Politics (Joint Honours)

Three years full-time or flexible part-time.

With the first year looking at war and revolution, political power and vision and politics in the UK, the course offers great flexibility for students to pursue their particular interests and benefit from a vast array of in-house expertise.

During your time studying Politics at The University of Northampton you will be asking questions like: Is liberal democracy a sham? Can the global north-south poverty gap be bridged? What is 'political' about film? Does terrorism threaten world order? Is a different type of world order possible and, if so, what should its basic principles be?

Stage one

Stage one is a foundation course in political studies which brings a fresh perspective to studying politics in the 21st century. It is not assumed that you have studied the subject before.

Stage two

The compulsory modules at stage two focus on contemporary Europe and research methods combined with plenty of choice of other specialist modules. A key feature of the stage two course is the opportunity to spend ten weeks in the House of Commons working alongside a Member of Parliament through the innovative internship programme. This is an exciting opportunity which will particularly appeal to students who are interested in pursuing a career in politics.

Stage three

Stage three embraces an international and global perspective with ample scope to specialise in particular areas. Final stage students also complete a dissertation on a topic of their own choosing, enjoying the creative freedom to pursue their interests in-depth.

• Politics at The University of Northampton offers students the advantages of a tight-knit community and intensive contact with staff
• The course received a very good rating from the Quality Assurance Agency
• Staff are active in research and publication, giving students the benefits of up-to-date scholarship
• Students studying Politics at The University of Northampton have a unique opportunity to experience the real world of politics by serving an internship at the House of Commons in the second stage.

• Conflict and Diplomacy in the 20th Century
• Democracy in Action
• Development and Change in the Third World
• Global Ethics and Identity
• Globalisation and Development in the 21st Century
• Political Economy of the People's Republic of China
• Politics and Government in the US
• Politics, Elections and the Media
• Politics in the UK

Course outline

Politics is not about training for a career in politics and government, though it will be of great help to you if your ambitions eventually point you that way. More generally, the course will enable you to understand the behaviour of political actors and institutions in all sorts of settings: local, national and international. You will learn about major theories that set out to explain how political power shapes our lives, and how we might order our lives differently. Human rights, world poverty, the threat of ecological disaster, wars, terrorism, the failings of liberal democracy - these are just some of the major themes you will have an opportunity to delve into during the course of your studies.

Do I require any previous experience of Politics?

No. We will give you the skills you need to understand political theories and behaviour. Some students do take A level Politics, but most do not, and it makes no difference to performance at degree level. Energy, enthusiasm and curiosity about the world are the most important qualities for success in the study of Politics.

What subjects can I choose to study, besides Politics?

We offer Politics as part of the Joint Honours degree scheme which means you will study it alongside at least one other subject. We have a multidisciplinary course team and relate what we teach to other subjects, with close links to History, Philosophy, Law and Sociology. Students also find that Politics combines very well with subjects such as Economics. The Politics degree pathway is designed to be as flexible as possible. There are two compulsory modules for major and minor Politics students at each stage. Beyond that, you are free to choose from a generous range of designated modules, depending on your particular interests. At stage one we offer foundation introductions to the subject, but as the course progresses you can focus on international, theoretical and comparative themes.

Politics graduates go on to pursue careers in all branches of the professions where an understanding of the forces that drive modern societies and the international order holds the key to success: government, public administration, commerce, financial services, and public relations. Majoring in politics will provide you with the skills in communication and presentation that employers value, so that these are only some of the career paths available. A significant number of students go on to postgraduate studies, and their record of achievement is very good.

The course also equips students with a range of transferable skills. You will be assessed on both written and oral communication skills - both of which are vital for employment. You will have practical experience of solving political questions and will be able to use a range of source materials to solve research problems.  We also place emphasis upon independent working and time management. Promoting IT skills is central to our strategies of teaching and learning.

We continuously monitor the quality of our Politics course, and make judgements by asking our students. Most of them are very pleased that they chose the subject. They value their in-depth understanding of political issues, and their ability to really 'get behind' the headlines in current affairs. Students refer to the confidence they have developed in terms of ability to sustain an argument, to work independently, and to solve problems in innovative ways. Above all, they tell us that they enjoy their studies, in a friendly and supportive academic environment.