Politics
WHY SHOULD I STUDY A-LEVEL POLITICS?
There is nothing in life that escapes the sphere of politics. Big questions like what is legal or illegal, whether or not we go to war and even small issues like how much your breakfast cereal costs are all the result of political decisions. If you are interested in what is going on in the world, then Politics is for you.
WHAT WILL I LEARN ABOUT?
You will learn about a range of issues concerning the UK such as what our system of government is, how it works, levels of participation, the nature of the political parties and how these get into power. You will also learn about our constitution, what your rights are, how laws are decided and how justice is upheld.
You will also have the opportunity to compare our political system with that in the USA, a very different two-party system - what it means to be a Democrat or a Republican, and how Presidents are elected.
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
The subject is assessed through three examinations at the end of the two years in essay-style questions. Each paper is worth a third of the overall grade.
- PAPER 1: UK Politics and Core Political Ideas.
- PAPER 2: UK Government and Optional Political Ideas.
- PAPER 3: Comparative Politics (UK & US).
WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP?
You will primarily gain an excellent grounding in the political structures of the UK and USA.
You will also develop:
- Written communication and research skills
- The ability to debate
- Problem-solving and reasoning skills
- Data analysis skills
- General knowledge and enquiry skills
- Working within a team
- Information processing
WHERE COULD THIS SUBJECT TAKE ME IN THE FUTURE?
Politics lies at the heart of everything, so many careers might lead on from this. Obviously, politics is an avenue but public service in medical professions, working for the civil service, teaching or the military are directly related to the decisions politicians make. Equally, the success and failure of a business is entirely dependent on government decisions, so careers in the City are equally linked with the study of politics.
Exam Board: Edexcel | Course Code: 9PL0
