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Introduction to Undergraduate Politics

Oxford's politics courses exposed me to diverse academic opinions while challenging me to think critically and creatively on the most relevant debates going on in the field.

Alexander

If you want to study Politics as an undergraduate at Oxford, you can choose from two joint-honours degrees: either Philosophy, Politics and Economics  (also known as PPE), or History and Politics (also known as HP). Both degrees give students the opportunity to pick their own route through a large range of Politics papers.

Course outline

By studying Politics, as part of PPE or History and Politics, you will gain a thorough understanding of the impact of political institutions on modern societies. It will help you understand the workings of political systems, explain the processes that maintain or change those systems, and examine the concepts and values used in political analysis and discourse. You will develop a knowledge and understanding of key areas of the discipline such as comparative government, political theory, sociology and international relations.

How we teach politics at Oxford

Politics is taught through a mixture of lectures, classes and tutorials, with the last playing a particularly important role. Most students will have 1-3 tutorials a week. These involve preparing an essay and then an hour long conversation about the essay, and the subject, with a tutor and 1-3 fellow students. The tutorial system differentiates Oxford from almost all other universities.