Details
A knowledge of politics helps you to understand and explain what governments do. It also teaches you a great deal about human nature. Politics is not only what political scientists study, but also an activity in which professional politicians, civil servants and ordinary citizens take part.
These degree programmes help you acquire important analytical skills. You learn to find your way among different arguments, rival theories and alternative explanations. You also learn about campaigns, elections, protest movements, policy issues and political ideals.
Politics may be studied with another subject as part of a Joint Honours degree programme. In each year of the degree you take two or three political science courses together with courses in your second subject. In the first year you take a foundation course and a module in Classical Political Thought. In the second year you take any two or three courses selected from the many options available to Single Honours students. In the final year you select two or three courses from those available to third-year Single Honours students.
If you want to take advantage of a unique opportunity to be supported with a work placement opportunity as part of your final year, this course includes the opportunity to undertake a 'Professional Development' module as part of your optional module choices.
Why study this course
The Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS) is one of the largest and best of its type in the UK. It consistently scores high in the National Student Survey and has consistently been viewed as one of the best departments in the country since the Guardian started publishing their League Tables in 2000.
Our expertise covers all areas of the discipline allowing you to learn from true specialists, with long-established strengths in the fields of political theory, European politics, international relations theory, security studies, diplomatic studies, political sociology, political economy, environmental politics, Pacific Asian politics and British politics.
As well as benefiting from our world-leading expertise, you’ll also get the chance to take part in a range of in-house activities that vary by year and are designed to complement your curriculum and enrich your time at Birmingham. These have included:
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Annual Student Conference
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Research Assistance Scheme, where students are paired with a member of staff to help them in specific research tasks
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Simulation exercises using real case examples
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Simulation events and research visits to local and national places of interest
Learn more about our Student Experience activities and the work of the Department
Modules
Contact the admissions tutor for more module information for this course.
Modules in the first year
You are provided with the basic knowledge and skills to study politics. You also have the opportunity to take other introductory social science courses.
Choose either the two linked modules under List A, B or C:
List A:
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10 credits - Individual and Society A: Moral Philosophy
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10 credits - Individual and Society B: Political Philosophy
List B:
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10 credits - History of Philosophy A
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10 credits - History of Philosophy B
List C:
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10 credits - Independent Study in Philosophy 1
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10 credits - Philosophical Texts and Methods
Modules in the second year
You have the opportunity to develop specialised knowledge in areas that you find of greatest interest, such as political theory and analysis, European integration, British politics, American politics, comparative European politics, and political economy.
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20 credits - Independent Study in Philosophy II (2nd Term)
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20 credits - Political Analysis
Choose 40 credits from the following modules:
Please see Philosophy BA regarding your remaining 40 credits.
Modules in the final year
In addition to choosing modules from a wide range of options, students undertake an independent research project on a topic of their own choosing.
If you want to take advantage of a unique opportunity to be supported with a work placement opportunity as part of your final year, this course includes the opportunity to undertake a 'Professional Development' module as part of your optional module choices.
Choose 20 credits from the following modules:
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20 credits - Contemporary Political Theory
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20 credits - Power in Britain Not available 2013-4
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20 credits - Contemporary US Foreign & Security Policy
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20 credits - International Ethics Not available 2013-4
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20 credits - Contemporary IPE
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20 credits - Topics in British Politics
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20 credits - Modern European Political Thought Not available 2013-4
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20 credits - Controversies in Contemporary Democracies: Comparative Perspectives
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20 credits - European Security
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20 credits - Democracy and Democratization in Contemporary Europe
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20 credits - Global Governance
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20 credits - War Torn States and Post-Conflict Reconstruction in the South
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20 credits - Critical Approaches to Security
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20 credits - Advanced Modern Asia
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20 credits - Europe in a Globalised World
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20 credits - Left Parties and Protest Movements
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20 credits - Diplomatic History of The Arab Israeli Conflict Not available 2013-4
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20 credits - Issues in American Domestic Politics
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20 credits - Advanced Cultural Politics of Russia and Eastern Europe
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10 credits - Political History of Central & Eastern Europe in the 20th Century
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20 credits - Advanced Contemporary Russian and East European Politics
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10 credits - Returning to Europe: Nation, State & Europe in Post-Communist Central & Eastern Europe
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20 credits - Global Capitalism, Migration and the changing face of Europe.
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20 credits - The Political Economy of Energy and Energy Security.
Choose 60 credits from below:
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10 credits - Philosophical Project (1st Term)
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10 credits - Philosophical Project (2nd Term)
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20 credits - Issues in Contemporary Metaphysics ( 1st term)
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20 credits - Philosophy of Religion (1st term)
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20 credits - Global Bioethics (1st term)
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20 credits - Chance and Existence (2nd term)
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20 credits - Philosophy of Psychology ( 2nd term)
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20 credits - Schopenhauer ( 2nd term)
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20 credits - Philosophy of Language (1st term)
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20 credits - Virtue Ethics (2nd term)
You may include up to 20 credits from below - if you choose a second year module it must be one that you have not already taken
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20 credits - Thought and Language (2nd Term) Level 2
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20 credits - Philosophy of Mind ( 1st Term) Level 2
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20 credits - Meta-ethics (2nd term)) Level 2
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20 credits - Sex, Ethics & Philosophy (1st term) Level 2
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20 credits - Contemporary Political Philosophy (1st term) Level 2
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20 credits - Spinoza (1st Term)
Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Number of A levels required: 3
Typical offer: ABB
General Studies: not accepted
Typical offer grades are for guidance only, and will depend on the subjects you are combining. Please read the entries for both subjects. Where there is a disparity between the typical offer for Subject A and the typical offer for Subject B, the higher offer should be taken as the usual offer for the combination of the two.
Other qualifications are considered – learn more about entry requirements
International students:
How to apply
Apply through UCAS at www.ucas.com
Learn more about applying
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