The study of politics in the UK usually falls under the category of International Relations/Politics. This is similar to what we would call “political science” in North America. These types of programs are most of interest to those who are socially engaged and curious about the how and why of the way the world operates.

Politics and IR embrace many different areas, such as EU, north-south issues, security policy, environmental issues, social policies, etc. At the undergraduate level, students will usually get a broad introduction to the different areas within this field. At the Masters level, students can then choose to specialize in one or more areas.

Politics and policy decisions affect everyone. Whether it's forming policy for allocating money to schools and education, preventing contamination, private or national healthcare, forming international foreign policy, etc. These are all relevant matters in question that affect your everyday life. In the study of politics and IR, students learn about how such questions have been answered throughout history by different countries, as well as what the dialogue is now. Students think through how different solutions have been reached in the past, and how historic premises have played a role in the differences.... [-]