Politics with Philosophy (BA)

Applicants come from a diverse range of backgrounds and we accept a broad range of qualifications. Special consideration will be given to mature applicants, and we are happy to consider applicants with other qualifications, including QAA-approved Access to HE courses.

Students from overseas should visit the International| pages for further information on the entry requirements from their country and English language requirements.  Royal Holloway International offers an International Foundation Programme and English language pre-sessional courses, allowing students the opportunity to develop their study skills and English language before starting their undergraduate degree.

We make decisions based on achieved or predicted grades, personal statements and references. More information on how your application will be assessed, and tips for your personal statement can be found on our Applying| pages.

 

• You will be studying at two top-ranking departments with outstanding research records.
• The curriculum is advanced and reflects the most recent research in the two disciplines.
• You will have the opportunity to access key philosophical ideas and debates that will enhance all your studies.
• Study in a warm, engaging environment with student-friendly academic and administrative staff, supported by a Personal Adviser who will guide you through your choice of course units, examinations and will advise you on your progress.

Each year you will take three course units in Politics and one in Philosophy. 

You'll gain a thorough grounding in Politics and International relations by analysing and criticising classic and contemporary texts. You'll study the growth of globalisation and its effects on nations, regions and their dealings with each other. Your studies will address questions such as; how have policy makers guided the evolution of the world's different systems of government? Is democracy a universal pattern that can be applied regardless of history and culture? And how well are international institutions performing in advancing human rights and the rule of law?

For Philosophy you will take two introductory half-unit courses in the first year and then choose from a wide range of course units in years two and three. These cover ancient philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato as well as specialist fields such as the philosophy of art and radical political theory.

Throughout the course, you will:

• map the political currents that have shaped our world and understand how they interact with each other – and how the models underlying them can be challenged
• appreciate the theory and practice of diplomacy, the mechanisms of international consensus-building, and the role of transnational institutions
• develop your understanding of key philosophical texts
• acquire critical, analytical and group-working skills.

All undergraduate degree courses at Royal Holloway are based on the course unit system. This system provides an effective and flexible approach to study, while ensuring that our degrees have a coherent and developmental structure. In the case of combined degree courses, this approach also makes it possible to change the balance of your subjects during your time at Royal Holloway.

The websites of the Department of Classics and Philosophy| and Department of Politics and International Relations| give detailed lists of the course units taken for each different degree.

The course has a modular structure, whereby students take twelve course units at the rate of four per year. Some course units are compulsory while others are elective thereby offering flexibility and choice.

Assessment is by a mixture of coursework and end-of-year examination in varying proportions, depending on the course units you choose to take. The first year is foundational and marks do not count towards your final degree. The second year and final year marks do count, with more importance being given to the final year marks in order to reward progress and achievement.

Royal Holloway offers rigorous degree courses, which will prepare you for a broad range of careers in both the private and public sectors and also for professional training in areas such as law, accountancy and management. Our graduates are highly employable and, in recent years, have entered many different roles in the Civil Service, accountancy, management, journalism, broadcasting, computing, higher education, teaching, and politics and diplomacy themselves.

A substantial number of our graduates go on to further study, entering postgraduate programmes at Royal Holloway or other prestigious institutions at home and abroad.