Politics

Politics is the systematic study of power: how it is held, exercised, contested, and legitimised. It examines governments and states, political parties and movements, international relations and global governance, political ideas and ideologies, and the processes by which citizens engage with the institutions that govern their lives. It is a discipline that is both intellectually demanding and directly relevant to the world in which we live, and it trains a kind of analytical and argumentative rigour that is valued across many professional fields.

At the University of Liverpool, this three-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, which is a significant feature for a discipline concerned with the comparison of political systems and the dynamics of international affairs. Spending time studying at a university in another country gives you a first-hand perspective on how political institutions, cultures, and debates look different from different national standpoints, enriching your comparative understanding in ways that are difficult to replicate in the classroom. Liverpool's strong political science research tradition encompasses international relations, comparative politics, British and European politics, and political theory, and you will be taught by scholars engaged in active research across these fields.

You will study political theory and the history of political ideas, comparing political systems and institutions across countries, international relations and global governance, and British and European politics, alongside research methods that equip you to engage critically with political evidence and argument. Writing, analytical reasoning, and the ability to construct well-evidenced arguments about contested and uncertain matters are skills you will develop continuously throughout the degree.

Graduates in politics enter careers in the civil service, journalism, law, management consultancy, international organisations, NGOs, local government, political research, policy work, and the charitable sector. The year abroad adds an international dimension to your record that is valued in competitive graduate recruitment. Postgraduate study in politics, international relations, public policy, or law is a well-established route for those who want to specialise further or prepare for academic careers.