A unique feature of Surrey education is the professional placement. As a Politics student at Surrey, you will have the opportunity of spending a professional training year with an organisation committed to social or political change. This can be a voluntary sector organisation, a government or local authority department, an MP or MEP, or an international organisation.

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Degrees

 Degree Programmes

Degrees

 Degree Programmes

 Our Degrees

Politics is about people and power: who gets it, how they use it and what makes a society fair. Our innovative degrees focus on the active role citizens can play in shaping politics internationally, nationally and locally. 

You will explore why some people are ‘more equal than others’, how power is organised in different kinds of society, and why some issues become the target of policies. You will discover how you can ‘make a difference’ in your organisation or community, and about the social and political movements which change societies. There is a strong international flavour – you will learn about politics in other countries and about why states and nations sometimes go to war but often manage to co-exist in peace. 

As a Politics student at Surrey you will be able to choose from a number of programmes to match your developing interests. You can choose to study: Politics, International Politics, Politics with Policy Studies, or International Politics with/and Languages (German, French, Spanish or English for International Communication). 

The Politics degree is broad-based and allows you to pick up options from a wide range of different areas. The two more specialised degrees in International Politics or Politics with Policy Studies ensure that you develop a solid foundation in political ideas, principles and methods, and in addition give you the opportunity to follow more optional modules in your area of particular interest. 

These three degrees share a common first year, and you will be able to change your pathway up until the end of your first year of study. International Politics with Languages allows students to study politics while advancing their language skills in German, Spanish, French or English for international communication.

BA Politics

A distinctive feature of our Politics programme is its applied nature and its emphasis on bringing about political and social change, whether at a local, national or international level. You will be introduced to a range of concepts, approaches and methods in the areas of political, international and policy studies, and will be able to explore the ways in which the meaning of concepts such as ‘justice’, ‘equality’ and ‘liberty’ are hotly contested. 

You will learn about the causes of war and peace, as well as how different societies are governed and how international relations between states can be organised. 

As your knowledge and understanding of theory and analysis in politics become more sophisticated, you will be encouraged to relate your academic study to questions of public concern, and to think critically about events, ideas and institutions in contemporary society. Indeed, by the end of the programme you will be well prepared to engage positively and effectively in the full range of political activities.

The structure of the optional elements of the programme is left open, so that you can follow your own path through the subject, making connections between subjects as diverse as political theory, terrorism, comparative government and political psychology.

BA International Politics

On this programme you build further on the core modules in political, international and policy studies by focusing on the study of political relations and structures in an international context. The programme introduces you to a variety of social and political issues that drive debates about international affairs. 

You will explore national, regional and transnational trends through international relations theory and the analysis of a wide range of case studies. You will have the opportunity to examine questions of international security, globalisation, environmental policy and international governance, among others. 

In particular, your dissertation at Level 3 will allow you to explore an aspect of international politics in significant depth, while also demonstrating your use of research and presentation skills. 

The programme takes an interdisciplinary approach throughout, serving as a bridge for students from different disciplines and raising awareness of current socio-political trends. This approach – along with the opportunity to take a professional training year – will help to prepare you for work and research in an international setting.

BA Politics with Policy Studies

If you choose this degree, you will gain a good grounding in political studies, but will focus more specifically on the welfare of people and explore how society deals with social needs and problems. In particular, you will have the opportunity to investigate how government action (and inaction) affects us all at some time or another. You will be encouraged to engage critically with key ideas underpinning policy debates, and consider relations between society, social problems and policy responses. 

You will gain an understanding of key welfare state institutions in the UK, and how these compare to their counterparts in other European countries. Building on the foundations in political, international and policy studies, you will explore the nature of inequalities and the distribution of power locally, nationally and internationally. 

You will also analyse various methods of ‘making a difference’ and promoting beneficial change in society. A close focus on social action and the opportunity to spend a professional training year working with an organisation in the policy field will ensure that you are prepared for employment in this area and are capable of participating effectively in the policy process.

BA International Politics with/and Languages

Our four new joint and four new combined International Politics with/and Languages degrees (German, French, Spanish and English for International Communication), which started in September 2009, offer you the opportunity to gain expertise in politics, develop your command of one of the above foreign languages and acquire an understanding of intercultural communication.

The joint degrees offer equal weighting of both International Politics and your chosen language. In the combined degree, International Politics accounts for two thirds and the language of your choice accounts for one third of the programme.

The programmes are designed for post A level (or equivalent) full-time students who are interested in politics and hold A levels in German, French or Spanish. In addition international students with a high level of proficiency in English can select a pathway in English for International Communication. 

The programmes allow you to enhance your study of political phenomena while studying a language in its sociopolitical and cultural contexts during a placement year at an institution in the country related to your focus of study.

Other degrees you may be interested in:

Law with International Studies

Programme

 Programme Overview

Our programmes are designed to make sure that along with your chosen specialisation, you get a full grounding in the discipline as a whole. In addition, we also take great care to provide you with a wide set of practical skills that will serve you well, whatever you decide to do after your degree. 

At Level 1, whichever degree you choose, you will study a number of compulsory modules. These will provide you with a solid background in political, international and policy studies, and in fundamental academic skills. Because this Level is the same for all our programmes, if you decide to change programme as your knowledge and interests develop, then you will not be missing out by making such a switch at this stage. 

At Level 2 you will build on Level 1 by studying a number of compulsory modules, and you will also choose a number of optional modules where you begin to develop your own interests. 

All our programmes have the option of a professional training year after Level 2, where you can either take a politics-related work placement or study politics overseas. In both cases, this placement will allow you to apply and develop your understanding, as well as discover new approaches and elements.

At Level 3 you will have much more choice in the modules you study and you will be encouraged to follow your own interests. You will be required to undertake a compulsory dissertation and study compulsory modules related to your pathway.

By the end of the programme, you will have a deep understanding of your chosen field and the skills to use that knowledge to best effect. With our broad range of learning and teaching strategies, you will find that you gain a well-rounded and coherent appreciation of the key questions and approaches to this vital and vibrant subject.

 Programme Structure

Professional Training

You are encouraged to enrol on a four-year degree and spend your third year on professional placement (for example, in the voluntary sector, a government or local authority department, working for an MP or MEP, or participating in an internship offered by international or European organisations). Your period of professional training is closely linked to the content of your degree and also enables you to develop a range of relevant transferable skills which will enhance your employability.

Recent students have spent their placements helping to develop London transport policy at Transport for London, gaining experience of political lobbying through public relations agencies in London and Brussels, working at the Office of the London Mayor and at the local branch of political parties. 

Current and previous providers of professional placements include Chelgate Limited (a lobbying/PR agency in London), South West Surrey Conservative Party, the London Assembly, Harvey Grammar School, the South East England Development Agency (Brussels Office), Weber Shandwick (a PR/lobbying agency in Brussels), the Shadow Defence Secretary's Office and GlaxoSmithKline.

Why Surrey?

 Key reasons to study Political Studies 2012 at Surrey

• Benefit from the opportunity to spend a professional training year with an organisation committed to social or political change
• You will learn to apply political ideas to real-world concerns – international, national, local
• Gain from the strong focus placed on international politics
• Excellent teaching and research quality ratings
• Innovative teaching methods – including simulations of political negotiations
• Enjoy excellent support in preparing for a wide range of graduate careers

Careers

 Top for Jobs

Graduates over the last few years entered employment in roles such as:

• YMCA - PA to Business Development Manager
• Houses of Parliament - Researcher
• International Institute for Strategic Studies - Researcher
• Surrey County Council - Care Worker

More

Teaching

The Department’s excellence in teaching has been recognised with a number of awards and fellowships. 

As part of the SCEPTrE scheme – which aims to promote excellence in professional training (placement learning) and enhance students’ experiences through enquiry-rich approaches – the Department has been awarded fellowships to develop negotiation-based learning (Simon Usherwood, 2007), to incorporate survey design in teaching political psychology and electoral behaviour (Tereza Capelos, 2008), to develop enquiry-based learning (Jason Abbott, 2008), and to establish an enquiry-based learning group (Maxine David and Roberta Guerrina, 2008).

As part of the Teaching with New Technologies (TeNT) scheme – which encourages teachers to experiment with emerging technology – the Department has received awards to work with interactive whiteboards (Simon Usherwood, 2007), to use Second Life to collect public opinion data (Tereza Capelos, 2008), to use social networking websites (Jason Abbott, 2008), and to develop a wiki for EU self-study (Roberta Guerrina and Maxine David, 2008).

Erasmus

It is possible to spend your third year on study exchange with one of our European partner universities. These include Aarhus University, Denmark; the University of Copenhagen, Denmark; the University of Cyprus (all courses are taught in English and have no impact on your overall degree classification), and the University Łódź, Poland. For more information, visit our website.

The advantages of participation in the Erasmus exchange scheme are numerous. They include exposure to a different culture and the challenges of living in a new country, the opportunity to learn a new language and experience new teaching practices and approaches to political science/ international relations. 

These challenges and experiences ensure that students emerge from the Erasmus year with increased self-confidence and widened employment opportunities that derive from their improved language competencies and communication skills. Students also acquire a fresh perspective on their subject matter that significantly improves performance in their final year.

Politics Research Seminars

The Politics Department sponsors a regular Research Seminar Series, which meets every two weeks during term time and brings together academic staff and postgraduate and undergraduate students from our University. The purpose of the research seminars is to provide a forum for the presentation of cutting-edge research papers and to increase awareness among our students about developments in diverse themes of research in the field today. 

We invite high-profile UK and international scholars who present their work and invite discussions with the audience. All members of the University community are welcome to participate.

Student Advisor

Students might be faced with any number or type of issues unrelated to their academic work, which nevertheless have repercussions for their academic performance. Our professional student advisor staff provides a listening ear, coordinates a departmental response or puts in place a practical programme of action when necessary.

Peer Mentoring

For some students entering their first year at university, the prospect of starting a degree in a new environment may seem daunting. In a bid to ease this transition, the Politics Department offers a peer mentoring scheme where current students provide support to new arrivals. 

Natalie de Freitas (Level 3 student) adds: “The student mentors aim to offer advice about studying and settling into university life as an alternative mode of support in a relaxed and relatable fashion. We mentors aim to advise our peers using our own experiences, mistakes and successes in order to provide an alternative form of support for new students who are starting their own exciting university experience, just as we did.”

Active in Outreach

The Department is engaged in several stimulating outreach projects and opens its doors to students of local schools and colleges. 

Regular activities involve: giving research-related talks to secondary education institutions and neighbouring universities; contributing to the Education Liaison programme; hosting a politics conference for schools; AS and A2 revision lectures and a Question Time event incorporating an essay competition with an essay prize; and launching a survey of British politics and electoral preferences in the wider Surrey community.

Research in the Department

Members of the Department research and publish on a range of topics, covering areas such as citizenship and policy studies, defence and security, terrorism studies, international intervention, European politics, political communication and the media, political psychology, electoral behaviour, political theory and social exclusion. Your studies will therefore incorporate the latest thinking and research, with teaching delivered by leading experts.

Dr Cristiano Bee is a specialist in European citizenship and public and political communication, while Dr Tereza Capelos does research on reputation management, political scandals and accountability, voting behaviour, mass media and civic competence. Dr Laura Chappell focuses on EU Common Security and Defence Policy and Dr Maxine David is a specialist in foreign policy analysis whose published work includes research into Russia as a marginal state. 

Dr Tom Dyson is a specialist in defence, security and foreign policy analysis, while Professor Chris Flood has carried out theoretical and empirical work on political ideology and mythology. Dr Roberta Guerrina is a specialist in European Union government and politics, while Dr Jack Holland examines foreign and security policy, specialising in American, British and Australian foreign policy during the War on Terror. 

Professor Mark Olssen's recent articles have addressed the political philosophy of liberalism, while Dr Simon Usherwood has published on various aspects of opposition to the European Union in France and the United Kingdom. Professor Peter Jarvis is editor of the International Journal of Lifelong Education.

The Department is also home to the Centre for Research on Nationalism, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism (CRONEM) at the University.