Programmes

Double Bachelor’s in Politics & International Relations and Business & Leadership

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Our Double Bachelor’s combines academic excellence with the practical skills that will make you stand out in the workplace of tomorrow. It brings together a Bachelor’s in Politics & International Relations – designed by the LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science) and accredited by the University of London and a Bachelor’s in Business and leadership from Forward College.

Forward College tuition programme includes:

  • 100% small group teaching (on average 15 students per class)
  • Weekly one-on-one tutoring for individualised feedback and guidance
  • Frequent evaluations to track your progress throughout the year and ensure your success at the final exams.
  • Induction programme where you will better understand your learning style and adopt the most relevant learning methods for you
  • Demonstrate your ability to tackle a highly demanding double programme
  • Gain knowledge and understanding of how political power is distributed and organised within the state and between states. 
  • Develop personal skills that are in high demand among recruiters worldwide such as teamwork, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, web marketing or design thinking
  • Display unparalleled experiences through a set of 3 projects

The Double Bachelor’s pathway will prepare you for highly competitive masters including Economics, Management, Political Science, International Relations, Public Policy, Business Administration, and more, fostering a multifaceted skill set at the intersection of politics, international relations, business, and leadership… Further down the road, a combination between politics, international relations and business education opens a wide array of careers across sectors, including roles in international diplomacy, government policy analysis, business management, strategic consulting, public administration, nonprofit leadership, financial analysis, data analytics, political campaign management, international trade, corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurship, and more.

The building blocks of
the programme

If you want to prepare for a career in government or international roles in a corporate organisation or NGO, this interdisciplinary degree is a perfect match. Developed by LSE, this degree will help you understand key issues facing the international community, such as the causes of war and globalisation.

As with all BSc Programmes designed by the LSE, students take four courses each year, made up of a combination of compulsory and optional choices.


NB: availability of courses depends on student interest, and not all of the below courses may be available for study during years 2 and 3. Some courses carry pre-requisites – please refer to the UoL course list for additional information. Please note that students select a maximum of 4 courses per year of study.

As with all double bachelor’s programmes, there is an overlap between the two bachelors’: Some courses from the academic Bachelor’s above accounting for 100 ECTS are also validated as part of the Bachelor’s in Business and Leadership.
 
The other part (80 ECTS) gives you the opportunity to put your knowledge into practice and equip you with the mindset and skills that fit your career aspirations. Business acumen and leadership develop mainly through guided practice and reflection, not lectures.
 
It consists of 3 blocks: Entrepreneurship & Project Management, personal development, foreign languages and an internship.
 
Entrepreneurship & project management: 3 year-long projects
 

It is time for you to be in the driver’s seat and experiment with entrepreneurship. Each year, you will work in teams on a problem or an opportunity of your choice with the support of a dedicated Forward Leadership Fellow who will guide you and teach you the necessary methodologies and techniques so that you progress step by step towards making an impact.

You will carry out a total of three different projects, one project each year. 

Along the way, you will not only make a concrete difference; you will gain highly valuable skills for your future career such as design thinking, SCRUM, research methods, interviewing, surveying, data analysis, project management, performance management, teamwork, and impact evaluation.

You can choose three of these entrepreneurship modules (research and consulting are mutually exclusive):

Sustainability and Social Impact Entrepreneurship
This certificate is designed for students who wish to make a difference on issues they care about: climate change, inequalities, refugees, education, racism, gender balance.

Expected working time: approx 8-12h/week on average
Read more about Forward’s Sustainability and Social Impact Entrepreneurship
Digital entrepreneurship
This certificate is designed for students who wish to venture into creating a digital solution from scratch to explore a social or business opportunity they have identified.

Expected working time: approx. 8-12h/week on average
Read more about Forward’s Digital entrepreneurship
Research Project
Research is entrepreneurial as it requires courage, creativity, and rigor at the same time. Available in Year 3, you will work individually or in a team in close collaboration with one of our Forward academic Fellows.

Expected working time: approx 8-12h/week on average
Read more about Forward’s Research Project
Consulting projects with external organisations
Working as a consultant is an opportunity to develop professionally and collaborate with an external organisation on a real life problem. Available in year 3, this project is not compatible with the research project.

Expected working time: approx 8-12h/week on average
Read more about Forward’s Consulting projects with external organisations

Personal development

Personal development (15 ECTS) supports you in growing your social and emotional skills and mindsets for adaptive futures. Students develop high self-awareness and resilience, cultural competency, and an approach to leadership that is impact-oriented, practical, empathetic and collaborative.

Students will attend the following 9 modules throughout the 3 years

• Manage my own balance (time management, getting organised and other student skills)
• Manage tensions and conflicts (interpersonal, in teams and in communities)
• Decipher and manage my emotions (motivation, energy levels, anxiety and stress…)
• Networking and building trust
• Impactful communication
• Decipher and respond to others’ emotions
• Making the right decision… and sticking to it
• Leadership, ethics and influence
• Prepare masters’ application

The Forward 360 Skills Assessment consolidates feedback from your peers and tutors on four core categories of skills: cognitive, social, emotional and practical.

This tool allows students to assess their progress and, with the guidance of personal coaches, set your goals and aspirations for the coming year.

This assessment provides Forward Graduates with a Skills Map that supports their applications for master programmes and career options.

Personal development
Personal development supports you in growing your social and emotional skills and mindsets for adaptive futures.

Expected working time: 3 to 5 hours/module over 8 weeks
Read more about Forward’s Personal development

Internship

In the third year of your bachelor’s degree, you will do an internship (10 ECTS). An internship gives you the best opportunities to gain valuable work experience, whilst also exploring and testing a career path. Students who accomplish their research or consulting project with an external organisation will ipso facto validate their internship.

Internship
An internship during college prepares you for the world of work and its challenges.

Expected working time: 6-8 weeks
Read more about Forward’s Internship

Foreign language

As part of their learning expedition, we encourage students to immerse themselves in the local culture. In the quest for cultural immersion, one of the most important factors is the language. Passing this course equates to 7 ECTS.

As most students are beginners in Portuguese, you will attend weekly classes throughout the year.

In Paris and Berlin, beginners’ courses will be offered at the start of the year in French and German respectively. For non-beginners, specific provisions and objectives will be set based on their current levels. Regular feedback sessions to monitor their progresses will be provided.

Foreign language
We encourage students to immerse themselves in the local culture and one of the most important factors is language.

Expected working time: 3h/week (term 1)
Read more about Forward’s Foreign language

In Summary

Scholarship Available

On-campus

3 years

€25,000 (EU/EEA/Swiss)
€29,000 (other international students)

Lisbon (year 1)
Paris (year 2)
Berlin (year 3)

English

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