15 Compelling Reasons to Study Politics at Uni

Wondering what to study at university? Let us help you out with some handy hints on why you should look into doing politics...

1. You’ll never lose an argument again

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Politics is a battle of wills – it’s not always who’s right, but who can shout loudest, for longest. Studying for a politics degree will give you plenty of practice in putting your point across, and not giving up until your opponent gives in.

2. You’ll gain superior public speaking skills

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Whether it’s taking part in a class debate or presenting a project, when you take a politics degree you’ll be doing a lot of public speaking. The oratory skills you gain will serve you well in many areas of your life (being a confident public speaker will make interviews a breeze, for example).

3. You’ll finally understand what’s happening on Newsnight

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We all love watching Newsnight (look at all the funny people shouting!) but how many of us actually have a clue what’s going on? With your top notch knowledge of current affairs as a politics student, you’ll be the envy of all your friends as you patiently explain what everybody’s fighting about this week.

4. The definition of politics as a discipline is ‘The study of power relationships’

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It just sounds cool when you put it like that.

5. You’ll know when people are lying

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We all know that politicians have a tendency to be, shall we say, economical with the truth. While here at Whatuni we advocate nothing short of absolute honesty in all affairs, a politics degree will give you the chance to observe some master liars up close – meaning no one will ever be able to pull the wool over your eyes.

6. You might get to be a hero

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Studying politics doesn’t mean you have to go on to be a politician, but if you do you’ll have the chance to get personally involved in some of the most pressing crises to hit the country. And hey – even if there’s nothing you can actually do, you can still stand there heroically looking heroic, like Ed.

7. You’ll be able to predict the future

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Okay, not exactly, but after three years of studying politics you’ll hopefully be able to predict the way the political winds are blowing. Knowing which party is likely to win the next election gives you insight into how it might affect economics, employment etc, and you’ll be able to act accordingly.

8. You’ll get to go to lots of parties

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It’s not what you know, it’s who you know, so you’ll need to do a lot of networking if you study politics at uni. That can only mean one thing – paaaarty! Hopefully you won’t have a deathly fear of confetti like David Miliband.

9. You might get to work here

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Even if you don’t want to be an MP there are plenty of jobs in the political spectrum that a politics degree could lead you into, which could well give you an opportunity to work at The Houses of Parliament, one of the most beautiful historical buildings in the world.

10. There’s unlikely to be another Gunpowder Plot

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Just in case you were worried, they’ve really ramped up security at the Houses of Parliament since the whole Guy Fawkes thing.

11. You could have your own bacon sandwich wrangler

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Not everyone who does politics at uni will choose a career in parliament, but if you do, you’ll likely have a team of aides helping you out. That means not only someone to fetch you bacon sandwiches whenever you want, but someone to show you how to eat them when the camera bulbs are popping. Hint: it’s not like above.

12. It’s more likely to get you laid

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Ooh-err! As you may know, our pals over at Student Beans compile the annual University Sex League, and they’ve charted the subjects most likely to give you a helping hand in the seduction stakes. While politics is no travel and tourism (number 1), it’s still a respectable ranking at number 13. You’ll certainly be doing better than the poor chemical engineering students, languishing in last place at number 43.

13. Lots of celebs studied politics

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If you’re still not sold, why not let your favourite celebrity make up your mind? Lots of stars studied politics at uni, from rock stars like the Manics’ Richey Edwards, to actors such as Elizabeth Shue and even comedians, like Harry Enfield.

14. You’ll know how the world works

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You won’t just learn about politics, but also aspects of the law, history, psychology and sociology. Basically, you’ll know exactly how the world works.

15. You’ll be able to do almost anything after you graduate

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A politics degree will teach you tons of transferable skills that’ll make you attractive to all sorts of employers, like assertiveness, public speaking, data analysis, essay writing and research. Politics graduates go on to work in sectors like journalism, finance, business, and even charity. The world is your oyster!