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Politics BA/BSc

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Overview

Our Politics BA/BSc course offers a demanding and stimulating programme of study covering international politics, comparative politics, and political theory, with an emphasis on developing your analytical and research skills.

Key benefits

  • You will learn to think critically and independently about key issues in politics and develop a range of skills to support your intellectual, vocational and personal development.
  • Given the interdisciplinary nature of the department, you will also have many opportunities to explore the interplay between politics and economics.
  • In your first year, you’ll learn about the core concepts and issues in politics and about the statistical techniques we employ. Your second and third years will feature a wide range of options, plus some further required modules, depending on whether you choose the Politics BA or BSc degree. You’ll consider how you could investigate the important problems we face in politics, and produce your own proposal for a piece of research. Building on these skills, you will conduct and write up your own piece of original research on a subject of your choice for your third-year dissertation.

 

Key information

UCAS code L240

Duration Three years FT

Study mode Full-time

Course type Single honours

Further details

Awarding institution King's College London

Faculty Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy

Department Department of Political Economy

Locations

 

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In the heart of London

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Course detail

Description

The interaction of people, ideas and institutions is central to shaping the outcomes of political processes and government decision-making at global, national, regional and local levels. Our Politics BA/BSc will develop your knowledge and understanding of the relationship between government and society and explore questions of political order and decision making.

Sitting within the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy, the Department of Political Economy has an interdisciplinary, social science ethos, fostering a stimulating intellectual environment that has attracted leading scholars. Our research-led curriculum encourages critical analysis and debate on contemporary international political and policy issues.

Teaching

We use lectures, seminars and group tutorials to deliver most of the modules on the course. You will also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study. You will be assigned a personal tutor who will provide support and guidance for your studies.

Contact time: In a typical week you can expect to receive approximately eight hours of taught lectures and six hours of seminars and group tutorials.

Assessment

We will assess your progress and attainment on all the modules you take on both the BA and BSc degrees through a range of techniques including written examinations, coursework, assessed essays and presentations. You may also benefit from some informal assessment during individual modules to help steer your studies and enhance your learning.

Location

Politics BA/BSc is taught primarily at our Strand Campus, putting you close to all the facilities offered by the university and within easy reach of the cultural attractions of the Southbank and Covent Garden. The library and computing facilities are readily accessible together with the opportunity to use the University of London library at Senate House.

Other related courses:

Structure

Year 1

Courses are divided into modules.  Each year you will normally take modules totalling 120 credits.

Required Modules

You are required to take the following modules:

  • Fundamentals of Politics Research (15 credits)
  • World Politics Since 1945 (30 credits)
  • Comparing Political Systems (30 credits)
  • Introduction to Political Theory (30 credits)
  • Statistics for Political Science (15 credits)

 

Optional Modules

There are no optional modules for this course in Year 1, however you can take an assessed 15 credit language module in addition to your 120 credits.

Year 2

Required Modules

After year 1, you will choose whether to read for the BA or the BSc. You are required to take the following module:

If you choose Politics BSc, you will also be required to take these modules:

 

Optional Modules

In addition, you are required to take sufficient credits to bring your total for the year to 120 from a range of typical modules, which may typically include:

All students can take an assessed 15 credit language module in addition to their 120 credits. 

As a second-year student you also have the option to study abroad with one of our partner institutions for the second semester of the year. These currently include:

  • Hong Kong University (Faculty of Economics & Business)
  • National University of Singapore
  • 3 Campus Programme (students attend Keio, Yonsei and HKU)
  • University of North Carolina
  • Georgetown University
  • Sciences Po, Paris (you would require basic French language for this option although a significant number of English-language taught modules are now available) – this option is not appropriate for BSc students because the required economics modules are not guaranteed.
  • University of California – this option is not appropriate for BSc students because the required economics modules are not guaranteed.

Year 3

Required Modules

There are no required modules in Year 3. 

Optional Modules

You are required to take sufficient credits to bring your total for the year to 120 from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:

In your third year you are allowed to take up to 30 credits in modules offered by other departments across King’s College London.

Entry requirements

 

Required grades

A*AA

Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A-levels. However, if offered the grade achieved may be taken into account when considering whether or not to accept a candidate who has just fallen short of the conditions of their offer.

Required grades

35 points overall (including TOK/EE) and three Higher Level subjects at 766

Required grades

45 Level 3 credits: 39 must be from units awarded at Distinction, with the remaining Level 3 credits at Merit

Required grades

D2 D3 D3

Combinations of Pre-U principal subjects and other qualifications (such as A-levels) considered

Required grades

Further information below

If you are taking the new RQF BTEC Nationals (2016), you will not be required to fulfil the module requirement stipulated above - you will only need to get the right overall grade. If you are taking the QCF BTEC Nationals (2010), you must achieve both the required overall grade and the specified module grades. If you are unsure which BTEC you are studying, your teacher or school/college counsellor should be able to tell you.

Required grades

Further information below

If you are taking the new RQF BTEC Nationals (2016), you will not be required to fulfil the module requirement stipulated above - you will only need to get the right overall grade. If you are taking the QCF BTEC Nationals (2010), you must achieve both the required overall grade and the specified module grades. If you are unsure which BTEC you are studying, your teacher or school/college counsellor should be able to tell you.

Required grades

Further information below

If you are taking the new RQF BTEC Nationals (2016), you will not be required to fulfil the module requirement stipulated above - you will only need to get the right overall grade. If you are taking the QCF BTEC Nationals (2010), you must achieve both the required overall grade and the specified module grades. If you are unsure which BTEC you are studying, your teacher or school/college counsellor should be able to tell you.

Required grades

88% overall

 

Visit our admissions webpages to view our international entry requirements and English language entry requirements.

Required subjects

None.

Preferred subjects

Essay focused subjects.

Further information and other requirements

Entry requirements
A-level A*AA

 

Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A-levels. However, if offered the grade achieved may be taken into account when considering whether or not to accept a candidate who has just fallen short of the conditions of their offer. 
Access to HE Diploma

D: 39 credits

M: 6 credits

P: 0 credits

 Access to Humanities (or similar) Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits: 39 must be from units awarded at Distinction, with the remaining Level 3 credits at Merit.
Cambridge Pre-U D2 D3 D3 Combinations of Pre-U principal subjects and other qualifications (such as A-levels) considered.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF from 2010)   DDM with eleven Distinctions and two A levels at grades A*A or D*DD with fourteen Distinctions and two A levels at grades AA.
BTEC Level 3 Diploma (QCF from 2010)   DM with six Distinctions and two A levels at grades A*A or D*D with ten Distinctions and two A levels at grades AA.
BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma (QCF from 2010)   D with four modules at Distinction and two A levels at grades A*A in required subjects or D* with five modules at Distinction and two A levels at grades AA in required subjects.
Scottish Highers & Advanced Highers

AAA at Highers

and

AA at Advanced Higher

 Must be a combination of three Scottish Highers and two Scottish Advanced Highers. We do not count the Higher and Advanced Higher in the same subject.
International Baccalaureate 35 points including 7,6,6 at Higher Level. Note the total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE.
Other International Qualifications   Visit our admissions webpages to view our international entry requirements.
English Language Requirements  Band B Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.
 

DM with six Distinctions and two A levels at grades A*A or D*D with ten Distinctions and two A levels at grades AA.

Selection procedure

Application deadline: January 15th 2020

Help and support

If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, or if English isn't your first language, our academic preparation courses can help you get ready for study in the UK.

Preparation courses

Fees and funding

The UK tuition fee for the 2020-2021 academic year is currently £9,250 per year. This is based on the UK Government’s cap.

Full time tuition fees EU:

Students starting their programme in 2020/21 (September 2020) who are eligible to pay EU fees will pay the same rate of tuition fees as UK students. This will apply for the duration of their programme, but may be subject to change by the UK Government for subsequent cohorts from 2021/22.

The UK tuition fee for the 2020-2021 academic year is currently £9,250 per year. This is based on the UK Government’s cap.

Full time tuition fees International:

The International tuition fee for the 2020-2021 academic year is £26,700 per year.

Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2,000 against their first year’s tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King’s.

 

Additional costs/expenses

If you choose the study abroad option with one of King’s partner universities, you will not be charged tuition fees by the host university (although some partners do charge a small administration fee for applying).  Please see the study Abroad webpages for details of the relevant partner universities.

King’s will continue to invoice for a proportion of King's tuition fees.   

You should also budget to pay for the associated subsistence costs, such as travel, visas, accommodation and food as well as any vaccination/immunisations required by the country to which you are travelling.

In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for: 

  • Books if you choose to buy your own copies 
  • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions 
  • Library fees and fines 
  • Personal photocopies 
  • Printing course handouts 
  • Society membership fees 
  • Stationery 
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses 
  • Alternative venue examination fees
  • Graduation costs

For further information, please visit our fees and funding pages.

 

Financial help and support

Visit the fees and funding webpages to find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans and other financial help available at King's.

Career prospects

Your Politics BA/BSc will equip you for a wide-range of career options in business, government and policy, the public sector, charity and social enterprise. Through your course, you will acquire skills and knowledge that are recognised and valued by employers in policy development, governmental roles and communications, amongst many others.


Career destinations

Recent graduates from the Department of Political Economy have found employment as:

  • Public affairs executive, London Chamber of Commerce & Industry
  • Junior political consultant, Ketchum Pleon
  • Production management assistant, BBC
  • Press and communications officer, European Parliament
  • Communications officer, Drugscope
  • Finance analyst, BNP Paribas

 

Testimonials

Diego

Diego

"Studying International Politics at King's gave me the opportunity to develop a strong academic understanding of the subject, to specialize in what interested me most, and to contribute my own personal experiences to the debate."

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