Politics

This is a Connected Degree

Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

Overview

Understand the political issues shaping – and dividing – societies around the world, and discover the integral role politics plays in every aspect of people’s lives globally.

On this BA (Hons) Politics degree, you’ll tackle the major issues facing people and politicians today, including Brexit, the NHS, and life in a ‘post-truth’ world.

You’ll learn how the political world works and look at how our Parliament functions, and how the law and our institutions interact. You’ll study the historic moments that have shaped our democracy – and learn the skills required to play your part in changing minds, shaping policy and fighting inequality.

Course highlights

• Learn from staff at our Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR), whose research directly impacts government policy

• Tailor your degree by choosing optional modules that match your interests and career ambitions, from gender in politics, to radicalisation and the rise of the far-right

• Attend events and talks led by people working in local, national and international government (including current MPs and staff from the US Department of Defence), and political journalism

• Go on field trips to locations such as the Houses of Parliament

• Take part in a simulated ‘academic conference’, where you’ll present a paper that will be discussed with your peers

• Have the opportunity to organise your own political campaign in your 2nd year, on a political issue you care about

• Have the chance to study abroad at one of our partner institutions – including Science Po Strasbourg (France), Maastricht University (Netherlands), Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) and University of Szeged (Hungary)

Worried about your grades?
If you're not sure you meet the entry requirements, or need some help to get uni-ready, then we offer this course with a foundation year to bring you up to speed. When you successfully finish, you'll get a guaranteed place on this course.

Careers and opportunities

The knowledge you gain on this course, coupled with the communication, research, critical thinking and analysis skills you learn, means you'll have lots of career options when you graduate.

What sectors can you work in with a politics degree?

Many of our politics graduates go into people-focused roles, or in roles that allow them to do research, shape social policies or bring about social change.

Areas you could go into include:

• local and central government

• consultancy and think tanks

• lobbying

• research and policy

• teaching and lecturing (with additional training or further study)

• community development

• charity work

• careers advice

• advertising

• marketing and media

What jobs can you do with a politics degree?

Previous graduates have gone onto work in jobs such as:

• political researcher, Houses of Parliament

• assistant to Member of Parliament

• civil servant, Department for the Cabinet Office

• senior policy advisor, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

• communications officer, House of Commons

• local government administrator, Government of Jersey

• public affairs consultant

• social researcher

• information officer

• conference producer

After you graduate, you'll get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.

"The lecturers were great and made the university experience what it was. The curriculum was varied and they really knew how to push you to achieve great things." – Antony Innes , BA Hons Politics student

Course Modules

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit the link to the course page.

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-politics#modules