Politics

At all levels of study, politics is a subject that is open to interpretation and debate. Our methods of teaching, therefore, are based largely on classroom discussion. You will attend lectures that identify themes and then explore these themes in depth during seminars.

You will think about ethical questions such as the role and limits of state power, the nature of a ‘good society’, and the obligations that one nation has to another. You will also consider empirical questions such as how we explain differences in political institutions and culture, and the nature of the international system as a whole.

Initially you will study two courses:

• Introduction to liberal democracy: deals primarily with the British, Scottish and European political systems
• Comparative politics: explores a number of different countries using a comparative analytical framework.

Your second year will also comprise two courses:

• History of political thought: examines political thought from the ancients, primarily Aristotle, through Machiavelli, Hobbes and Locke to Rousseau and Karl Marx
• International relations: uses the ideas of important writers to explain key aspects of the international order

You will also study other subjects in years 1 and 2: see Degrees in Arts, Life Sciences, Science and Social Sciences.

If you progress to Honours (years 3 and 4) you can choose from over 30 courses, taught by academic staff who specialise in the themes and topics covered.

Studying Politics at Glasgow can be taken in partnership with the Glasgow Q-Step programme to give you more opportunities to develop your quantitative research skills. For more information, visit: Q-Step Centre.

We have a longstanding and active programme of International Exchange. Each year, we welcome dozens of students from countries around the world who come to take courses at Glasgow. At the same time, our Politics students have the opportunity to spend their third year studying at universities around the world, including in the United States, Australia, Canada and Europe. See Study abroad.