Curious about studying Politics (Including Placement Year) - BA (Hons)at University of Essex? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Colchester Campus
Sandwich
Oct 2026
4 Year
Why should we obey the law? Why don’t democratic countries go to war with each other? Why don’t young people vote? Why do oil-rich countries have worse human rights records? These are the kinds of questions addressed in our BA Politics course, which provides a thorough training in all major areas of political science, and is based in the top politics department in the country. Always seeking political cause and effect, our course casts light on aspects of life you might never ordinarily connect to politics and government. You investigate the scope of political science as a field of inquiry, and the methods used by political scientists, in order to explore questions concerning both what does occur in politics, and what should occur in politics. You study topics including: - Concepts in political science: state, laws, wars and political parties - International relations - Democratic systems - Political power - Obligations, freedom, rights and equality Politics at Essex is all about moving from opinions to evidence. You will quickly learn to ask – and how to answer – the "how do you know?" question. We train our students to be fearless and independent, to question everything and to draw on the broadest possible range of facts and ideas.
What is “Politics”? How have people conceived of political analysis, the state, laws, wars and political parties, across cultures and over time? Gain an understanding of essential concepts in the study of politics and explore the economic, social and intellectual trends that have made democracy possible.
This module offers a formative background in the study of international politics. We seek to provide the essential tools and theoretical concepts used to analyse international politics so that a better understanding of specific historical events or contemporary issues is given.
Is the advice of historic political writers like Machiavelli still relevant for politicians today? Do we have a moral obligation to obey the law even when the law is unjust? Would it be preferable to live in anarchy? And where does the idea of human rights come from? In GV151 we study some classical texts in the Western tradition in order to understand how moral and political ideas have shaped the institutions that govern our lives today, and how they can help us make sense of current politics.
Develop the employability, citizenship, and life skills to successfully compete in the graduate job market after graduation. You complete a portfolio of employability skills and develop a critical understanding of the world of work.
Develop the employability, citizenship, and life skills to successfully compete in the graduate job market after graduation. You complete a portfolio of employability skills and develop a critical understanding of the world of work.
Develop the employability, citizenship, and life skills to successfully compete in the graduate job market after graduation. You complete a portfolio of employability skills and develop a critical understanding of the world of work.
Placement Year
4.3
