In a rapidly changing international economic, political, security and environmental context the tools of political science and geography are becoming increasingly important to analyse global problems and provide policy solutions. This course combines analytical rigour with an understanding of real-world variations and complexities. The two disciplines have been associated through the sub-fields of political geography, which covers geographical differences in voting patterns, for example, and through geo-politics, which examines how the great powers influence other parts of the planet. However, in a context of globalisation, interdisciplinary understandings of socio-environmental issues are becoming increasingly key in solving the problems of the future, such as adaptation to climate change in the developing world.

Careers for graduates lie in fields such as public and European affairs, overseas assistance, resource management and risk assessment, the supply of environmental-related advice to governments and industry, the study and practice of environmental policymaking, and teaching and higher education.