BA International Honours
The BA (International Honours) joint degree programme opens up a world of opportunities at two leading academic institutions and beyond. This programme is for the leaders of tomorrow who will go on to make their mark on a global stage, but before that our teams at both universities are here to help you make an informed decision on accepting your offer.
Content
Hear from students on the joint degree programme
"Our program with St Andrews offers students a truly international experience and degree.
With a full academic year in each setting and alternating between our campuses, students become authentic parts of both academic communities and enjoy a unique collegiate experience full of challenge, change, and fun.
Learning in both the American and European modes, students benefit from close intellectual relationships with remarkable faculty, different styles of curricular delivery – ranging from didactic instruction, teams and discussion groups, studio and laboratory settings, and tutorials – and unique institutional perspectives, practices, and approaches to how we create and spread the knowledge that drives intellectual growth."
- Dean of Arts & Sciences, William & Mary
"The BA International Honours programme offers its students a world-class education at two highly esteemed institutions and challenges them to develop an extended skill set, emphasising adaptability and resilience, that will stand them in very good stead for their lives beyond their degree studies.
I am continually impressed by the commitment and dedication of our BAIH students, as they navigate through the stages of this fully integrated dual degree, growing in confidence and ability all the while, and emerging as global citizens ready to apply their learning to make a difference in the world."
- Associate Dean Arts & Divinity (Curriculum), St Andrews
Degree structure
You will spend an equal amount of time at the University of St Andrews and William & Mary.
For your first year, you will attend the university you applied to (your home institution). For your second year, you will transfer to the other university (your host institution).
Your interests and programme of study will help you to decide whether to spend your third year at your host institution or return to your home institution. You will move again for your fourth year of study so that you spend two years at each institution in total.
You will typically graduate from the institution where you choose to spend your fourth year (although arrangements can be made to graduate at the other).
Find out more about how the joint degree programme works.
"My experiences in the Programme were remarkable.
I stand out from peers from other universities thanks to my experiences and my education.
I have been very lucky in my educational choices by pursuing the Joint Degree Programme, and I couldn’t imagine who I would be if I had made any other decision in pursuing my undergraduate."
- California, USA
Hear from students on the joint degree programme
Where are graduates now?
The first class graduated from the joint degree programme in 2015, and since then a group of students has graduated from both St Andrews and William & Mary each year. They have gone on to a broad range of careers and further study, showcasing the unparalleled experiences and skillsets they offer.
Through this programme, students become independent and resilient, are able to overcome challenges as they transition between institutions and adapt to living in different places. This unique educational experience makes our students stand out from the crowd and they are able to show future employers that their experience on this programme well prepares them for the world of work.
It is a unique experience which has had a lasting impact on my career trajectory. After graduating I was able to attend the University of Cambridge to study an MPhil in Development Studies. I was hired by a humanitarian NGO and later deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The BA (International Honours) degree is full of opportunities to gain valuable job skills and experience prior to leaving university.
- International Relations, 2016
"The dual nature of the programme gives distinct perspectives for reading and analysing research.
The combination of British and American learning systems greatly benefited me, giving me a desire to continue to work in international education.
The best part of this programme is what students give back to it.
Don't be afraid to ask questions and advocate for the best student experience."
- English, 2019
In the summer of my third year, I was fortunate to get a ten-week summer internship with Lloyds Banking Group and as a result, I was offered a graduate role. I am now working in a finance position and studying for a chartered accountancy professional qualification.
- Economics, 2018
About St Andrews
Offering world-leading teaching and research, the UK's highest-rated student experience and home to a global population of students, St Andrews is one of the UK's leading universities.
St Andrews offers students the opportunity to be taught in a forward-thinking institution that is backed by more than 600 years of history. Pushing what it means to be sustainable and to educate the next generation of leaders and great thinkers, students go on to work and study around the world with so much more than just an outstanding education.
About William & Mary
William & Mary is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in the USA and today is a cutting-edge research university. As a 'Public Ivy' — one of only eight in the USA — William & Mary offers a world-class education that wonderfully complements the extraordinary teaching at St Andrews.
Built on more than 300 years of history, William & Mary transcends the boundaries between research, teaching, learning and living to produce some of the smartest and passionate students in the world.
There are currently more than 6,000 undergraduates from 50 states and 60 other countries across the three campuses of William & Mary, Williamsburg (Virginia), Washington Centre (Washington DC) and Gloucester Point (Virginia).
Where are alumni now?
Meher
History, 2018
"I began my studies at the Northwestern University PritzkerSchool of Law following my graduation in 2018. My time abroad offered me unique opportunities in realizing this goal. By virtue of being in St Andrews, I was able to obtain a summer internship at a law firm in London. The experience not only confirmed my career choice, but also now makes me stand out among my law school classmates in job interviews. Only because of the Programme was I able to gain this invaluable international work experience and obtain a job offer for this summer from my first choice law firm!"
Kameryn
History, 2015
"I am a braver person, better friend and sharper academic because of the Joint Degree Programme. I’ve experienced first-hand the power of community with my fellow students and I’ve seen a strength within me I didn’t know I had. I now teach in the Rosebud Reservation of the Lakota Sioux nation in South Dakota. Experiencing a new culture in Scotland inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and experience new cultures within my own country. I’m so grateful that I’m able to show my students that education can take you places you never dreamed of."
Wesley
International Relations, 2019
After graduating, Wesley went to work with Grant Thornton's public sector strategy advisory practice. Working in Washington DC, he works with federal clients as a consultant specialising in communications and project management. During his time at the two universities, Wesley competed for both universities' parliamentary debating societies, representing St Andrews at the European championship in Estonia and W&M at the world championship in Cape Town, South Africa.