Politics and Sociology BA

at University of Warwick

Core modules

This joint degree is 50:50 between Politics and Sociology, with an optional split of 75:25 in the final year.

You can focus on a range of sub-fields including:

• Political Theory
• Social theory
• Comparative politics
• Gender and sexuality
• Race and difference
• International relations
• International political economy
• Media and culture
• International development

Political and social theory provides the foundation for this degree. You then have the choice to tailor your degree with optional modules.

Lectures and seminars take place for 25 weeks during the academic year. The last 5 weeks are dedicated to final examinations.

Year One
Introduction to Politics
Introduction to Politics gives you a broad overview of the main issues and theoretical perspectives within Politics. You'll learn first to understand and then apply the core concepts of comparative political science and theory to processes, institutions, ideologies and practical policy-making. You'll conduct a comparative study of different political systems and political change, both in writing and in open debate.

 

World Politics
In this module, you'll be introduced to world politics and the role that international relations plays in the interactions between nations. You'll gain a solid understanding of the historical underpinnings of the structure and systems of states, and become familiar with major theories of international relations post-1945. You'll analyse contemporary writings on world politics and engage critically, both orally and in writing, with key concepts and theoretical debates on the nature of international political systems.

 

Introduction to Social Analytics in Social Inequalities Research
In the age of ever-increasing data availability which is paired with a growing sophistication of statistical techniques, the opportunities for social science research are vast. This module will give you an understanding of the basic elements of core descriptive statistics which will allow you not only to critically engage with quantitative findings in existing social science research, but also conduct quantitative analysis yourself. The module covers the topics of conceptualisation, operationalisation and measurement, as well as the principles of sampling and the basics of research design. You will be introduced to the process of social science research and quantitative methods in one hour lectures, and then explore these in extended seminars (2h) both through readings, and the statistical software SPSS. We will be working on real data sets, such as the European Social Survey.

 

Researching Society and Culture
What is society and how do you study it? Is human behaviour governed by rules similar to the natural world that you can study objectively? Or do human beings consciously act upon their environment and change the world through creativity and intelligence, driven by their own understanding and motivations? These are some of the questions that this module will explore.

You will be introduced to the core ideas behind sociological research and the practical tools to undertake research yourself. As well as looking at some of the key qualitative methods (for example, interviews, ethnography and discourse analysis), you will also examine the political, ethical and practical issues that social research inevitably entails.

 

Optional core modules

• History of Sociological Thought
• Sociology of Gender
• Class and Capitalism in a Neoliberal World
• Sociology of Race

Year Two
Political Theory from Hobbes: Seeking Freedom and Equality
How should human beings be governed? The thinkers you'll study – from Hobbes to Marx – had very different answers to this question. Building on your understanding of political philosophy, you'll read significant primary and secondary texts to develop your understanding of how political convictions are shaped by the context and history of individual thought and social interaction. You'll confront and assess complex ideas in political theory, and present and defend your point of view, both orally and in writing.

 

Designing and Conducting Social Research
This module will teach you the core concepts and practical skills to undertake qualitative social research in academic and professional settings. These include research design, ethnography, in-depth interviewing, documents and discourse. As well as practical skills, you will investigate how social research has changed in recent decades, considering:

• ethical questions when researching life online
• how (and whether) you should study Twitter
• effects of social media on social interactions
• how to engage diverse audiences

You will also gain analytical skills to critically evaluate previous research and develop your ability to collect and analyse data using a range of qualitative methods.

 

Optional core modules

• Modern Social Theory
• Practice and Interpretation of Quantitative Research

Optional modules

Year Two - optional modules in Politics

• Politics of International Development
• Politics in the UK
• Politics of the USA
• Theories of International Relations
• Politics of Contemporary China
• States and Markets: An Introduction to International
• Political Economy
• International Security
• Core Issues in Comparative Politics
• Themes in European Integration
• Gender Matters in International Relations
• Capitalism and its Alternatives
• Political Economy and the Liberal-Democratic State
• Introduction to Comparative Public Policy
• 21st Century Challenges and Public Policy Solutions
• Intermediate Social Analytics: Survey Design and Data Collection
• Intermediate Social Analytics: Survey Analysis and Reporting

Year Two - optional modules in Sociology

• Commercial Cultures in Global Capitalism
• Educational Inequalities
• Relationship and Family Change: Demographic and Sociological Perspectives
• Becoming Yourself: The Construction of the Self in Contemporary Western Societies
• Media, Audiences and Social Change
• War, Memory and Society
• Gender, Crime and Justice
• Surveillance and Security, Race, Gender, Class
• Disability, Inequality and the Life Course
• Beyond the Binary: Trans-forming Gender
• Gender and Violence
• Arts and Culture in Education and Society

Year Three - optional modules in Politics

• Issues in Political Theory
• Gender and Development
• Governing Britain Since 1918
• European Union Policy-Making
• Politics of Globalisation
• United States Foreign Policy
• Britain and the War on Terror
• Critical Security Studies
• Vigilant State: The Politics of Intelligence
• East Asian Transformations: A Political Economy Perspective
• State, Power, Freedom: European Political Theory
• The Political Economy of Money
• International Relations of the Americas
• Latin America: Democratisation and Development
• War in the 21st Century
• Politics and Culture in the Middle East
• Violence, Rights, Justice and Peace in the Middle East
• The Global Energy Challenge
• The Politics of Climate Change
• Applying Quantitative Methods to Social Research
• Experiments in the Social Sciences and Humanities
• Public Opinion
• Determinants of Democracy
• Dissertation

Year Three - optional modules in Sociology

• Dissertation
• Social Movements and Political Action
• Racism and Xenophobia
• Ethnography and the Anthropological Tradition
• Transnational Media Ecologies
• Race, Resistance and Modernity
• Sociology of Knowledge, Science and Intellectuals
• Multivariate Secondary Analysis of Data
• Punishment, Justice and Control
• Feminist Pedagogy Feminist Activism
• Postcolonial Theory and Politics
• Sociology of End Times
• Advanced Quantitative Methods
• Experiments in the Social Sciences and Humanities

All applicants, regardless of their visa requirements, are required to show that their ability to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English is sufficiently high for them to derive full benefit from their degree course. The level of competence required depends on what type of degree you wish to study. Many applicants can demonstrate this through a satisfactory level of achievement in, for example, GCSE English Language or the English courses within the International Baccalaureate.

Applicants whose academic qualifications meet the University’s admissions requirements, but whose English language qualifications are not accepted as equivalent, may be offered a place at Warwick conditional on an acceptable English language qualification being achieved before they join the University. A number of English language tests are accepted; some of the most frequently offered ones are detailed below.

Please note that certain English tests (including IELTS and PTE) must be taken within two years and one month prior to the start of your course at Warwick. Applicants whose tests fall outside this timescale will need to retake a suitable English language test.

Applicants who require a visa to study in the UK may, depending on the circumstances, be asked to provide evidence of a secure English language test (e.g. IELTS for UKVI (Academic)), rather than an examination (such as International Baccalaureate English) due to the visa requirements set by the UK government.

If you are an overseas or EU student enrolling in 2022, your annual tuition fees will be as follows:

• Band 1 – £22,280 per year (classroom-based courses, including Humanities and most Social Science courses)
• Band 2 – £28,410 per year (laboratory-based courses, plus Theatre and Performance Studies, Economics, and courses provided by Warwick Business School, with exceptions)

Fees for 2023 entry have not been set. We will publish updated information here as soon as it becomes available, so please check back for updates about 2023 fee rates before you apply.

Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2022

We believe there should be no barrier to talent. That's why we are committed to offering a scholarship that makes it easier for gifted, ambitious international learners to pursue their academic interests at one of the UK's most prestigious universities. This new scheme will offer international fee-paying students 250 tuition fee discounts ranging from full fees to awards of £13,000 to £2,000 for the full duration of your Undergraduate degree course.

We have a dedicated careers consultant who can support you with your career choices. We offer one-to-one appointments and workshops to help you find a career path, internship or work placement.

Graduates from these courses are working in:

• Government and politics (national, regional and international)
• Public affairs
• Education
• Charity and campaigning
• Media
• Public relations
• Journalism
• IT
• Banking and finance
• Recruitment
• Hospitality
• Advertising

Our graduates have gone on to work for employers such as:

• United Nations
• BBC Television
• Houses of Parliament
• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)
• Lloyds Banking Group
• Human Rights Watch