Politics

The BA Politics will help you to understand and analyse major political issues that affect the lives of millions in the UK and beyond, such as populism, terrorism, austerity and war.

Politics can be understood as decisions about who gets what, when and how, but complex issues are rarely the result of a single factor or process. This means you need access to the broad range of expertise which our Department of Politics offers.

Our academics are specialists in a variety of geographical areas, including Britain, America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. On this politics degree, you will be taught by experts in the full range of sub-fields in political studies, including:

• public policy
• international political economy
• peace and conflict
• voting behaviour
• political theory.

Our Department of Politics engages with politicians and policy makers who make crucial political decisions. You will have access to the Birkbeck Centre for British Political Life which brings together political practitioners, activists and elected politicians to debate the big democratic questions about contemporary British politics. You can also choose to take a unique option module on Parliamentary Studies which is taught in conjunction with the House of Commons outreach service.

If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. 

• Birkbeck is a distinguished centre of research and teaching excellence in politics. Our central London location puts us at the heart of the UK's political life and at the centre of academic London. Our courses are designed to encourage independent thinking and hone your argumentative, analytical and critical skills, while our teaching uniquely moves across the boundaries between subjects, encompassing, among others, economics, history and sociology.
• Our Department of Politics is over 40 years old and has a reputation for the excellence of its teaching and its internationally significant research.
• Our departmental building was once a key location for members of the Bloomsbury Group, so you could be studying in rooms that have hosted distinguished visitors, including T. S. Eliot, George Bernard Shaw and Maynard Keynes.

Applicants from Jordan who have taken the Tawjihi (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) will normally require a Foundation course for entry onto undergraduate programmes at Birkbeck. These offer the opportunity for guaranteed progression onto Birkbeck’s Bachelor programmes.

Applicants with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A-levels will be considered for direct admission to our undergraduate degree programmes. IB requirements range from 28 to 30, depending on the course.

Students who have studied for one or two years at a recognised higher education institution in Iraq may be considered for Year 1 entry.

Careers and employability

• You will be asked to provide your personal details, home address and to confirm your residency status. As part of confirming your identity, you must provide an accepted form of photographic identification - usually a valid passport. If you are not a UK, EU/EEA national you must also provide visa documentation to confirm you have valid leave to remain in the UK.
• We ask you to upload a scan of your photographic identification. If you would prefer, you can instead bring hard copies to the Student Advice Centre. 
• Please note: Section 14 of the Terms and Conditions of Study at Birkbeck, University of London requires your registered name(s) (as listed on your identity documentation), to be used on your student record. This includes middle names, and will be the name that appears on your final award certificate. If your name has changed since you were awarded previous qualifications needed for entry, you will be asked to provide evidence of their name change. e.g. a marriage certificate, deed poll documentation or statutory declaration.

• You will be asked about your current studies, if any, and your previous qualifications. You will also be asked to upload certificates or transcripts of your previous qualifications, where relevant.
• If English is not your first language, you will be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency. If you have not yet taken an English test, please continue with your application and you will be asked to upload the English test results prior to being invited to enrol.

• Please have your employment history to hand, with a brief overview of your responsibilities in each job or role. You may take these from your CV. Birkbeck values all your skills and experiences, not only your academic qualifications, so this information is important for your application. We also ask you to list relevant professional qualifications or training courses.

• You will be asked to write a personal statement that describes your academic abilities and your commitment to succeeding on the course you are applying for. You should aim to write an engaging, concise and well-structured statement:
  • The purpose of the personal statement is to demonstrate that you have the intellectual ability and the commitment to be a successful student on the course that you're applying for. You should give examples of where you can demonstrate success, whether that's academic or in the workplace. Keep the examples factual, and try to relate them to the course and the skills required to be a successful student.
  • Some students are afraid of coming across as boasting when they talk about their achievements. Others have concerns that their achievements are not impressive enough. Don’t let either worry to put you off applying. Show your achievements in the best possible light. We want to see your potential in your application, we don’t expect you to be a complete student at this stage. 
  • If you have an active interest in the subject you are applying for then mention them here. For example, perhaps you have attended free lectures and events; you regularly make visits to places or read certain publications. Maybe you have had a long-standing interest in the subject and you want to take it to the next level. This is your opportunity to show how you have been engaging in the subject you wish to study. 
  • If you are applying for a 4-year part-time undergraduate degree, your application will be direct to Birkbeck. As our classes take place in the evening, Birkbeck is different to other universities. Our Admission Tutors will be looking for indications that you have considered how you will be able to study successfully. You could, therefore, state why you are choosing to study in the evening. For example, you may be working or have other commitments during the day and the evening model allows you to continue with your work. 
  • If you wish to study a postgraduate course in a different subject area to that you studied as an undergraduate, first look at the entry requirements for the course that you're interested in, as some courses have more specific requirements than others. Our admission tutors will be looking at your whole application, and your professional experience will be considered alongside your previous studies. Use your personal statement to highlight how your professional experience or your personal interests may relate to the new subject area that you wish to study.