Is the Certificate in International Relations Basics recognised in the UK?

The Certificate in International Relations Basics is a UK Level 3 introductory qualification aligned with PSA, BISA and Chatham House publication conventions. It articulates into LSLPE Diploma and Bachelor's routes.

What are the entry requirements for the Certificate in International Relations Basics?

GCSE English at 4/C, IELTS 5.5 for non-native speakers, and a 250-word statement. No prior study is required for the Certificate in International Relations Basics; mature applicants are considered on open access.

What does the Certificate in International Relations Basics cost and is funding available?

Fees for the Certificate in International Relations Basics are published on the LSLPE fees page and admissions offers staged payment plans. International applicants can also request the current international-scholarship window.

Certificate in Int'l Relations Basics | LSLPE | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in International Relations Basics at LSLPE is a UK Level 3 introductory course running 3 to 6 months across on-campus, online and distance modes. It gives new entrants a working map of the international system: sovereign states, international organisations, alliances, treaty regimes and the great theoretical traditions of realism, liberalism, constructivism and critical theory. The syllabus references British foreign-policy institutions from the FCDO to Chatham House.

By closing terms you will have written short country briefings, produced a treaty analysis, drafted a policy note in the style used by the leading international-affairs think tanks, and prepared a reading log ready for progression into an LSLPE Diploma or Bachelor's programme.

Key Features

UK Level 3 Certificate designed as a first-entry route into international-relations study.
Reading list aligned with Political Studies Association (PSA), British International Studies Association (BISA) and Chatham House publications.
Weekly seminars in central London or live online with named tutor support.
Applied assignments in country-briefing, treaty-analysis and policy-note format.
Direct articulation into LSLPE Diploma in International Relations and BA in International Relations.
International-applicant support with visa, accommodation and English-language guidance.

What You Will Learn

Read the UN Charter and the leading regional treaty regimes.
Compare realist, liberal and constructivist explanations of state behaviour.
Write a Chatham House-style country briefing.
Interpret UK foreign-policy documents and select-committee reports.
Analyse the machinery of the UN, NATO, EU and Commonwealth.
Draft a short scenario analysis of a regional flashpoint.
Distinguish diplomacy, statecraft and international law.
Prepare a personal reading and research plan.

Who This Course Is For

New entrants exploring an international-affairs career.
Career-changers moving from journalism or NGO work into diplomacy.
International applicants planning to enter LSLPE Diploma or Bachelor's study.
Civil servants and defence staff wanting a rapid literacy credential.
Mature applicants entering study through open-access admissions.

Career Pathways

International Relations Analyst
Parliamentary Researcher
Public Affairs Officer
Political Analyst
International Affairs Officer

The LSLPE careers service supports Certificate in International Relations Basics leavers with progression planning and introductions to Chatham House-adjacent internships and NGO recruitment cycles.

Entry Requirements

GCSE English at grade 4/C or equivalent; open access for mature applicants at admissions review.
No prior study of international relations required — the Certificate is designed as a first-entry route.
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.0) for non-native English speakers, or equivalent.
A short personal statement of 250 words describing your interest in international relations.
International applicants supported through visa, accommodation and English-language guidance.

Why Study at LSLPE

LSLPE reads international relations as a discipline that only makes sense next to comparative economics and public international law. The Certificate is taught in small tutor-visible cohorts by staff drawn from academic, think-tank and public-service backgrounds.

Central London puts Chatham House, the FCDO-adjacent think-tank cluster and the leading NGO head offices within a short tube ride of every classroom. Three parallel study modes let full-time workers and international applicants complete the Certificate without dislocation, and the careers service refreshes curriculum alignment annually against PSA and BISA guidance.

Apply for Certificate in International Relations Basics

Places are offered on rolling intakes. Start with a UK Level 3 Certificate at LSLPE, rolling intakes, early applications receive the widest choice of tutors and elective modules. Enrol Now.