Course summary
TEF Gold
University of Portsmouth has opted into the TEF and received a Gold award.
Overview From Brexit to alternative truth, the NHS to the case for global intervention in North Korea, recent years have seen politics become increasingly divisive. If you want to understand why, and get an understanding of how the politics world works, this is the perfect course for you. On this BA (Hons) Politics Degree Course you’ll study the contemporary challenges that politicians and the public face, as well as the historic flashpoints that led to the current governance of our society. You'll finish the course primed for a career in the world of politics, but also with a raft of transferable skills sought after in sectors such as teaching, journalism and risk analysis. What you'll experience On this Politics course you’ll:
- Take your interest in politics and add the skills and knowledge you need for a successful career
- Keep up to date with the latest topics and issues in international relations by taking part in 'pop-up seminars' with staff and your peers
- Learn from staff who are members of the Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR), the UK's largest research centre of its kind
- Have the opportunity to publish your work in our student journal
- Develop career-enhancing skills alongside your academic study with skills training, opportunities to do work experience and the chance to learn another language
- Do a detailed academic analysis of a major contemporary political issues such as the role of gender in politics, radicalisation and the rise of the far right
- Tailor your degree by choosing optional modules that match your interests and career ambitions
- Have the chance to study abroad at one of our partner institutions – for example, Science Po Strasbourg (France), Maastricht University (Netherlands), Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) and University of Szeged (Hungary)
- Diversify your skill set by learning another language as part of your course
- Immerse yourself in another culture by studying abroad
- parliamentary researcher
- politician’s assistant
- public affairs consultant
- social researcher
- information officer
- conference producer
- local government administrator
Course details
Modules
Year 1 Core modules in this year include: - Political Thought - Analysing Politics: Britain and Beyond - Global Development - Key Themes in International Relations - Politics and IR: Academic Enrichment Programme - Performing like a Pro: Skills for Academic and Professional Success There are no optional modules in this year. Year 2 Core modules in this year include: - British Political Leadership - Bending the Truth a Little? Researching Politics and International Relations Optional modules in this year currently include: - China and East Asian Economies - Comparing Extremist and Populist Movements in the Western World - Democratisation in Latin America - East Asian States and Societies - Economics and Politics of Development - From Revolution to Dictatorship - Russia & the Soviet Union 1917-1941 - Gender in the Developing World - Global Environmental Issues and Concerns - Ideology and Politics - International Politics of the Middle East - Introduction to Teaching - Modern Foreign Language - Learning From Experience - Politics and IR: Academic Enrichment Programme - Politics and Policy in Action - Russian & Eurasian Politics - Study Abroad - The French Exception: Contemporary French Politics and Society - US Foreign Policy: From the Great War to 9/11 - US Politics Placement year (optional) On this course, you can do an optional work placement year between your 2nd and 3rd years to get valuable experience working in industry. We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your situation and ambitions. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year. Year 3 Core units in this year include: - Autocracy And Democracy Optional units in this year currently include: - Africa Revisited: Nation Building and 'State Fragility' in Post-Colonial Africa - Comparative Public Policy and Public Administration - Digital Media and Democracy - Dissertation / Major Project - Ethnicity Class & Culture in the Developing World - France in the World: Global Actor or Global Maverick? - Global Capitalism: Past, Present and Future - Independent Project - Learning From Experience - Looking for Utopia, Finding Dystopia? Ideas and Ideologies in the New Millennium - Negotiation and Lobbying in the EU: A Simulation Game - NGOs and Social Movements - Politics and IR: Academic Enrichment Programme - Professional Development: Recruiters and Candidates - Security Challenges in the Twenty-First Century - Strategic Management and Leadership - Strategic Studies - Transitional Justice & Human Rights We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies. Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Assessment method
You’ll be assessed through: - article reviews - essays - projects - briefing papers - individual and group presentations - 10,000 word dissertation You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future. The way you’re assessed may depend on the modules you select. As a guide, students on this course last year were typically assessed as follows: Year 1 students: 25% written exams, 8% practical exams and 67% coursework Year 2 students: 15% written exams, 5% practical exams and 80% coursework Year 3 students: 100% coursework
Unistats information
Operated by the Office for Students
Student satisfaction
Employment after 6 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data. For further information, see the Discover Uni website.
How to apply
Application deadlines
If your application is completed by the following date, it’s guaranteed to be considered:
15 January
*If you apply after this deadline, universities or colleges don’t have to consider your application if they’ve filled their spaces, so the sooner you apply, the better!Application codes
You will need these codes when you add a choice to your application.
Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
- Year 3
Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)
We welcome applications for advanced entry. If you’d like to apply for advanced entry, you need to select the required year when you complete your UCAS application.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5. |
| PTE Academic | 54 | An overall score of 54 with a minimum of 51 in each skill. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 79 | 79 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing. |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162. | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162. | |
| Trinity ISE | Pass | Trinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components |
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| EU | £9250 | Year 1 |
| England | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
| International | £14300 | Year 1 |
Additional fee information
Home/EU/Islands
Year in placement/industry £925
Year abroad of a language course £925.
For further fee information please see https://www.port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance
International (Non-EU)
Year in placement/industry £2,500
Year abroad of a language course £2,500.
For further fee information please see https://www.port.ac.uk/study/international-students/funding
**Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. Fees may also go up in later years, in line with inflation.**
Provider information
University of Portsmouth
University House
Winston Churchill Avenue
Portsmouth
PO1 2UP
Course contact details
Visit our course pageUniversity Admissions Centre
023 9284 5566