Politics
Politics is the discipline that examines how power is organised, contested, and exercised in human societies, and why political outcomes take the forms they do. It asks what democracy actually means when you look closely at how elections work, how parties compete, and how ordinary citizens relate to political institutions. It investigates why some countries are governed differently from others, how international order is maintained or disrupted, and what concepts such as justice, freedom, and rights mean when they are tested in practice.
Far from being confined to the news cycle, political science teaches you to identify the deeper patterns and structures beneath the surface of current events.
At the University of Lincoln, this three-year, full-time degree takes you beyond the headlines, examining US politics, Middle Eastern affairs, British political institutions, and the theoretical frameworks that underpin political analysis. A sandwich year provides the opportunity for a substantial work placement, connecting your academic learning with professional environments in policy, research, government, or civil society. A year abroad is also part of the programme, enabling you to study politics in a different national context and to develop an international comparative perspective.
Work placements are embedded throughout the course to support your professional development alongside your intellectual growth. A typical entry tariff of 104 points reflects the accessible and inclusive character of this programme.
Graduates go on to work in the civil service, local and national government, journalism and broadcasting, think tanks, political parties, NGOs, law, public affairs, international development, and the third sector. The analytical and research skills developed in a politics degree are genuinely transferable, valued in any role that requires structured thinking about complex problems and the ability to communicate clearly. Postgraduate study in politics, international relations, public policy, or law is a common further step.