International Programme in Politics and Economics – IPPE, 180 hp

About the programme

The world has become insecure, with multiple crises cumulating, which calls for new ways of making sense of this predicament. IPPE offers an international perspective, with political science and economic tools to tackle these challenges. This three-year multidisciplinary bachelor’s programme, taught fully in English, offers a unique environment with a truly global student group and close teacher-student interactions throughout the programme. IPPE offers courses where you will gain theoretical knowledge and practical skills, addressing relationships between sustainability, security, democracy, and economics. This programme also gives you opportunities to work and study in Sweden and abroad. After graduating from the programme, you can work within international organizations, public administration, non-profit organisations, and private corporations.

International focus

IPPE is an international multidisciplinary programme given on campus in Sweden. It offers a bachelor’s degree in politics and economics and is taught entirely in English. Students and staff come from across the globe, which gives the programme a truly international, multicultural study environment and a vibrant, stimulating student life.

IPPE cooperates with universities all over the world. For example, we have special bilateral agreements with the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa, and San José State University in California, USA, for staff and student exchanges. Integrated in the programme is an elective semester during which you can study or hold an internship abroad, in Europe or any other continent, including our partner universities, or stay in Sweden and study our elective courses – it is your choice. The latter prepares you for professional work across national and cultural borders, since the courses focus on development, implementation, and leadership of politically and economically oriented projects.

Work-Integrated Learning

As an IPPE student, you will gain experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Our programme gives you easy access to academic faculty and encourages your growth academically, professionally, socially, emotionally, and ethically. In addition to providing relevant knowledge and skills, IPPE prepares you to support cultural diversity and consider issues of gender equality and sustainability in the work you do. The focus on WIL (Work Integrated Learning) allows you to put your knowledge and skills into practice within “real-world” contexts, including projects and the possibility to do an internship.

Career

Graduates from IPPE are attractive to employers in international organisations, governments, businesses, and non-profits. An IPPE degree also opens doors to further studies and research both in Sweden and abroad. IPPE alumni have made careers as academic researchers, executives, project leaders, administrators, and analysts in municipalities, regional authorities, state organisations, NGOs and international organisations, as well as banks and private companies.

Further Education

With the IPPE Bachelor’s Degree, you can apply for further studies at the graduate level within political science or related fields in Sweden or internationally. University West also offers a natural continuation of the IPPE programme in the form of a two-year international Master’s Programme in Work Integrated Political Studies (WIPS). This graduate programme is a joint venture with the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, given entirely in English. WIPS focuses on applied political studies conducted in close collaboration with civil society. Upon completing the WIPS Master’s Programme, you are qualified to apply for PhD studies within Work Integrated Learning at University West.