BSc in International Relations for Business
Course Overview
The BSc in International Relations for Business at the London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want to work at the boundary between geopolitics and business — inside a UK multinational's government-relations team, a policy advisory, a DBT-adjacent trade body or a Whitehall-facing role. Sitting in the International Business & Trade faculty, this degree pairs international relations with business strategy, giving graduates a working vocabulary in both worlds.
You will complete a placement year at a UK government-relations team, a trade body, an international NGO or a policy consultancy, and produce a final dissertation on a UK-facing geopolitical or trade-policy question. The BSc in International Relations for Business is delivered on-campus in central London, fully online with UK/APAC cohort calls, or by distance learning.
Key Features
- Curriculum reviewed against Chatham House research themes, IOE&IT trade policy content and BISA academic themes.
- Three study modes — central London campus, fully online with UK/APAC cohort calls, or distance learning.
- Placement-year option at a UK policy body, trade body or corporate government-relations team.
- Applied geopolitics project — analyse a real UK-relevant policy dossier.
- Dissertation on a UK-facing geopolitical or trade-policy question.
- Progression route to the LSIBM MSc in Global Trade Management or MSc in Foreign Market Strategy.
What You Will Learn
The BSc sequences IR theory, business strategy and policy analysis into the working questions a UK government-relations team faces. You will graduate able to read a policy paper critically and translate it for a commercial audience.
- International relations theory — realism, liberalism, constructivism.
- Global political economy and trade policy.
- UK foreign policy — Whitehall, FCDO, DBT machinery.
- Geopolitical risk analysis — sanctions regimes, decoupling, regional shifts.
- Corporate diplomacy and government relations.
- International business strategy and multinational firm behaviour.
- Regulatory and policy analysis — how UK law interacts with international obligations.
- Diplomatic and negotiation practice.
- Sustainability, ESG and international standards.
- Research methods and dissertation writing.
Who This Course Is For
- A-level leavers targeting UK graduate schemes at policy, consulting and multinational firms.
- International students seeking a UK honours degree bridging IR and business.
- Working professionals in trade, communications or policy formalising a UK credential.
- Career changers moving from academia or journalism into corporate affairs.
- Public-sector applicants targeting Whitehall and Diplomatic Service schemes.
Career Pathways
Graduates typically progress into UK government relations, policy, trade advocacy and international corporate affairs. Typical destinations include:
- Government Relations Analyst
- International Affairs Manager
- Diplomatic Programmes Officer
- Public Policy Adviser
- Trade Policy Analyst
- Corporate Communications Analyst (International)
The BSc in International Relations for Business is the natural step onto the LSIBM MSc in Global Trade Management or the MSc in Foreign Market Strategy.
Entry Requirements
- Three A-levels at BBC or above, or equivalent UK / international qualification (IB 28+, BTEC DMM, Access to HE, Foundation Year pass, or a relevant Higher Diploma with confirmed credit transfer).
- GCSE English Language at grade 5/C and Mathematics at grade 4/C (or equivalent), with confident written English essential.
- IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
- A personal statement showing genuine curiosity about international affairs — evidence of extended reading or MUN participation is welcomed. Mature applicants (21+) may enter with a portfolio and a short interview.
Why Study at LSIBM
The London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a specialist business-education provider based in central London and part of Harold International College. Undergraduate cohorts sit in small groups so every student is visible to their tutor, run a single intake schedule students can rely on, and every degree route is reviewed against UK professional-body competencies — ACCA, CIMA, CIM, CIPD, CMI, CIPS, CFA UK and IOE&IT — so graduates carry a credential that City recruiters engage with.
London puts the City, Canary Wharf, Whitehall, Companies House, the FCA, the Bank of England and the West End within a short tube ride of every classroom. Undergraduate students access a fortnightly practitioner clinic, at least one industry-careers day per academic year, a structured placement route and one-to-one application coaching in the final year.
Apply for the BSc in International Relations for Business
Launch your UK career with the BSc in International Relations for Business. Click Enrol Now and admissions will reply within one working day with UCAS guidance, intake dates and the current fee schedule. LSIBM undergraduates receive structured placement and application coaching in every final year.
