Undergraduate International Political Economy

Summer School courses are designed to be intensive and intellectually stimulating. They are taught by King’s academics in academic disciplines where King's has expertise. Classes are highly international, giving students an opportunity to collaborate with peers from all around the globe.

Each course consists of 150 study hours, comprising 45 hours of intensive synchronous and asynchronous teaching, independent study and group work and is examined to university standards. Comparable to an in-semester 15-credit King’s undergraduate module and therefore typically awarded 3-4 US credits or 7.5 ECTS, many summer students ask their home institution to award them external credit for their King's summer module to use towards their degree programme when they return home.

This course presents an overview of International Political Economy (IPE). It introduces students to the disciplinary foundations of IPE as well as the main theoretical approaches, concepts and substantive issues. The course will help students understand the relationship between power and wealth and the interplay of economics and politics within the hierarchies of the global economy and international state-system. In particular, it examines the political and economic conditions that give rise to cooperation and conflict among sovereign states as well as bargaining between rich and poor countries, under the present conditions of economic interdependence, international division of labour, international trade, and the global footprints of multinational corporations through Global Value Chains (GVCs).

The first part of the course addresses both mainstream and critical theoretical approaches, locating them in the historical development of Political Economy as an intellectual tradition seeking to grasp the dynamics of the global economy. This part also considers theories used to explain the evolution of international regimes in the world system and understand the post-World War II transformation of the global economy.

Building on this theoretical foundation, the second part of the course is devoted to six issues including: trade, production, money and finance, climate crisis, extractivism, and inequality and poverty. This section of the course will also introduce students to the ‘international political economy of everyday life’, an approach which takes everyday commodities (e.g., coffee) and practices (e.g. consumer borrowing) as entry points to the study of International Political Economy (IPE).

By the end of the course, the students will be able to demonstrate intellectual, transferable and practicable skills appropriate to a Level 4 module and in particular will be able to demonstrate the following subject specific skills:

• An ability to identify and analyse key issues of globalization as pertaining to international cooperation between states, social groups, and private firms, and relate them to broader and contemporary developmental, social, cultural and ideological debates.
• An ability to assess major political economic theories applicable to the above issues, with a critical awareness of the hierarchical power relations in the in the post-WWII era of the global economy.
• A set of skills for applying theories of international political economy to different regional and historical contexts, while appreciating common challenges of development, crisis and economic inequality.

The King's College London Undergraduate Summer School is open to students who are currently, or have been, enrolled in an undergraduate degree programme. We also welcome applications from professionals who have substantial relevant experience in their chosen subject area.

Entry requirements

• Open to students who are currently, or have been, enrolled in an undergraduate degree. We also welcome applications from professionals who have substantial relevant experience in their chosen subject area. 
• Minimum grade requirement of 2:1 degree equivalent. See International grade equivalents on our Undergraduate Summer School homepage, under Entry requirements.
• English language requirement of at least level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR). See full English Language requirements on our Undergraduate Summer School homepage, under Entry requirements.
• Minimum age at the start of the course is 18 years old.

Individual Essay (85%), Group Presentation (15%) - to be confirmed by the academic.

Taught on-campus any time between the hours of 9am and 6pm from Monday to Friday. 

*Early application discount: prices apply for applications received by 23:59 GMT on 14 February 2025. Subject to availability at the time of application. From 15 February 2025, the standard 2025 tuition fees apply.

As per the fees listed above, booking two sessions receives a discount. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts of promotions. Subject to availability at the time of application.

Suggested course combinations:

• War & Diplomacy
• Marketing in the Digital Era
• Business & Management

More information on our fees, entry requirements and residential package can be found on the Undergraduate Summer School homepage.

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