you won’t just be stepping into a leading UK business school – you’ll also open the door to a world of opportunities with the freedom to access subjects from all over the University and, if you wish, combine your degree with one of 17 different subjects. From Spanish to Sports Studies, Psychology to Law, Computing to Accountancy, our flexibility is your strength as you pair your passion with an in-depth grounding in business.

This course will grow your managerial expertise and put foundations in place to ensure you continue developing through your professional life. You’ll also learn how organisations are structured, and gain insight into what makes them function best. Speakers from industry visit regularly to complement our own research-led teaching – giving you real-world and rounded knowledge of business and the tools needed to succeed in it.