Politics A'level

[BuellerAnyone]

DS is considering politics A'level which he wants to combine with Economics and Psychology. He doesn't know what he wants to study at uni.

Is politics a well regarded A'level?

I took a politics A-level way back when and I think it actually had more of an impact on my life than anything else I studied around that time. It gives you such a good grounding, something that my politics degree later didn't do. In terms of the work required, there's a lot that you have to actually know and then there's a lot that you have to write about and discuss. I found a really good mix.

I went on to teach A-levels, though not that subject, and always found the students with politics A-level studied subjects like history and English literature and economics alongside it. They certainly weren't penalised when they apply to university.

However, if someone is going to study economics, I'd recommend they studied maths as well.

I found politics to be a much heavier weight subject than psychology at A-level.

My dc did Politics, Psychology and Geography A Level (last year) - they are currently in a gap year travelling before going to Manchester to study politics and philosophy. All of the Uni’s he applied to offered.

Yes, very well-respected and challenging academically (my DP teaches it). You’re lucky to find a school that offers it. Is it private? I’ve rarely seen A Level Politics taught in the state sector.

My daughter is at a state school
and studying politics A level- loves it 😊

@BanjoVio Im surprised by that - all the state schools around here teach A level politics (my dc was at a state school).

Ds did it, he then took a Politics and IR degree. Much of the first year compulsory modules were repetitiion as not all would have had the opportunity to take it at A level. Likewise subjects like Law and Psychology,

My daughter is also at state school studying politics ( first year her school have offered it) she loves it and it has really ignited her interest!

My dd has just done politics and really loved it. She was brought up abroad and literally had absolutely no idea about politics at all so really started on the back foot but I think it's been a really good subject for her and all the debating and thinking about things from different perspectives helped her in her other subjects too.

She chose between three state sixth forms and they all offered politics A level.

@cantheydothisreally & @KittyMcKitty
Ah fantastic! That’s great to hear ☺️ I’ve never come across a state school round here that offered Politics (I’m a teacher). I really hope it becomes as much of a prospectus staple as History or Psych.

DS did both History and Politics at our local comprehensive. Very popular and long-standing option.

DD's state school offered politics at A level @BanjoVio.

DS just completed his A Level Politics at state school. Most of the sixth forms around here offer it (North West).
He enjoyed it that much he is hoping to carry on with it at University

My dcs’ state school offers gov/pol A level and it’s v popular. Dd says lots of people did it with history or geography and they linked together well.

My only concern would be that those A level choices limit him to degrees in those subjects (maybe not economics as maths is usually needed) and then degrees that have no specified subjects (law, class civ, criminology, marketing). But a lack of pol/econ/psych A level is not a barrier to a degree in those subjects. If he went for one or two if those with a subject like maths, chemistry, physics, history, geography (if there is one he likes) it would leave a lot more doors open, which would be good if he is not sure which way to go later.

DD2 did it at a state school as a 4th A level alongside sciences/Maths. She loved it. She is now on an exchange programme from her uni and whilst her degree is science-based, she has taken a number of modules about Japanese government, history and politics and is loving it.

When at school, her class entered a competition and the finalists were all invited to Westminster. They visited Parliament, the Supreme Court and had afternoon tea with John Bercow. DD said he was a lot nicer in person than he appeared in the media.

Completely normal to offer Politics in state schools.
OP, our school would strongly advise not taking 3 new subjects at A Level - unless he happens to have gone to one of the few schools which offer Ec or Psy at GCSE?

Not true anymore

Both DSs did politics, history and Philosophy/RS for A Levels at a comp and both got 5 offers from RG etc universities in competitive subjects. One did economics at GCSE.

Yes it is a well regarded A level - my son did it and ended up doing it at university too, he has just finished his first year. He did it with (ancient) history and Spanish, he was originally planning to do a history degree but preferred politics in the end.

He actually applied for various combinations of history, politics and history and politics and got offers from all five universities.

I don't think state schools offer it to GCSE (do private schools?) but my state sixth form offered it for A level and ds did it at a sixth form college and it was also offered by other sixth forms in the area.

I have politics A Level and it was really interesting and useful. I have taught A level economics and would say that if your DC wants to do economics he needs to continue maths to make it worthwhile. Although it is possible to do economics without maths, it really is much more useful for a career when combined. If he is not good at maths, he may struggle with economics as it requires an good solid understanding of mathematical principles (e.g. applied maths - algebra, graphs and statistics etc).

I did politics A level along with history. I found it fascinating and useful.

Very popular A level at ds's state school - three most oversubscribed subjects there are History, Politics and Psychology.

Interesting, as Politics is a commonly offered A level in local state schools here, as well (our one and only secondary indie in the immediate vicinity doesn't offer it at A level, but that's mainly because it doesnt have a sixth form😀) .

That being said, a couple of years ago, one of DD's friends rocked up to enrolment day at a state school sixth form about 20 miles from us to find that it had been dropped for that intake, so had to find somewhere else, as it was a non-negotiable subject for her.

DD did Politics, English Lit and French and got offers from everywhere she applied to for IR and / with French. The wanting to study a language gauge will have helped there, of course.