The Department of Political and International Studies (formerly Politics and International Studies) started in Faculty of Arts in 2014 as part of the Faculty of Arts’ BA programme. Originally, the department was with the department of Public Administration (Faculty of Commerce, Law and Administration).

However, in November 2019 the department got accredited by the South African relevant education authorities (Department of Higher Education and Training, Council for Higher Education and South African Qualification Authority) to start its own programme; Bachelor of Social Science in Political and International Studies.

Are you pondering on what you can do with a degree in Political and an International Studies? There are broad sets of career options in addition to Political Science, including fields like political economy, strategic studies and social systems.

Pursuing a degree in Political and International Studies will provide you with great insights into foreign relationships, public policies, international economic development, international law etc. But what options do you have while studying towards a degree in Political and International Studies? Popular among career options are diplomatic work, political analyst, international law, academic related work, military intelligence specialist, communication specialist in a non-governmental organisation, researcher with security outfits, lobbyist for international association, multinational corporations, researcher with international organisations such African Union, UNO, Commonwealth of Nations, government social research officer, intelligence analyst, political risk analyst, public affairs consultant etc.

However, to have a successful and robust career in one of the aforementioned fields, ensure that you develop the right skills during your studies, be creative, level-up your communication skills, problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills, persuasion and negotiation capabilities.

The curriculum of this programme is anchored on the pillars of Political Science and International Studies and the duration is 3 years.