Politics BA (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- UCAS Code(s): L200; L205
- Start Date(s): September 2023
- Duration: Three years full-time / Four years placement
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: City Campus
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Entry Requirements:
More information
Introduction:
Politics is everywhere and everything. Understand it, and you’ll understand your own world; know its rules, and you can start to play the game on your own terms. This course is for the brave, the curious, and the rebels searching for a cause. It’s about making the political personal, and being the kind of change you want to see.
At NTU, learning means doing. We focus on two things: great theory, and grassroots activism. Studying in Nottingham — the UK’s original ‘rebel city’, and a hotbed of revolution, insurrection, and political intrigue — you’ll be applying your skills, passion and knowledge in the real world. Politics is a living, breathing subject, and you’ll analyse the big questions of how systems operate, how countries are governed, and how decisions are made. But you’ll also put the fundamentally human issues of social justice, morality and ethics under the microscope. You’ll interrogate your own political identity and values; you’ll explore the ins and outs of today’s most contentious political issues; you’ll take a deep dive into conspiracy theories, cover-ups, and secret histories.
Politics is a versatile and universally respected degree. Our graduates have become MPs, sustainability crusaders, motivational speakers, community leaders, and even successful entrepreneurs. This is your world, your time, and your stage — we’ll give you the tools, insights, and confidence to guarantee you’re heard.
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Work on real-world collaborations, projects and simulations on topics which matter to you and develop core skills such as digital literacies and data visualization throughout. -
Study in the heart of the vibrant and multicultural city of Nottingham, with a proud political history steeped in community activism. -
You will have the opportunity to undertake an optional year-long placement and/or study abroad in your second year, with one of our international partners across the world. -
Learn a language as part of your degree with optional modules in your second and final year. Choosing between Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin or Spanish, a new world of opportunities will open for you with beginner to advanced classes
Why politics — and why NTU?
- Look out your window. Check your feeds. Your world is changing at unprecedented speed, and not always for the better — only by understanding politics can you hope to inform and improve that change.
- Politics is a game. You’ll learn its rules and roles through exciting, hands-on assignments — from CV-smashing placements, simulations and roleplaying, to real-world collaborations with partner agencies like Nottingham Citizens.
- We’re big on personalisation. This is political study on your terms — from the huge range of modules and course pathways, right through to the innovative ways you’re assessed.
- The transferrable skills will rule you in for everything, and out of nothing. Political knowledge aside, you’ll develop the confidence of a professional public speaker; the research talents of a top-class analyst; the leadership skills of a CEO; and plenty more.
- Joint Honours courses are also offered by the School of Art and Humanities.
What you’ll study
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
Hear our student stories
Careers and employability
BA Politics will open doors for you and enable you to explore careers in a wide range of fields in both the public and private sectors.
The job titles below give an indication of the careers our recent Politics graduates have pursued:
- Civil Service (including HM Treasury)
- Marketing Executive
- Political Assistant (including the Houses of Parliament and local government)
- Data Analyst
- Business Development Manager
- Police Officer
- Teacher
- Politician (including Counsellors and MPs)
Your career development
Helping you explore your options and gain the skills, knowledge, experience, and confidence for future careers is central to the course. Our BA (Hons) Politics course will provide you with a range of subject-specific and key transferable skills. A lot of high-skilled jobs recognise the value of graduates having an openness and understanding of national and international events, institutional processes, and the importance of appreciating social and cultural difference – all of which this course will help you develop.
Subject-specific skills include:
- Identifying competing interests/pitching ideas to diverse audiences.
- Working to find/negotiating compromise.
- Leadership, entrepreneurship, and ethical awareness.
Key transferable skills include:
- Fluency in written and verbal communication.
- Time management and resilience.
- Taking the initiative and working as part of a team.
Upon graduation from this course, you will be well placed to apply for a wide range of roles in the public, private and third sector organisations, including:
- charities, fundraising, the media.
- local/national government.
- the civil service.
- international aid and development agencies (e.g., NGOS and INGOS).
- police, armed forces, security services.
Our Employability team
We have a dedicated Employability team located on the City Campus who work hand-in-hand with the course team. Once you begin your course you will gain membership and access to NTU’s Matrix accredited employability services. Helping you identify and make the most of the opportunities at NTU is central to the course, and you’ll continue to receive support after you graduate.
Campus and facilities
How to apply
Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.
Writing your application and personal statement
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember that we can only make a decision based on what you tell us, so include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application – it’s your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place. You’ve got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you’re applying for. For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.
Keeping up to date
After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!
You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.
Application advice
Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example. After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Writing your personal statement
Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
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