Bachelor in International Studies

Plan Actual

• Program modified in 2023 and revised in 2025. In 2025/26 will be offered 1st, 2nd and 3rd year.

• Field of knowledge: Social sciences, social work, labour relations and human resources, sociology, political science and international relations.

Plan anterior

Study plan for students who started in the academic year 2022/23 or earlier.

• In 2025/26 only 4th. year will be offered.

Any of elective courses could not be offered in a specific year. You can check it in schedules page.

Exchange programs

The Erasmus programme permits UC3M first degree and post graduate students to spend one or several terms at one of the European universities with which UC3M has special agreements or take up an Erasmus Placement, that is a work placement or internship at an EU company. These exchanges are funded with Erasmus Grants which are provided by the EU and the Spanish Ministry of Education.

The non-european mobility program enables UC3M degree students to study one or several terms in one of the international universities with which the university has special agreements. It also has funding from the Banco Santander and the UC3M.

These places are offered in a public competition and are awarded to students with the best academic record and who have passed the language threshold  (English, French, German etc..) requested by the university of destination.

European mobilty

Non european mobility

Entry profile

Student should have a solid education in history, geography, mathematics, economics and environmental sciences. Additionally, although there is no entrance exam, we recommend a B2 (MCERL) level of English, given that the courses are taught exclusively in English.

We also appreciate students with initiative, flexibility, organizational working skills, a positive attitude to working in groups, ability to complete tasks under pressure, responsibility and curiosity to apply acquired knowledge in practice. Students should also have sensitivity and curiosity towards the legal, economic, political and social problems of the world today, interest to understand and discuss these problems and challenges from a critical point of view and using, both orally and in written form, distinct qualitative and quantitative skills.

Application for a place in the degree

Graduate profile

International Studies is oriented to preparing graduates to pursue careers in these professional fields:

• Business intelligence and corporate strategy in multinational firms, nation brands, strategic planning for cities and metropolitan areas, etc.
• Public administrations
• International Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations
• Political parties
• Think-tanks and national and international research centers and observatories
• Political consulting and strategic communication
• Investigative journalism
• Education and research and consulting related to both

The degree in International Studies will provide students with the necessary skills to pursue a dynamic and versatile career, with a high capacity to adapt to changes in the labour markets with the profiles we have indicated above and those that are still to be consolidated in the years to come.

1. Knowledge of Titles

K1 - Acquire the knowledge, techniques and terminology specific to the field of economics, politics and international relations.

K2 - Knowledge of the principles and values of democracy and sustainable development, in particular, respect for human rights and fundamental rights, gender equality and non-discrimination, and the principles of universal accessibility and climate change.

K3 - To know basic humanistic contents, oral and written expression, following ethical principles and completing a multidisciplinary training profile.

K4 - Acquire knowledge of the economic, legal, political and social reality from a comparative perspective.

K5 - To know the sources of law and the model of freedoms and fundamental rights of the Spanish and international legal systems.

K6 - To understand the structure of markets and the impact of public intervention on them.

K7 - To know and understand the main models of political, economic and social organization of States and the processes of change in contemporary societies and politics.

K8 - To understand the differentiating elements of international problems according to the degree of development of a country.

K9 - To know the relevant political and sociological theories to understand the structure and functioning of the main socio-political systems.

2. Skills of Titles

S1 - Be able to debate and formulate critical reasoning, using precise terminology and specialized resources, on international and global phenomena.

S2 - Critically relate current and past events and processes.

S3 - Plan and organize team work making the right decisions based on available information and gathering data in digital environments.

S4 - Use information interpreting relevant data avoiding plagiarism, and in accordance with the academic and professional conventions of the area of study, being able to assess the reliability and quality of such information.

S5 - Apply knowledge to identify with rigor, precision and scientific objectivity the social processes and possible solutions.

S6 - Be able to apply the scientific method to the social, political and economic questions posed by the globalized society.

S7 - Be able to identify, access and manage sources of information relevant to comparative analysis in the field of politics, economics and international relations.

S8 - Knowing how to propose and use the appropriate tools to solve basic problems of economic, social and political content, especially in the international context.

S9 - Apply computational tools and specific software for the analysis of political, social and economic problems in the international context.

S10 - Ability to gather and interpret relevant data and knowledge for the elaboration and defense of arguments on topics in their area of study.

S11 - Ability to discern which quantitative or qualitative research technique is the appropriate one to apply depending on the phenomenon being analyzed.

S12 - Design and evaluate public policy and management and quality improvement programs in the public and private sectors.

3. Competences of Titles

C1 - To know how to analyze, elaborate and defend individually a problem of interdisciplinary field of the Degree applying the knowledge, skills, tools and strategies acquired or developed in it.

C2 - Know and be able to handle interpersonal skills on initiative, responsibility, conflict resolution, negotiation, etc., required in the professional environment.

C3 - Ability to establish good interpersonal communication and to work in multidisciplinary and international teams.

C4 - Be able to engage in lifelong autonomous learning, enabling them to adapt to new situations.

External internships

This is a selection where students of this degree can do their internships:

• Pricewaterhousecoopers Auditores S.L.
• CSIC-IEGD
• Organización para la Cooperación y Desrrollo Económicos (OCDE)
• Everis
• MAEC
• Fundación Mujeres por Africa
• Grupo Telecopy Cartera Empresarial
• Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias
• Instituto Elcano de Estudios Estratégicos
• CSIC
• Grupo Acciona
• Auren Consultores S.P., S.P.L.
• Schottel GmbH
• CSIC- Instituto de Políticas y Bienes Públicos
• ONG Acción Contra el Hambre
• ONG Movimiento ATD Cuarto Mundo

Career opportunities

International Studies is oriented to preparing graduates to pursue careers in these professional fields:

• Business intelligence and corporate stetegy in multinational firms, nation brands, strategic planning for cities and metropolitan areas, etc.
• Public administrations
• Internacional Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations
• Political parties
• Think-tanks and national and international research centers and observatories
• Political consulting and strategic communication
• Investigative journalism
• Education and research and consulting related both

Schedules and calendar

Schedule in bachelor's degree

Academic calendar

Exams calendar (first semester)

Exams calendar (second semester)

Exams calendar (recovery tests)

Schedules and Calendars

Schedule in bachelor's degree

Academic calendar

Exams calendar (first semester)

Exams calendar (second semester)

Exams calendar (recovery tests)