Degrees Offered

• BA Single Honours Politics (UCAS Code: L200)
• BA Joint Honours English and Politics (UCAS Code: QL32)
• BA Joint Honours French and Politics (UCAS Code: RL12)
• BA Joint Honours History and Politics (UCAS Code VL12)
• BA Joint Honours International Studies and Politics (UCAS Code: L290)
• BA Joint Honours Irish and Politics (UCAS Code: QL52)
• BA Joint Honours Philosophy and Politics (UCAS Code: VLM2)
• BA Joint Honours Politics and Spanish (UCAS Code: LR24)
• LLB Honours Law with Politics (UCAS Code: M1L2)

Contact Information

For entrance requirements
E: admissions@qub.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)28 9097 3838

For course information
Dr Margaret O’Callaghan
Undergraduate Convenor (Politics)
School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy
T: +44 (0)28 9097 5028
E: pisp@qub.ac.uk
W: http://www.qub.ac.uk/pisp

Entrance Requirements

• A-level
  ABB for Single Honours and Joint Honours with English, History and International Studies.
  BBB or BBC + B (AS-level) for other options.
  
  
• Irish Leaving Certificate
  B2B2B2B2B2B2/AB2B2B2B2 for Single Honours and Joint Honours with English, History and International Studies.
  B2B2B2B2CC/B2B2B2B2B2 for for other options.

BA Joint and LLB Requirements
For BA Joint Honours the requirements are stated separately under each programme. For entrance requirements for Law with Politics please refer to Law entry.

For students whose first language is not English
An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Further information on other acceptable English Language qualifications is available here

If you are an international student and you do not meet the entrance requirements, you should consider a preparation course at INTO Queen's University Belfast, which will prepare you for successful study on these degree courses. INTO Queen's University Belfast is based on the University campus and offers a range of courses. For a full list click here

The Subject

The academic study of politics is concerned with the sources of conflict and co-operation, how people express their differences through ideology and organisation, and how, if at all, their disagreements are resolved and problems solved (or not). We look at conflict, co-operation and its origins, dynamics and trajectories, at theories of society, at the value and ethical basis of political ideas and action and at politics in historical contexts. Politics in deeply divided societies, the politics and theory of international relations, political ideologies, the politics of self and other in a media culture, gender and its power, political institutions, parties and elections, the politics of sustainable development, energy, international political economy and finance, and climate change, the European Union - these are just some of the areas that we cover.

With over 30 staff at the cutting edge of research and publication, the School is the largest in Ireland and one of the largest in the UK with specialisms in Irish and British politics, political theory, sustainable development, the politics of film and literature, gender, the Middle East, European Union politics, ethnic conflict and international relations.

Course Content

Students who intend to study Politics at Levels 2 and 3 must choose between two and six of the introductory modules available in the first year.

Level 1 modules
Britain and Ireland in Comparative Perspective
Contemporary Europe
Foundations of the Modern State
Perspectives on Politics
Politics in a Media Culture
World Politics

Thereafter, Politics may be studied at Levels 2 and 3 as a Single Honours subject (12 modules) on its own, or as a Major (eight modules), Joint (six modules), or Minor (four modules) component along with another subject. The Politics element of LLB Law with Politics comprises four modules, two at each of Levels 2 and 3. At each Level there is a mix of compulsory and optional modules, depending on the mode of study.
Students select the appropriate number of modules from the following indicative list:

Level 2 modules
American Politics
International Relations
Irish Politics
Modern Political Thought
Politics and Policy of the European Union
Skills and Methods in the Study of Politics
The Politics of Deeply Divided Societies

Level 3 modules
Contemporary Theories of Justice
Ethnicity, Multiculturalism and the Nation State
EU Enlargement and Wider Europe
Irish Political Thought
Islamic Politics
Negotiations and Conflict Resolution
Political Identity in Ireland: 1900-2000
Politics and Power of the Global Economy
Politics of Southern Africa
Scotland and Northern Ireland
The Ethics and Politics of Foreign Policy
The Politics of Irish Literature
The Politics of Sustainable Development
The Religious and Secular in Modern Political Thought
Theory and Practice of International Security
War and Visual Culture
Women and Politics
Internship
Project
Dissertation

Click here for more information on modules

Learning and Teaching

At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high-quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support, to enable you to achieve your full academic potential.

On the BA in Politics and Spanish we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners.  Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course:

• Lectures: introduce basic information about new topics and outline theoretical and methodological concepts as a starting point for further study. Lectures may also provide opportunities to ask questions, and receive advice on assessments.

• Seminars/tutorials:  Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (rarely more than 15 students).  The majority of seminars and tutorials are taught by permanent members of the academic staff.  Such small-group teaching provides opportunities for you to engage with active researchers who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess your own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups.

• Language classes:  Almost all of the teaching in Modern Languages is carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students) in English and Spanish.  Written language classes meet for two hours each week, and involve intensive work on developing linguistic competence, vocabulary, idiom, knowledge of grammar, comprehension and translation skills, essay-writing skills etc. Students should expect to prepare work in advance of each of these classes, where they will receive regular written and oral feedback on their work.

• Oral classes:  Students have opportunities to develop oral skills and apply grammar and vocabulary in real-life, practical contexts, and through the study of topics related to contemporary Spain and Latin America. All these classes are taught in very small groups (typically 6-12 students) and are facilitated by native speakers.

• Year Abroad:  This is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity during which you can study at university, work as an English-Language Teacher, or undertake a paid work placement in a Spanish-speaking country. This feature of our degree programme gives students the opportunity for personal and professional development, further develops communication and language skills, and the experience of living abroad is important for developing intercultural awareness.

• E-Learning technologies:Most information associated with lectures and assignments is communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Queen’s Online.  A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example:  computer-based grammar learning packages in the Language Centre; interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programmes in project- based work, interactive group workshops, online discussions, and web-based learning activities.

• Self-directed study:  This is an important part of life as a Queen’s student, when private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date, and research and preparation work for assignments is carried out.  Academic staff will provide tailored bibliographies for research projects and self-directed reading.

• Work-Related learning/Field Trips:  Students have a variety of opportunities to participate in work-related learning and field trips (including visits to Stormont and the Irish Parliament); there are also meetings with alumni to advise students on opportunities for graduate employment.

• Supervised projects: In final year, students may choose a year-long double-weighted dissertation module in Politics which requires them to carry out a significant piece of research on a topic that they have chosen. Alternatively, students can apply for an internship (a double-weighted module) where they will produce a learning journal and a 12,000 word project that relates directly to their placement.  In both cases, students will receive support from a supervisor, who will guide them in terms of how to carry out research and who will provide feedback throughout. All supervisors are world-class experts in their field.

• Personal Tutor:  Every undergraduate isallocated a Personal Tutor at the start of Level 1 for the duration of their degree programme. The Personal Tutor who is a member of the academic staff meets with his/her students throughout their academic career and provides advice on personal development, employment opportunities, and their general progress through university.

Assessment and Feedback

Assessment (general):  The way in which students are assessed will vary according to the Learning objectives of each module.  Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments.  Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of semester examinations.  Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.

Feedback (general):  As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and your peers.  University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

• Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that students, as individuals or as part of a group, have submitted. 
• Face to face comment.  This may include occasions when students make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help address a specific query.
• Placement employer comments or references.
• Online or emailed comment.
• General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
• Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid.  In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which students can review in their own time. 
• Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
• Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.

Once students have reviewed their feedback, they are encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of their work. 

Careers

Studying for a Politics and Spanish degree at Queen’s will assist students in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree have the proven ability to analyse subjects in depth and develop coherent arguments in written and verbal form, as well as linguistic fluency and experience of living and working abroad, all of which are highly sought after skills in a global job market. In addition, the subject-matter studied as part of a degree in Politics and Spanish is related to a wide range of contemporary issues, which allows graduates to understand the contemporary world in a broad cross-cultural perspective.

Over half of all graduate jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline. We have found that employers of all kinds wish to employ Politics and Spanish graduates who have developed their employability skills, sought work experience beyond the university and learned how to learn.

Although many of our graduates are interested in pursuing careers in teaching, business, the civil service, translating/interpreting or social and community development work significant numbers develop careers in a wide range of other sectors. 

The following is a list of the major career sectors (and some starting salaries) that have attracted our graduates in recent years:

Further study is also an option open to Politics and Spanish graduates. Students can choose from a wide range of Masters programmes as well as a comprehensive list of research topics.

Those students wishing to pursue further study in Politics after their first degree can choose from a number of specialised MA programmes, each of which consists of six taught courses and a dissertation. The programmes are: Politics; European Union Politics; Irish Politics; Comparative Ethnic Conflict; Violence, International Relations; Terrorism and Security; Legislative Studies and Practice. The School also provides opportunities to undertake an MPhil or PhD by thesis.

For further details see: http://www. qub.ac.uk/ml or www.qub.ac.uk/pisp

Placement Employers

Our past students have also gained work placement with organisations such as:

Other Career-related information: Queen’s is a member of the Russell Group and, therefore, one of the 20 universities most-targeted by leading graduate employers.  Queen’s students will be advised and guided about career choice and, through the Degree Plus initiative, will have an opportunity to seek accreditation for skills development and experience gained through the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer.  See Queen’s University Belfast fullEmployability Statementfor further information.

Degree Plus and other related initiatives:  Recognising student diversity, as well as promoting employability enhancements and other interests, is part of the developmental experience at Queen’s.  Students are encouraged to plan and build their own personal skill and experiential profile through a range of activities including; recognised Queen’s Certificates, placements and other work experiences (at home or overseas), Erasmus study options elsewhere in Europe, learning development opportunities and involvement in wider university life through activities, such as clubs, societies, and sports. 

Queen’s actively encourages this type of activity by offering students an additional qualification, the Degree Plus Award (and the related Researcher Plus Award for PhD and MPhil students).  Degree Plus accredits wider experiential and skill development gained through extra-curricular activities that promote the enhancement of academic, career management, personal and employability skills in a variety of contexts.  As part of the Award, students are also trained on how to reflect on the experience(s) and make the link between academic achievement, extracurricular activities, transferable skills and graduate employment. Participating students will also be trained in how to reflect on their skills and experiences and can gain an understanding of how to articulate the significance of these to others, e.g. employers.

Overall, these initiatives, and Degree Plusin particular, reward the energy, drive, determination and enthusiasm shown by students engaging in activities over-and-above the requirements of their academic studies. These qualities are amongst those valued highly by graduate employers.

Special Features

Study Abroad: our undergraduates have first-class opportunities to study in other European universities through our Erasmus programme and we have opportunities for US study.

Support: we have uniquely supportive pastoral care through our personal tutor system, equalled only by the academic guidance available from your Adviser of Studies. Our vibrant undergraduate Politics Society (Polysoc) provides a welcome and stimulating environment for new students.

Research-led Teaching: cutting-edge research drives our externally commended teaching, most recently evidenced in the latest student satisfaction survey. The School's research clusters put on regular seminars by outside speakers, workshops and conferences, which add to the learning experience.