POLITICS

Course Aims

Students will develop skills such as:

• Knowledge and understanding of all aspects of UK and US politics
• Analysis and evaluation of the key issues and debates in politics
• The ability to present work on politics in an academic manner

Lessons will feature:

• Discussions and debates on current affairs and politics
• Independent research activities
• Individual and group presentations
• Topic tests and timed assignments

Politics students will be expected to:

• Be engaged and active learners
• Participate in lessons
• Write with a high level of accuracy and fluency
• Be curious about the world
• Keep up-to-date in current affairs
• Keep high quality notes

Course requirements:

• This is an essay-based subject. Students will need strong written communication skills
• An active interest in current affairs

Where will Politics take me?

Students with an A Level in Politics often go on to read the subject at university. Others go on to study in a related field such as Law, Sociology, History and Psychology. Politics combines well with English, as the two subjects are useful for those who wish to pursue careers in journalism. The subject is also useful for those interested in careers in government, teaching, academia and corporate management.

Course overview and assessment

COMPONENT 1 UK POLITICS

• CONTENT
  • A.Political Participation
    • democracy/participation
    • political parties
    • electoral systems
    • voting behaviour and the media
  • B.Core Political Ideas
    • liberalism
    • conservatism
    • socialism
• ASSESSMENT
  • Section A: Political Participation
    • One 30 mark question from a choice of two (both source based)
    • A second 30 mark question from a choice of two (no source)
  • Section B:Core Political Ideas

- liberalism
- conservatism
- socialism

• TIME/MARKS
  • Written examination 2 hours
  • 33.3% of full A-level
  • 84 marks
  • AO1, AO2, AO3

One 24 mark question from a choice of two

COMPONENT 2 UK GOVERNMENT & NON-CORE POLITICAL IDEAS

• CONTENT

  
  

  • A.UK Government
    • the constitution
    • parliament
    • Prime Minister and executive
    • relationships between the branches -

• B.Non-core political ideas
  - Anarchism

• ASSESSMENT

  
  

  • Section A: UK Government
    • One 30 mark question from a choice of two (both source based)
    • A second 30 mark question from a choice of two (no source)
  • Section B
    • One 24 mark question from a choice of two
• TIME/MARKS
  • Written examination 2 hours
  • 33.3% of full A-level
  • 84 marks
  • AO1, AO2, AO3

COMPONENT 3 COMPARATIVE POLITICS

• CONTENT
  • The USA
    • the US constitution and federalism
    • US Congress
    • US presidency
    • US Supreme Court and civil rights
    • democracy and participation
    • comparative theories
• ASSESSMENT
  • Section A
    • One 12-mark question from a choice of two (AO1, AO2)
  • Section B
    • One compulsory 12 mark question focused on comparative theories (AO1, AO2)
  • Section C
    • Two 30-mark questions from a choice of three (AO1,AO2,AO3)
• TIME/MARKS
• Written examination 2 hours
• 33.3% of full A-level
• 84 marks