Politics is a very broad subject and encompasses the different ways humans organise their societies. The AS and A2 courses are based on the workings of the UK and USA political systems. The focus is on how the systems work in practice, making this course ideal for any student with a keen interest in current affairs. Indeed the exam board demand students have examples that are as up to date as possible.
No prior knowledge is expected or even a great advantage when entering the course. Students should not be put off by the fact that they have not studied politics before. The course will link well with skills picked up in GCSE History, but this is by no means a requirement. Politics AS and A level are well respected by Universities and a Politics qualification would be useful in a number of degree subjects such as Law, History, Economics or indeed Politics itself. Assessment in the subject is based on an ability to show clear and precise understanding of key topics and complex debates whilst using modern examples.
Structure of the course
The course in 2008 will follow the updated Edexcel syllabus.
AS – British Government and Politics
Module 1 – People and Politics ( to be examined in January)
Democracy in the UK – Is UK democracy working? How could it be improved?
Elections in the UK – What are the different ways of holding elections? Are elections in the UK fair?
Political parties – What is the purpose of parties? What do they believe and how do they operate? Are parties declining in importance in the UK?
Pressure Groups – Why are more people joining pressure groups? Are they good for democracy? What pressure groups’ methods lead to the most success?
Module 2 – Governing the UK (to be examined in June)
The Constitution – What is a Constitution? Should the U K change to have a Constitution like the United States? Have Labour’s constitutional changes been successful? How has the European Union changed the UK constitution.
Parliament – How does Parliament pass laws? Is parliament still effective at holding the government to account? What is the role of the House of Lords in the UK system of government?
The Prime Minister and the Cabinet – What powers does the Prime Minister hold? Who gets to become a minister and how important is cabinet government? Has the role of ‘Prime Minister’ become increasingly Presidential?
The Judiciary – Is the judiciary in the UK independent enough? Should the UK adopt an American style Supreme Court?
A2 American Politics
Representation in the USA
How are US Presidential elections run? In what ways are they different to UK elections? What are primary elections? Is the voting system fair? Is there too much money spent on US elections?
US Political parties – How can only two major parties represent the whole of the United States? Why are third party candidates so unsuccessful?
US Pressure Groups – How do they operate compared to UK pressure groups? Are they are force for greater democracy or simply proof that money buys influence.
Race relations – Does the US system represent non white groups effectively?
Government of the USA
The US constitution – How can this 200 year old document still control the workings of the world’s most powerful country?
The President – Is the President really the most powerful man in the world? Is he even the most powerful man in America?
Congress – How are laws made in the USA? What powers does Congress have to frustrate a President?
Supreme Court – How does the Court protect the constitution? Is it right for the judiciary to be politically active.