The course covers three broad areas; the government and politics of the UK, the government and politics of the USA, and political ideas. Students will complete an in depth study of UK and US government and politics. Across both the UK and US systems students will become familiar with the individuals and organisations that take decisions, political parties and their beliefs, pressure groups and their role, political elections and campaigns, and how civil rights are protected. The aim is to help students understand the similarities and differences between both countries, coming to their own conclusions about how these systems shape the way people live their lives, and questioning how effectively the systems promote democracy and the protection of civil rights in practice. Students will learn about both historic and contemporary examples of both political systems in action, and will keep up with current affairs to supplement their understanding. As such, what students learn is often a reflection of issues, events and debates that are taking place during their period of studying the subject. These could be current issues before Parliament/Congress, elections that might be taking place and the issues being discussed in campaigns, debates sparked by both traditional and social media, or campaigns run by pressure groups. The study of political Ideas covers a range of ideologies from feminism to ecologism and explores key debates surrounding each ideology. The three key topics allow for students to display a synoptic and holistic understanding of the subject of Politics. Students are required to engage with a range of political interpretations, including social, economic, religious and cultural perspectives, developing evaluative and analytical skills. Students will need to show relevant knowledge of news and current affairs from the UK and US to support their learning, as well as being encouraged to investigate and develop their own views on political issues.