This course will take from a range of subfields in political science: comparative politics, rational choice theory, political economy, public administration and public policy, European politics and political theory. You will learn about the concepts and theories which underpin the study of politics, including ideas such as justice, democracy, liberty, sovereignty and rights. You will compare political phenomena in a variety of cultures and countries, learning about the diversity of political processes and using empirical analysis to answer broad theoretical questions about the political world. In your third year you can choose to complete a dissertation, allowing you to gain a rich complement of personal and professionally transferable skills in the process, and further explore an area of interest to you. Politics is about power, conflict and ideas. The study of politics involves analysis of the ways in which individuals and groups define and interpret political issues and seek to shape government decisions. It encompasses a broad spectrum of activities relating to public affairs, from elections and bureaucracies to wars and terrorism. Politics graduates have a range of skills and can fit into a variety of positions in modern life. Our former students have followed careers in business and banking, in law, in central and local government, in teaching and research, in public and university administration, and in journalism and television.