Immerse yourself in the issues, events and ideas that are shaping our world – and our future.
Year of entry: 2019
L203
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
£9,250 per year (2018/19)
£17,120 per year (2019/20)
Get to know us better and find out what studying and living in York is really like.
Book nowPolitics is all around us, and it’s moving fast. With our internationally renowned experts you’ll get to the very heart of political thinking.
Explore the principles of power – how it’s won and how it’s used to drive the decisions that influence our daily lives. You’ll discover how issues such as poverty, debt, terrorism, conflict and environmental change affect us all, and investigate emerging powers like China and India.
You will complete a professional placement in the third year of your course, allowing you to gain valuable personal and employability skills.
“I spent the summer of my second year interning in the marketing and communications division of the Mayor’s office in New York.”Maria, BA Politics, Year 3. Read about Maria's experience.
We're ranked 7th in the UK for politics in the 2019 Guardian university guide
Our staff advise governments on a wide range of issues and contribute to news, media and current affairs programmes globally
We offer a large choice of modules helping you tailor the course to your own interests and passions.
Learn how to think politically about some of today's most pressing issues, such as:
You will study four core modules plus an additional study skills module.
These modules will give you an understanding of the key concepts, theories and approaches in each major area of politics.
Core modules:
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
You'll cover a diverse range of modules and hone the academic skills necessary to analyse political texts, political systems and processes. You'll study one core module, plus three option modules from a range of subjects.
Choose one from Group A, one from Group A or B, and one from Group A, B or C.
Group A:
Group B:
Group C:
You will undertake a one-year professional placement during the third year. This will help you to get ahead in the graduate job market by developing your employability and professional skills.
You will be responsible for finding your own placement, though we will help you identify and apply for a suitable position. If you're not successful in obtaining a placement you will transfer to the standard course.
In your final year you'll study four option modules, which build on the knowledge you've gained over your degree. The year culminates in a dissertation: an extended essay based on your own research.
Politics Dissertation (40 credits)
The dissertation is a chance for you to study a topic of your choice in depth. With the support of a supervisor, you'll identify a question and conduct independent research to find an answer. You will have the opportunity to learn and use quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques which are essential for modern social science research.
Choose two of the following:
Choose two of the following:
Please note, modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
The fees and funding figures below are based on data from 2018 entry. If you take a year abroad or year in industry you'll pay a reduced rate of fees for that year.
| UK/EU | International |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £17,120 |
UK/EU or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK, EU or international student.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
We offer a number of scholarships to help cover tuition fees and living costs.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
“Students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes”
The TEF Panel, Office for Students, June 2018
Our Gold Teaching Excellence Framework award demonstrates our commitment to the delivery of consistently outstanding teaching and learning for our students.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
You'll learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and one-to-ones. We offer a personal approach to learning with much of our teaching conducted in small groups (typically fewer than 15 students in a seminar group). Our staff are very approachable and our doors are always open. Your personal supervisor provides support and guidance throughout your studies, offering weekly feedback and guidance hours.
You'll be taught by academics at the forefront of research across a number of political areas such as conflict, security and development, political economy, international politics, political theory and public policy. As international experts in their field, our staff advise governments and organisations and regularly contribute to news and current affairs programmes. Our expertise and experience feed directly into our teaching.
As a guide, students on this course typically spend their time as follows:
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures and seminars | 252 hours | 192 hours | 96 hours |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
The rest of your time on the course will be spent on independent study. This may include preparation for lectures and seminars, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours will vary from person to person. In UK higher education the expectation is that full-time students will spend 1200 hours a year learning.
You will be based in the Department of Politics on Campus West. Most teaching will take place nearby.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Assessment varies from module to module and includes a combination of exams, written essays and project work.
Your tutors will give you feedback in a variety of forms depending on the specific needs of the module. This may consist of written feedback, in-class discussion, model answers, one-to-one discussions or online responses.
Our teaching involves challenging discussions with your tutors and peers about global issues.
Watch one of our recent lectures in action
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exams | 45% | 45% | 0% |
| Coursework | 42% | 55% | 100% |
| Practical exams | 13% | 0% | 0% |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
A York Politics degree is recognised by employers worldwide. You'll improve your employability with opportunities to gain work experience, undertake internships or study abroad.
Many of our students organise work placements out of term time in an area that interests them. We encourage you to do this so you can gain workplace experience and get a deeper insight into issues that interest you. Previous students have spent the summer months interning at Ernst and Young, the Houses of Parliament and even the Mayor's Office in New York.
Our recent graduates have gone on to work with:
As well as developing your subject-specific knowledge, a Politics degree will equip you with the following transferable skills:
The knowledge I gained at the University of York proved essential for my work in documentaries – particularly when working on the Channel 4 series ‘The Rise and Fall of Tony Blair’. People tend to assume I studied Media at university, reading Politics has helped me to stand outKate Rushworth, YouTube Audience Development Strategist,
BA Politics, Graduate 2005
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAB (excluding General Studies) |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 36 credits at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit or higher |
| BTEC | BTEC National Extended Diploma: DDD |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, M2 |
| European Baccalaureate | An overall average of 80% |
| International Baccalaureate | 35 points overall |
| Irish leaving Certificate | H2,H2,H2,H2,H3,H3 |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | AB at Advanced Higher + AAAAB at Higher level |
IELTS: 6.5 with at least 5.5 in all units or equivalent
Other accepted tests and qualifications
To apply to York, you will need to complete an online application via UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).
If we make you an offer, we'll invite you to visit us between November and April. You can meet current students and chat one-to-one with our academic staff.
We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to deluxe.
Explore campus and city life and hear what our current students have to say about living here.
Lively, full of culture and beautiful, York is regularly voted one of the best places to live and visit in the UK.
