Program Overview

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Politics BA/BSc

Key Information

Course type: Single honours Delivery mode: In person Study mode: Full time Required A-level: A*AA Full entry requirements, including contextual requirements Duration: Three years Application status: Open Start date: September 2025 Application deadline: 29 January 2025 Optional study abroad Apply via UCAS

Course Description

Our Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Politics offers a demanding and stimulating course of study covering international politics, comparative politics, and political theory, with an emphasis on developing your analytical and research skills. On completion of the programme of study, students will be equipped with substantive knowledge of international politics, comparative politics and political theory. In addition, they will have acquired a range of theoretical and methodological frameworks through which to explain and understand political events and processes.

Key Benefits

• You will learn to think critically and independently about key issues in politics and develop a range of skills to support your intellectual, vocational, and personal development.
• Given the interdisciplinary nature of the department, you will also have many opportunities to explore the interplay between politics and economics.
• In your first year, you will learn about core concepts and issues in global and national politics and about statistical techniques that political scientists employ. Your second and third years will feature a wide range of options including further methodological training, plus some required modules, depending on whether you choose the Politics BA or BSc degree.
• In the third year, you can choose to develop a dissertation project by identifying a key political problem and producing a research proposal under the guidance of your supervisor. Building on the skills learnt in the programme, you can conduct and write up a piece of original research on a subject of your choice for your third-year dissertation.
• You will be taught by subject experts with a wealth of knowledge of their fields of study.
• We rank 4th in the UK for Politics (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024).

Course Essentials

Base Campus

• Strand Campus: Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Special Features

• Optional study abroad: On this programme, you will have the opportunity to apply to study abroad, supported by the Study Abroad Tutor in your department and King’s Global Mobility Office. Together with partner organisations around the world, you will be supported in navigating your international, educational journey, developing new skills and competences and learning to apply different perspectives to your chosen discipline.

Entry Requirements

Subject Requirements

• Required subjects: None
• Preferred subjects: Essay focused subjects

A-Levels

• Required grades: A*AA
• Notes: If you are taking linear A-levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.

Contextual A-Level Information

• AAB
• Notes: If you are taking linear A-levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

• 38 points overall or an aggregate score of 19 from three Higher Levels
• Note: The total point score of 38 includes TOK/EE. At least one essay-focused subject preferred at HL

Contextual International Baccalaureate Information

• 35 points overall or an aggregate score of 17 from three Higher Levels
• Note: The total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE. At least one essay-focused subject preferred at HL

Alternative Accepted Qualifications

• Access to HE Diploma
• BTEC Nationals/CTECs
• Cambridge Pre-U
• European Baccalaureate
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

International Applicants

Equivalent International Qualifications

• Select a country to view equivalent international qualifications

English Language Requirements

• English language band: B
• Please note that nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries (as defined by UKVI) who have successfully completed high school in the respective country, are not required to complete an English language test. For information on our English requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.

Selection Process

Contextual Consideration

• We make contextual offers for this programme, which can be found in the entry requirements. As part of the assessment process, we take into account contextual information to gain a more complete picture of each application. More information can be found on the Contextualised admissions website.

Deferrals

• Applications can be submitted for deferred entry by choosing the appropriate year of entry on the UCAS application.
• If your circumstances change and, therefore, you need to request a deferral after an offer has been made, then we can generally permit these for this programme. However, each deferral request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we reserve the right to decline any post-offer deferral request. Requests should be submitted via a message on King’s Apply with an explanation of the reason for making the request.

Foundation Courses

• Applicants studying Foundation Year programmes in the UK are welcome to apply for this programme. Foundation programmes from other universities and further education providers in the UK are considered on a case-by-case basis. Whether or not we can consider a particular foundation year as suitable for study at King's depends on the content of the syllabus and modules studied. In the past we have accepted foundation programmes from a number of other institutions.

Graduates

• Our general entry requirements are based on A-level or equivalent. However, where an applicant is completing/has completed a degree, we are able to consider the degree study as part of the assessment of the application.

Personal Statement

• Your personal statement is one of the many factors in the overall assessment of your application, and is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the university and inform us of your commitment to the programme and how the programme fits into your career plans, as well as any work experience or extracurricular activities you have done.

Resits

• We are able to consider applicants who have retaken or are retaking their qualifications.

Transfers

• Transfers into this programme are not permitted.

Teaching Methods

• Seminars
• Lectures
• Group Tutorials
• Independent Study

Assessment

• Written Examinations
• Coursework
• Essays
• Presentations

Structure

• Courses are divided into modules. Each year you will normally take modules totalling 120 credits.
• This is a three-year degree course in which you will take a combination of required and optional modules to total 360 credits.

Required Modules

• Fundamentals of Politics Research (15 credits)
• World Politics Since 1945 (30 credits)
• Introduction to Comparative Politics (30 credits)
• Introduction to Political Theory (30 credits)
• Statistics for Political Science (15 credits)

Optional Modules

• There are no optional modules in your first year.

Employability

• Your BA/BSc in Politics will equip you for a wide range of career options in business, government and policy, the public sector, the charity sector, and social enterprise. Through your course, you will acquire skills and knowledge that are recognised and valued by employers in policy development, governmental roles, and communications, amongst many others. Recent graduates from the Department of Political Economy have found employment as:
  • Public affairs executive, London Chamber of Commerce & Industry
  • Junior political consultant, Ketchum Pleon
  • Production management assistant, BBC
  • Press and communications officer, European Parliament
  • Communications officer, Drugscope
  • Finance analyst, BNP Paribas
  • Analyst, Bank of England

Tuition Fees

Full Time Tuition Fees UK

• The UK tuition fee for the academic year is currently £9,535 per year. This is based on the UK Government's cap.

Full Time Tuition Fees International

• The International tuition fee for the academic year is £35,800 per year.
• Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.

Additional Costs

• In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
  • Books if you choose to buy your own copies
  • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
  • Library fees and fines
  • Personal photocopies
  • Printing course handouts
  • Society membership fees
  • Stationery
  • Graduation costs
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses

Funding

• To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.