Politics

Subject Leader
Mr Private: Paterson

Aims of the course

  • To give all students a form understanding of how our country operates on a political level.
  • To give our students an insight into the issues surrounding our and the USA’s political system. Its strength and flaws.
  • To give our students an understanding of their rights and responsibilities, where they came from and how and why they should be protected.
  • To engage our students in the democratic process, by interacting with the political system and the people in it. In order to prepare them to be engaged and knowledgeable citizens of the UK.

Course content

Unit One- UK Politics + Core Ideologies

  • Democracy and participation
  • Political parties
  • Electoral systems
  • Voting behaviour & the media
  • Core ideologies – Conservatism, Socialism, Liberalism

Unit Two – UK Government + Non Core Ideology

  • The Constitution
  • Parliament
  • Prime Minister & the executive
  • Relationships between different branches
  • Non core ideology – Multiculturalism

Unit Three – Comparative Politics USA

  • The US Constitution and federalism
  • US Congress
  • US presidency
  • US Supreme Court and civil rights
  • Democracy and participation
  • Comparative theories (comparison of UK and USA politics)

Assessment

All units

2 hours written paper 33.3% of total mark

Career opportunities

A Level Government & Politics is a traditional academic subject which is well respected by Universities and employers.  Politics students are expected to analysis data and opinion, to critically evaluate such data and opinion in order to form their own judgements. As such they develop a wide range of sought after skills that can be applied to a broad range of career and degree choices / opportunities including:

  • Role within government
  • Member of Parliament
  • Political Assistant
  • Civil Service
  • Diplomatic service
  • Political Journalist
  • Public affairs consultant
  • Career in human rights and charities
  • Law
  • Entry to higher education