BA Politics

About this course

Politics is the study of power: how it is acquired, how it is exercised, how it is contested, and how its exercise can be made accountable and legitimate. It examines the institutions through which societies govern themselves, from national parliaments and local councils to international organisations and political parties, and the ideas that underpin different visions of how power should be organised. Political science draws on empirical research, historical analysis, and normative theory to address questions ranging from electoral behaviour and public policy to international conflict and democratic decline. At Goldsmiths' College, this part-time Politics programme offers students the opportunity to engage seriously with political theory and analysis while managing other commitments alongside their studies. Goldsmiths has a distinctive tradition in critical social thought, and the programme reflects that tradition, engaging students not just with mainstream political science but with radical, feminist, postcolonial, and cultural political theory that challenges conventional assumptions about what politics is and where it takes place. You will study political institutions and systems, political ideas and ideologies, international relations, and the social movements and collective action that operate outside formal political structures. Research methods and evidence-based analysis are developed throughout, alongside the written and verbal skills to engage in political argument effectively. Politics graduates enter careers in the civil service, public affairs, journalism, law, policy research, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, education, and the management of charities and public bodies. The analytical and communication skills the degree develops are valued across many sectors. Many graduates continue into postgraduate study in politics, international relations, public policy, law, or related disciplines, and the degree provides a solid foundation for careers in political research and academic scholarship.

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