Politics/Scottish History
Politics and Scottish history is a combination that is particularly fitting for study at the University of Glasgow, one of Scotland's oldest and most distinguished universities. Politics is the study of how power and influence are distributed within society and how those distributions affect decision-making within and among countries and states. Scottish history brings this analysis into direct dialogue with one of the most fascinating and contested national narratives in the British Isles, from medieval kingship and the Wars of Independence to the Reformation, the Union, the Highland Clearances, industrialisation, and the contemporary politics of devolution and independence.
At Glasgow, this part-time degree develops your understanding of political institutions, theory, and behaviour alongside deep knowledge of Scotland's history and its relationship to the broader histories of Britain, Europe, and the wider world. A year abroad is incorporated into the programme, providing comparative perspective on political systems and historical narratives beyond Scotland and the UK. Glasgow's particular strengths in Scottish history and in political science, combined with its location at the heart of a city with a significant political and cultural identity of its own, give this degree a distinctive character.
Graduates from Politics and Scottish History programmes are well placed for careers in the Scottish Government, the UK civil service, local government, journalism, education, policy research, the Scottish Parliament, and the range of organisations that engage with Scotland's political and historical life. Many also pursue postgraduate study in politics, history, Scottish studies, or public policy. The analytical and communication skills the degree develops, including the ability to understand and evaluate political arguments, to interpret historical evidence, and to write clearly about complex situations, are valued across journalism, law, the public sector, and research.
The combination is particularly attractive to those who want careers rooted in Scottish public life.