A Level Government & Politics

Course summary

Year 12 British Politics • UK Politics This unit introduces the study of UK Politics and the key channels of communication between government and the people. It covers democracy, participation, representation, party policies and ideas, pressure groups and the media. • UK Government This unit introduces students to the major governmental processes within the UK. It encourages them to develop a critical understanding of the role and effectiveness of key institutions. The major topics are the Prime Minister, Cabinet, Parliament, the Constitution and the relationships between them. Year 13 Comparative Politics • US Government & Politics This unit looks at US political system and compares key aspects of it to the UK political system. The key themes are: Elections and Voting, Political Parties, Pressure Groups, Racial and Ethnic Politics. • Political Ideologies Students will consider a range of political ideologies including conservatism, liberalism and socialism with the possibility of looking at anarchism, ecologism, feminism, multiculturalism or nationalism. Why Study? Students are provided with a thorough introduction to the study of Politics and in particular use the skills of analysis, evaluation and logical argument. It is an ideal basis for developing independent and critical thinking and provides progression to a wide range of university courses. It is a relevant subject for a variety of careers including journalism, law, civil service, local government and busines