Politics

Politics is the study of power, how it is organised, contested, distributed and exercised in societies across the world. It asks who makes the decisions that shape our collective lives, how those decisions are made and by what authority, and how people organise themselves to influence or resist those decisions. From the workings of democratic institutions and the dynamics of international relations to the politics of identity, inequality and environmental change, the discipline confronts issues of immediate and practical importance.

At York St John, this programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year, a year abroad and a work placement, meaning that the degree is structured around a rich combination of academic and professional experience. The foundation year provides the grounding needed to engage with degree-level political study. Across the programme you will engage with political theory and ideology, comparative politics across different national systems, international relations and security, and the pressing policy questions of the present, from climate change to digital governance.

The year abroad and work placement give you the opportunity to study politics in a different national context and to gain professional experience in organisations where political understanding and analytical skills are valued.

The programme develops your ability to debate, research, construct arguments and engage seriously with different perspectives on genuinely difficult questions. These are skills with very wide application.

Graduates of politics programmes move into the civil service, local and national government, think tanks and policy research, journalism, political parties, international organisations, the third sector, public affairs, diplomacy and education. The analytical and communication skills the degree develops are also valued in business, law and the financial sector. Postgraduate study in politics, international relations, law or public policy is a natural progression.