Politics

Curious about who really controls Britain or how poverty shapes lives? Our politics degree lets you dive into these big questions and more.

You will explore political theory – understanding the ideas behind power – while also studying the systems and institutions that impact our world. Plus, you will delve into activist politics, learning how protests and social movements create change.

The wide range of options means that you can tailor your studies to your interests, from environmental politics to gender studies. You will also conduct your own research, ending with a dissertation on a topic you are passionate about.

We offer three other politics undergraduate courses.

• Politics and International Relations BA(Hons)

• Politics, Sexuality and Gender BA(Hons)

• Politics and Social Change BA(Hons)

TOP REASONS TO CHOOSE THIS COURSE

• Learn in a vibrant, progressive city with a reputation for radical, environmental, and LGBTQI+ activism.

• Your lecturers are internationally recognised researchers on issues including populism, gender studies, the Middle East, environmentalism, migration, housing and political theory.

• You will engage with cutting edge academic research. The university’s Centre for Philosophy, Politics and Ethics hosts regular talks, seminars, workshops and conferences and offers an annual undergraduate research prize.

• Guest speakers have included Caroline Lucas and Sue Shanks (Green Party), Yousef Eldin (BBC documentary producer), Nancy Hawker (Amnesty International) and Prof Angie Wilson (ex-Chair of the Political Studies Association, researching sexuality and politics), as well as representatives from Make the Shift, The Free West Papua Campaign and Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust.

• Assignments don’t just mean essays, you'll be assessed in lots of ways including films, podcasts, data visualisations, political speeches, social media campaigns; the types of projects that will be valued by employers.

• Graduate with both theoretical and practical knowledge. Our courses offer practical skills and real-world experiences to prepare you for your future careers, with opportunities to undertake placements, design a campaign for a political organisation and learn digital communication skills.

• The university’s commitment to addressing global challenges is the lens through which you will learn and issues such as climate change, equality and inclusivity, and sustainability are embedded in all teaching on our politics courses.

• Our decolonised approach to teaching and learning emphasises lived experience, recognising that knowledge is held in communities not only in academic institutions.

• You will be studying in a thriving community alongside students taking related degrees which informs our delivery.

Year 1
Introduction to the  Global Challenges Lab
Political Ideas
Foundations in World Politics
Politics in Practice
Comparative Political Systems
Introduction to Environmental Politics

Year 2
UK Politics
Researching Politics
We, The People
Authority, Democracy and Justice

Options*
Debating Contemporary International Relations
War, Violence and Terror
The Politics of Critique
Unruly Bodies: Understanding and Contesting Normativity
International Institutions
Nations and Nationalism
Structuralism, Poststructuralism and the Politics of Critique
Experiencing the Workplace: Practices and the Community
Development and Sustainability

Optional Placement Year

Final year
Politics Dissertation
Activism and Social Change

Options*
Radical Political Economy and Anarchist Politics
Global Social Policy
Politics in the Middle East
Race and International Relations
Politics of the Right
Care Ethics and Social Policy
Sociology of Globalisation
Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS