FORUM
CIFE
the sixth-form experts
Call us now for advice
0208 767 8666
  • Home
  • About CIFE
    • Close
    • menu-about-image
    • About CIFE
      • About CIFE
      • CIFE news
      • FAQs about CIFE colleges
      • Choose the right CIFE college
      • Why colleges join CIFE
      • Links to good sites for sixth formers
      • CIFE Featured Students
      • CIFE Student Profiles
      • cife is the professional association for independent sixth-form colleges

        All CIFE colleges share the belief that students come first and that education should adapt to the individual rather than the other way round. That belief is made real by staff who have the time to get to know students fast and to tailor their approach to each individual. This makes CIFE colleges particularly good at helping students change school successfully.

        GET IN TOUCH

  • Choose a college
    • Close
        • Bath
          Bath Academy
        • Birmingham
          MPW Birmingham
        • Cambridge
          CATS College Cambridge
          MPW Cambridge
        • Canterbury
          CATS College Canterbury
        • Market Harborough
          Brooke House College
        • Northampton
          Bosworth Independent College
        • Oxford
          Carfax College
          Cherwell College
          Oxford International College
          Oxford Sixth Form College
        • Reading
          Padworth College
        • Rochester
          Rochester Independent College

        SEE ALL COLLEGES

        • London
          Ashbourne Independent Sixth-form College
          Bales College
          Cambridge Tutors College
          CATS College London
          Collingham Independent College
          David Game College
          LSI Independent College
          MPW London
          Regent Independent College
          Westminster Tutors
      • Read our questions to ask cife colleges for advice on making the best choice.

        Find out more about cife colleges' approach to sixth-form education.

        For help and advice on choosing the right college for you please get in touch.

        GET IN TOUCH

  • Fees & Scholarships
    • Close
    • menu-fees-image
    • Fees at CIFE Colleges
      • Fees at CIFE Colleges
      • Scholarships
      • Each cife college sets its own fees. Comparing fees at sixth form colleges isn’t always straightforward because many charge a fee that depends upon the number and level of the subjects you take. View the links on our cife college fees page to quickly find individual college fees.

        If you need financial help in order to study at a cife college, do have a look at Help with Fees at CIFE colleges as many colleges offer scholarships for talented students.

        GET IN TOUCH

  • Advice
    • Close
    • menu-advice-image
    • All Sixth-form advice articles
      • Choose the right A levels
      • A guide to individual A level subjects
      • How to choose your CIFE college
      • The EPQ – Extended Project Qualification
      • How to revise
      • FAQs about A level retakes
      • FAQs for international students
      • CIFE intercollegiate articles
      • We have a library of over 60 free advice articles ranging from how to pick the right A levels, through how to revise effectively, to how to get the best out of university open days. Browse our full sixth form advice library, or if you need further help please get in touch and we will do our best to help you.

        • Sixth-form advice articles about study skills...
        • Advice articles about sixth-form choices...
        • Sixth-form advice articles about university entrance...

        GET FREE ADVICE

  • Courses
    • Close
    • menu-courses-image
    • All courses
      • Two-year A-level
      • A-level retakes
      • One-year A-level courses
      • Final-year A-level
      • University Foundation courses
      • GCSE courses
      • Easter Revision Courses
      • With their long experience of helping students settle in quickly, wide subject choice and flexible course structures, courses at cife colleges make it easy to move school and they provide an excellent environment for a new start.

        For free, independent advice on the course options available to you please get in touch.

        GET IN TOUCH

  • Contact us
logo

All about A level Politics

Home » Sixth-form advice articles » Guide to individual A level subjects » All about A level Politics

What's A level Politics about?

 

“Just because you do not take an interest in politics, doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you." – attributed to Pericles, 5th century BC.

With an incredible series of unexpected and unpredictable events at home and abroad in recent years, the study of Politics has never been more relevant or more fascinating and it’s a great subject for those with enquiring minds and a desire to find out just what is going on in the world today and why.

A level Politics is divided into a number of components covering a broad spectrum of political themes (the specification for the Edexcel exam board is outlined below):

UK Politics and UK Government: You will study and discuss such questions as ‘What is Brexit all about and why is it happening?’, ‘What powers does the Prime Minister have?’, ‘Why was the result of the 2017 General Election such a surprise?’, and ‘Is Britain truly democratic?’

Political Ideas: You will examine some of the great ideas that have shaped our world for good or ill, including Liberalism, Socialism, and Conservatism; and at the work and influence of key political thinkers such as Karl Marx, Mary Wollstonecraft and Edmund Burke.

US Politics: Find out the answers to questions like ‘How did Donald Trump become President?’, ‘Why it so easy to have a gun in the USA?’, and ‘Why is race such a big issue in America?’ You will also have the opportunity to compare and contrast US and UK politics.

What sort of work is involved?

A level Politics involves a lot of discussion, so is ideal for those who enjoy talking and thinking about current affairs. You will also need to keep up-to-date with what is happening in the world via the internet, newspapers and TV programmes, and will need to engage in independent learning to increase your knowledge of politics past and present.

There is no coursework but the final exams for Politics are heavily essay based and you will get a lot of practice in researching and writing answers to sample exam questions.

What background do I need?

An interest in current affairs is perhaps the most important requirement as it is very beneficial to be able to bring at least some existing knowledge of political events and personalities to your studies. Some knowledge of history can also be helpful as so much of contemporary politics is informed by past events and decisions. Generally, no specific GCSEs are required but you will need a good level of English in order to deal with the essay writing demands of the course.

Where can it lead?

Politics is a well-regarded ‘middle-weight’ A level on a par with Psychology, Sociology and Law, and will help to provide you with many of the skills required for university study, although if you already have a university and course in mind you should check their specific entry requirements before choosing your A levels.

A Politics A level is not required to study the subject at degree level but many Politics students enjoy the subject so much that they continue their studies at undergraduate level or in related subjects such as International Relations. Some Politics students do in fact go on to work in the political sphere, while other popular career options include law and journalism.

One year course?

It is certainly possible to study a Politics A level in one year although of course there will be a lot of work involved to master all of the course components and to independently research the examples that are needed to excel in the subject. Nevertheless, the new linear format means that students sitting the course in one year may find that some of the examined content is fresher in their minds than for those studying the course over two years.

Assessment

The Politics A level is assessed at the end of the course through three exams. By far the most popular exam board for Politics is Edexcel and their examination structure is given below.

Paper 1: UK Politics and Core Political Ideas: This paper lasts two hours and requires you to answer two 30 mark essay questions on UK Politics topics including Democracy and Participation, Political Parties, Electoral Systems, and Voting Behaviour. You will also answer a 24 mark short essay question on either Liberalism, Conservatism or Socialism.

Paper 2: UK Government and Non-core Political Ideas: This paper lasts two hours and requires you to answer two 30 mark essay questions on UK Government topics including the Constitution, Parliament, the Prime Minister, and Relations between Political Institutions. You will also answer a 24 mark short essay question on either Anarchism, Nationalism, Feminism, Ecologism or Multi-culturalism depending on which non-core political idea your centre has chosen to teach.

Paper 3: Comparative Politics – USA: This paper lasts two hours and requires you to answer two short 12 mark questions comparing US and UK politics, and two 30 mark essay questions on US Politics topics including the Constitution, Congress, the Presidency, the Supreme Court and Civil Rights, and Democracy and Participation.

 

Written by Gavin Welch of Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies

Return to the list of A level subjects

Free advice on A level subject choice
Please feel free to get in touch by
calling 0208 767 8666
emailing us at enquiries@cife.org.uk
or filling in the contact form below.

    Your Name (required):

    Your Email (required):

    Your contact phone number:

    Tell us how we can help:


    The data entered on this form will be used only for the purpose of responding to your enquiry. It will not be used for sales/marketing, nor shared with any third party unless required to respond to your query (i.e. with one of our partner colleges).


     



    Return to the list of A level subjects

    Our Advice page links to more cife articles.  

     
     
    [testimonials_slider refresh_interval=3 random="true" show_start_stop="false" hide_source="true" adaptive_height="false"]

    Further advice articles

    • Sixth-form advice articles about study skills...
    • Advice articles about sixth-form choices...
    • Sixth-form advice articles about university entrance...

    Need any help?

    Please feel free to contact us for no-obligation, independent advice; either by calling us on 0208 767 8666 or by filling in the form below. We look forward to hearing from you.

     

      Your Name (required):

      Your Email (required):

      Your contact phone number:

      Tell us how we can help:


      The data entered on this form will be used only for the purpose of responding to your enquiry. It will not be used for sales/marketing, nor shared with any third party unless required to respond to your query (i.e. with one of our partner colleges).


       

      Share:
      Paul Redhead On 1st June 2019   /    

      Courses at cife colleges

      GCSE courses
      Two-year A level courses
      Final-year A level courses
      One-year A level courses
      A level retake courses
      University Foundation courses
      Easter A level & GCSE revision courses

      Advice articles

      FAQs about retakes
      Revision
      UCAS personal statement
      Tips for a top UCAS application
      For international students
      Choosing the right A levels
      Oxbridge and medicine interviews
      All advice articles

      cife

      More about cife
      FAQ about colleges
      News
      Why colleges join cife
      Useful links
      Fees at cife colleges
      Contact us

      Sitemap
      Privacy policy
      Website Terms & Conditions
      Copyright © 2017 - 2021 cife
       
      Web Design by WebSanity
       
      BACK TO TOP
      Back to Top