A Level Government & Politics

Through studying Government and Politics students will research the key processes in governing the UK & USA and analyse the advantages and disadvantages of them.

Students will discover how the key concepts in politics, such as justice, freedom or equality, are contested and gain a broad understanding of such important issues as democracy, political participation, justice, civil liberties and elitism.

• When students study Politics, they will be taught not what to think, but how to think:
• how to gather relevant information and articulate arguments in a logical and clear fashion
• how to deepen your understanding of a range of political institutions and workings
• how to form independent judgements about some of the  major controversies of our age

Exam Board: Edexcel

Entry Requirements: Eight or more GCSEs at grades 9-4, including Grade 6 in English Language and Grade 6 in Humanities subject.

Skills Gained

• understand the nature and significance of politics as a human activity
• apply concepts, theories and methods to analysing political ideas, institutions and practices
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of different political systems, the nature and distribution of power in them; the social, economic, historical and cultural contexts within which they operate, and the relationships between them
• evaluate different interpretations of political issues and events
• demonstrate an understanding of the origins and evolution of international politics
• gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information from secondary and primary sources
• identify, investigate, analyse, formulate and advocate solutions to problems
• construct reasoned argument, synthesize information and exercise critical judgement
• manage their own learning self-critically
• communicate effectively and fluently in speech and writing
• use communication and information technology to retrieve and present information, including statistical or numerical information
• work independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organization and time-management

Potential Careers

• UK Politics
• Public Affairs
• European institutions and related employers
• Other International organisations
• Think-tanks
• NGOs
• International development
• Human Rights
• Conflict, Peace and Security