Course description
Course description
The study of Politics entails five intersecting realms: Area Studies, Comparative Politics and Political Behaviour; International Relations; Political Theory and Policy Making. At The University of Manchester, there are internationally recognised experts working in all these areas of politics. We also have a long-standing reputation for teaching and research in politics. In addition to securing a '5' in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, the quality of our teaching was also recognised when the department received the highest possible marks (24/24) for teaching quality. We have a long tradition of teaching the subject for over 50 years (with some 35 academic political science members of staff) and constitute the largest unit of its kind in the country. Therefore, we can offer a wide choice of modules in areas such as Britain and American Politics; the European Union; Comparative European Politics; Political Theory; Third World Politics; International Relations; Globalisation; Gender and Ethics. The Philosophy and Politis (Phil/Pol) degree course recognises that moral philosophy and political theory provide a point of intersection between the cognate disciplines of philosophy and political science. Whilst maintaining a balance between philosophy and politics, the course permits second and third year students, who wish to do so, to weight their work more towards one side of the degree whilst developing an understanding of both. In the final two years, you may maintain a perfect balance between philosophy and politics or elect to concentrate two thirds of your work in one discipline and one third in the other. There is no choice in the first year, a significant choice in the second year and an even greater choice in the third. For the first two years, you take course units covering both Normative Political Theory and the Empirical Study of Politics. On the philosophy side you take credits in Analytic Philosophy for all three years.
Course content for year 1
You take 60 core introductory philosophy credits in Moral Philosophy; Theory of Knowledge and Critical Thinking; and Logic. In addition, you take three core introductory politics course units: Comparative Politcs; Political Theory; and International Relations.
Course content for year 2
You must take one of the three analytic philosophy course units; a further 20 credits from a range of philosophy options; a course in contemporary conceptual political philosophy entitled 'Freedom and Equality'; two 10 credit course units in European Politics (from a choice of five); and another 20 credits in either Philosophy or Politics. You also write an extended essay of 5-6,000 words, in either discipline, on a topic of interest related to your past or present studies.
Course content for year 3
From a wide range of final year course units, you must choose one of the three courses on analytic philosophy; a further 20 credits in Philosophy; 40 credits in Politics; another 20 credits in either Philosophy or Politics; and also a dissertation on a topic in either discipline. Furthermore, you have the option of choosing a 40 credit dissertaion on the Politics side.
Career opportunities
A degree from Manchester is recognised as a mark of quality and our external examiners frequently comment on the high quality of our teaching and written work of our students. The intellectual and analytical skills you acquire can lead to employment in a variety of fields, such as, journalism, publishing, the law, management and financial consultancy, social work, and government.
