Government and Politics
AQA 7152
General information
Lively, relevant, controversial…...there are many ways to describe A-Level Politics. There’s no denying that it’s one of the most interesting and engaging qualifications you can choose. Covering news and current affairs from the UK and US, it helps you understand how the UK country is run and develops research, written communication and debate skills. It also helps to develop your confidence. It’s ideal if you’re considering studying politics, sociology, ethics, advertising or journalism at university and is highly regarded by employers in industries including politics, international relations and journalism.
Core content
-
Government and politics of the UK
-
Government and politics of the USA and comparative politics
-
Political ideas
Assessment
Paper One: The Government and Politics of the UK
Paper one focuses on the theme of political behaviour in the UK. It explores how and why people participate in Politics, the history of democracy within the UK and the ideologies of the main political parties as well as the role of pressure groups in British society. At all times students are advised to keep abreast of the current political scene through reading, watching and listening to the news. In addition to this, the course explores the process of governing the UK; looking at the role of the Cabinet and Parliament, the role of the judiciary and the British constitution. The course will develop greater understanding of the processes of British politics and will look at case studies such as the bombing of Syria and the EU Referendum to forge a deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of these political decisions.
Paper Two: The Government and Politics of the USA and comparative politics
Students will draw upon and extend their political knowledge in studying UK Politics and will begin a comparative study with worldwide politics, focusing on the UK. Students study the American electoral process, political parties, voting behaviour and pressure groups. As the US is our key ally on the world stage the study of its political system is very relevant to our domestic politics as well as international relations. Finally, they examine the constitutional framework of the US Government, analyse the US Congress and understand the contemporary developments in relation to the Executive and the Supreme Court.
Paper Three: Political ideas
Students will explore the main ideologies of Liberalism, Conservatism, Socialism, Nationalism, Feminism, Multiculturalism, Anarchism and Ecologism and their interconnection with world politics.