Politics

Politics, as the current programme description accurately captures, is fundamentally about power: who has it, how it is exercised, and how decisions are made that affect everyone. At Coventry University, the BA Politics is a three-year full-time programme that includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement, giving you both international experience and direct professional engagement alongside your academic studies. The programme is designed to develop graduates who not only understand the dynamics of power and authority but who have the knowledge and confidence to participate in and influence the political and social questions that shape our times.

You will study the major traditions of political thought, the structure and behaviour of governments and political systems, international relations and global governance, comparative politics across different national contexts, and the political economy that connects economic structures to political outcomes. Research methods and the ability to evaluate evidence critically are central to the curriculum, equipping you to engage with political questions analytically rather than simply rhetorically. The year abroad gives you direct experience of how political systems and cultures operate in different national contexts, deepening the comparative perspective that politics at degree level requires.

The sandwich year and work placement connect your academic learning to the realities of professional life in politics, policy, the public sector, or related organisations.

Politics graduates move into an exceptionally wide range of careers. The civil service, local government, political parties, think tanks and policy institutes, international organisations, journalism and the media, the charity sector, law, and public affairs and lobbying are all natural destinations. The analytical, research, and communication skills that a politics degree develops are consistently valued by employers beyond the public sector as well, including in business, finance, and consulting.

Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in politics, international relations, public policy, law, or related disciplines. The professional experience gained during the sandwich year and placement is particularly effective in demonstrating the combination of intellectual rigour and practical competence that careers in this area require.