Course content

The International Governance and Public Policy programme is particularly appropriate for students from China who aspire to a career in international organisations or diplomatic services where use of English is expected. A key feature of the programme is that successful graduates of this programme will have gained invaluable experience of living and studying in two cultures, they will be able to demonstrate proficiency in Mandarin and English, and will have attributes suitable for a wide variety of potential careers in the international sphere. 

The BA International Governance and Public Policy is an interdisciplinary programme combining elements of three subjects: international relations and diplomacy, international business and international law. This combination of academic subjects will enable students to understand the major political, business and legal aspects of how international processes are organised and governed. 

The major discipline in this degree programme is international relations (IR). International relations is based on a range of other disciplines in the social sciences: politics, sociology and (international) law, and the humanities – primarily history. The political aspect of the subject analyses the distribution of resources. In examining the related questions of power, order, justice, conflict and legitimacy in the interaction of people, ideas and institutions, international relations is, however, different to other approaches to politics.

Course structure

Our degree courses are organised into modules. Each module is usually a self-contained unit of study and each is usually assessed separately with the award of credits on the basis of 1 credit = 10 hours of student effort. An outline of the structure of the programme is provided in the tables below.

There are three types of module delivered as part of this programme. They are:

• Compulsory modules: a module that you are required to study on this course;
• Optional modules: these allow you some limited choice of what to study from a list of modules;
• Elective modules: a free choice of modules that count towards the overall credit requirement but not the number of subject-related credits.

YEAR 1 (LEVEL 3) - Taught at BFSU

Semester one	Credits	Semester two	Credits
Business and Management (Keele)	15	Global Political Sociology (Keele)	15
Study Skills (Keele)	15	Seminar Skills Development (Keele)	15

General English (year-long module, Keele)	30
Academic English Proficiency (year-long module, Keele)	30
Total L3 Credits	120

Year 1 also includes compulsory modules according to Chinese Ministry of Education regulations

YEAR 2 (LEVEL 4) - Taught at BFSU

Semester one	Credits	Semester two	Credits
Introduction to International Relations (Keele)	15	Introduction to Global Political Economy (Keele)	15
Global Business Environments (Keele)	15	Introduction to International Business (Keele)	15
Chinese Diplomacy and Foreign Policy (BFSU)	7.5	Academic English for International Governance 1 (Keele)	15
The Changing World: A History of International Relations Since 1945 (Keele)	15	Chinese Political Thinking (BFSU)	15
		Political System and Government of China (year-long module, BFSU)	7.5

 

YEAR 3 (LEVEL 5) - Taught at Keele University

Semester one	Credits	Semester two	Credits
Foreign Policy (Keele)	15	International Organisation: Mitigating Anarchy (Keele)	15
Managing in the Multinational Corporation (Keele)	15	Why Policy Changes (Keele)	15
Introduction to Public International Law (Keele)	15	Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility (Keele)	15
Academic English for International Governance 2 (Keele)	15	Either a) International Relations of Eurasia: Challenges of Globalisations and Geopolitics (Keele) or b) Politics of the European Union (Keele)	15

Total L5 Credits

120

Year 4 (LEVEL 6) - Taught at BFSU

Semester one	Credits	Semester two	Credits
Dissertation in International Governance and Public Policy (Keele)	15	Politics of Development (Keele)	15
Two from:  a) The Missing Dimension: Conspiracy, Spying and International Relations (Keele) b) Understanding Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism  (Keele) or c) Work Experience/Internship (Keele/BFSU)	15 15 15	Diplomacy: Theory and Practice (Keele) Comparative Business Cultures	15 15
International Organisation: Theory (BFSU)	7.5	UN Peace Operation and Sustainable Development: Theory and Practice (BFSU)	7.5
Classic Readings of International Relations (BFSU)	7.5	Diplomatic Translation in Practice (BFSU)	7.5

Total L6 Credits

120

The module details given above are indicative and will give you a good idea of the range of subjects that we teach. We regularly review our teaching to ensure that the modules we offer are up-to-date; therefore, the modules available to study are liable to change.

Entry requirements

Chinese Nationals

Academic Entry Requirements

Enrolment is in accordance with the relevant batch of degree admission marks of merit of the Chinese National College Entrance Examination for BFSU.

English Language Requirements

The English score achieved in the Chinese National College Entrance Examination should not be less than 110 out of 150.

 

PREPARATION PROGRAMMES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

International students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this course have the opportunity to study an International Foundation Year programme.

These courses are designed to prepare international students to enter into Keele University undergraduate degrees.

Fees and funding

Tuition Fee for Years 1, 2, and 4 at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU): 86,000 RMB

Tuition Fee for Year 3 at Keele University: £14,000

Please note: Fees are subject to review and may potentially change

Going to university can be a daunting as well as an exciting experience. It can be difficult to understand the true costs of being a student, as well as the financial support that is available to help you meet those costs.

We can help you to manage your funds, create a budget and ensure that you receive any funding for which you may be eligible. We also offer financial support such as the Keele University Hardship Fund and emergency loans.

For more information visit our money, advice and guidance section.

Career prospects

The programme is characterized by it's interdisciplinary nature, cutting across international relations and diplomacy, international business, and international law. It aims to recruit the students who are inspired to work in international organisations, foreign affair-related departments, multinational companies, international government organisations, diplomatic services, international business, international court and  world trade organisations or research institutes.