Courses

AS/A2 Government and Politics

Highbury Grove School

Course Outline

The course will encourage your interest in and enthusiasm for the study of politics. It will enable you to develop an insight into political beliefs, central to an understanding of the modern world. At AS level, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the British political system and how it works. At A2 level, the course progresses to a an in-depth understanding of the American system. It provides the opportunity to be well-informed about how the two systems work.

Course Structure

AS
Unit One: People and Politics
In this unit you will consider the key channels of communication between the government and the people. You will examine and evaluate the adequacy of existing arrangements for ensuring representative democracy and participation. (e.g. Political Parties, Pressure Groups and Elections)

Unit Two: Governing the UK
In this unit you will explore the major governmental processes in the UK. You will develop a critical understanding of the role and effectiveness of key institutions, and of the relationships amongst them within the context of multi-level governance. (e.g. Parliament, the prime minister and the judiciary)

A2
Unit Three: Representation in the USA
This topic looks at the representative processes of the US political system and considers their adequacy in terms of popular participation and full democracy. This includes an in-depth understanding of elections and voting; political parties; pressure groups; and racial and ethnic politics

Unit Four: Governing the USA
This topic examines the institutional framework of US government and considers the interrelationships between its legislative, executive and judicial processes and the health of US federalism. This includes an in-depth understanding of the US constitution and the Supreme Court; Congress; the Presidency; the federal bureaucracy and Federalism.

Entry Requirements

6 GCSEs Grade A* to C including Mathematics as well as a Grade B in English, no prior knowledge of politics is necessary.

Assessment

100% examination. AS level: 2 examinations/ A2 level: 2 examinations). The examinations comprise of a combination of short answers, essays and stimulus response questions.

Progression

Politics is a good general qualification that can be combined with a number of subjects and can lead to a wide range of careers such as law, journalism, management, the Civil Service or social work.

Pre-course reading or preparation

The British Presidency by Michael Foley (2000)
Greenpeace: How a group of Journalists, ecologists and Visionaries changed the world by Rex Weyler (2003)
British Politics: A very short introduction by Tony Wright (2003)