Politics : A-level

Component 1: Political Participation

• Democracy - different types of democracy and how democracy works in the UK
• Elections - functions, types, impact and significance of elections
• Political Parties - structures of political parties and their ideas
• Pressure Groups - you will examine the structure and aims of many pressure groups e.g. Greenpeace
• Ideologies - Liberalism, Conservatism and Socialism

Component 2: UK Government

• Constitution - the UK's 'unwritten' constitution and issues with reform
• Parliament - the functions and importance of parliament. Is Parliament out of date?
• Government - the role of the PM and PM leadership style
• Judges - judicial independence and the impartiality of the law
• Rights in the UK and the Human Rights Act
• An optional political ideology: Anarchism, Ecologism, Feminism, Multiculturalism or Nationalism

Component 3: Comparative politics, US Government and Politics. This unit uses ideas from Unit 1 and Unit 2 in a comparative study of the UK and the USA.

There is a 2 hour exam for each component. Component 1 and Component 2 are both assessed by one 30 mark source essay, one 30 mark essay, and one 24 mark question. For Component 3, you will need to answer two 12 mark questions and two 30 mark essay questions.

In addition to the standard College entry requirements this course also requires students to have achieved grade 5 or above in GCSE English Language. An interest in current affairs is really important; this means following the news by reading newspapers, watching TV bulletins, and following it online and via social media.

A good result will form part of the general entry requirement for the majority of courses at University. It will be especially relevant to any Public Administration, Law, History or Politics course. Politics students find that their understanding of the topics studied help them understand the world they live in better and this will be universally respected by employers.

What does the course combine well with?

Politics combines well with many subjects, however it especially sits well with History, Economics, Religion and Ethics, Geography, Law, and Sociology.