Students choosing Advanced Level Government and Politics will follow the AS Level in lower sixth and then progress to the Advanced Level (A2) in upper sixth.

Students study two modules in lower sixth and two more in upper sixth.

AS Level in Lower Sixth

Module 1 Government and Politics of Northern Ireland - 40% of AS

Direct rule, the role of the Secretary of State, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Executive and policies of the political parties.

Module 2 The British Political Process - 60% of AS

How government works, the power of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, the role of Parliament, the legal system in the UK.

Advanced Level in Upper Sixth

Module 3 Comparative Government: The UK and the USA - 60% of A2

A comparative study of the Prime Minister and the Presidency and of Parliament and Congress.

Module 4 Political Power - 40% of A2

Types of power, who has power in society, theories of political power.

Examinations

The course follows the specifications outlined by CCEA. Module examinations range from 1¼ hours to 2¼ hours and the tasks involved focus on the use of sources and short responses to questions.

There is no coursework in Government and Politics.

Teaching

Students should to be prepared to read widely beyond textbooks, using library and Internet resources. Here the emphasis is on informed discussion and debate. Students should be prepared to read widely beyond textbooks, using library and Internet resources. They may have the opportunity to take part in wider debates and to attend Politics conferences. In recent years the class has visited Stormont.

Career Opportunities

Government and Politics encourages logical thinking and good written and oral communication skills. In recent years successful students have followed careers in politics, law, business, marketing, public relations, leisure management, journalism, accountancy, social work, psychology, teaching and public administration.

Employers

Employers value skills taught in Government and Politics because Politics students can:

• work on their own and make independent decisions;
• offer a variety of solutions to a problem;
• communicate ideas clearly and argue a case well;
• handle and interpret a lot of information when carrying out investigative work;
• analyse situations and write reports which are concise, relevant and well supported;
• understand and appreciate different points of view.

Entry Requirements

This subject is offered only at A-Level. There are no formal requirements but most of those taking it usually have a B grade or above in GCSE History. An interest in the subject, in news programmes and in reading a ‘serious’ newspaper from time to time are of more relevance.

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