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Best universities for political career later in life?

(edited 6 years ago)

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Christ Church Oxford has produced more Prime Ministers than all of Cambridge put together :smile:

I'm looking to do PPE at Oxford or the LSE. Nigel Lawson and David Cameron are the two names that immediately jump to mind of politicians who took PPE at Oxford (the former at Christ Church).
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Reaver Daniels
I prefer not to be another PPE clone, no offence to your good self of course. Hence the reason I'm looking to Cambridge as opposed to Oxford. Also, PPE requires maths A Level, which I do not possess.

I'm more thinking about the other 3 universities aside from my first 2. I had considered LSE, but it's as hard to get into as Oxbridge in my opinion.


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These are all quite important concerns.

The reason why I'm not considering HSPS is that it's a very distinct course which has only a fractional political element with it. It's distinct from PPE because it focuses on political sciences, as opposed to the political theory on which PPE tends to focus instead.

From my understanding, political sciences is great if you want to look into voter behaviour, elections, campaigns, etc. - but for the political theory which underlies all campaigning and really gets down to different schools of political philosophy, HSPS doesn't give. I presume that this is possibly the most important distinction to be made between Edinburgh's course and HSPS at Cambridge, although I've never looked at Philosophy and Politics.

I've given this advice this week to a friend who's just dropped out of A-level economics, and please consider it: if you want to go into politics, learn some economics. It's an amazing subject which completely changes the way that you see politics and which can better inform your understanding of different political positions. You might not have the appetite to study it at university, which is fair, but I think the best politician should have a reasonable grasp of the subject - so I would strongly recommend you look into economics if you haven't taken it for A-level and if you're keen on politics as a career.
Oxbridge PPE
PPE@Oxford is the way to go
PPE at Oxford is much better regarded than HSPS at Cambridge, but you said you don't want to do that.

Any social science/humanities essay-based course is useful e.g. Economics, Philosophy, International Relations, Geography etc. Other than oxbridge London unis like LSE and UCL would help. You want to go to a RG uni, for sure.
PPE and do the Maths A level. Clones are all well and good, but theres a reason they do it.
Alternatively you will find there are a lot of lawyers.
This entire thread is a lol in itself.

Go to a uni and do a course you like. Get involved with the political societies about and don't be a dickhead...

/End
To be quite honest, it's irrelevant, that annoying thing people who fail talk about called "the university of life" is most important, and given your likely position, work.
PPE at Christ Church Oxford
Can anybody tell me where OP said they want to be PM? I imagine the average MP either has no degree or only just has one insomuch that most will either not have one, or at least it will be irrelevant.

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Reply 11
Original post by Reaver Daniels
Lol, somebody doesn't seem to know how the political world works. 🍸


I think you're putting the coach before the horses entirely here. There are many routes into politics and many different types of politics you can involved yourself in.

PPE is only particularly useful if you want to go into policy work as a stepping-stone. Which will give some initial satisfaction, but in most cases you'll want to actually get a job in something like public affairs. Even then, you'll often find other subjects like Law are more respected.

Barring the advantages of Oxford and Cambridge generally, you'll not benefit enormously from any particular university. If you're thinking that involvement in student politics is going to somehow boost you into Parliament, then you're quite wrong - no-one gives half a **** if you rose to the lofty ranks of Chair of some university Conservative Association or Labour Club.

But of course, most MPs enter politics from completely unrelated professions. So I'm not sure you can realistically say that any degree course is particularly useful here. Try being a fairly rounded individual, deliver some leaflets and in your mid-20s start showing up to your constituency association and push for a council ward.
Original post by Reaver Daniels
I'm applying to universities based on how good they are, or how successful they have been in the past, for jumping into politics either after uni or later in life.

At the moment I've got:

1. HSPS at Cambridge
2. Politics and Philosophy at Edinburgh

Could anyone help with suggestions?


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Lol you can't exactly have thought very hard if you didn't have PPE at Oxford on your list!
Reply 13
Original post by Reaver Daniels
Lol, somebody doesn't seem to know how the political world works. 🍸


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He's got a point, the Tory/Oxford PPE machine is slowing dying. Blair came from a law degree (Oxford), Theresa did geography (also Oxford) but Gordon brown went to Edinburgh uni and did history. So I guess going to a good university is clearly necessary but the course not so much, those are only some of the recent PM's and of course PPE still dominates uk politics but it's opening up.

Oxford is of course the red carpet to politics but since you don't wanna go there and do PPE you might as well just go to a good uni of your choice and a course of choice, they'll all have roughly the same chance unless it's a bad uni, your activism and involvement in politics will be more decisive of your political career as you won't have that red carpet. The only uni that is known for helping people into politics is Oxford, that comma should be a full stop.

Dare I forget to mention the forgotten John Major! The chap didn't even have a degree
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Reaver Daniels
Also, PPE requires maths A Level, which I do not possess.
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It does not. They say "many successful applicants have studied Maths to at least AS-level" but it definitely does not say that you need it.
Original post by zayn008
He's got a point, the Tory/Oxford PPE machine is slowing dying.


Possibly but you only need to have a look at this list to see that Oxford PPE isn't going anywhere anytime soon:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_Oxford_people_with_PPE_degrees#UK_politicians
Original post by Reaver Daniels
Yeah and statistically it seems that they favour people with it.


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Possibly, but that's absolutely not the same thing as saying they require it.
Reply 17
Original post by BasicMistake
Possibly but you only need to have a look at this list to see that Oxford PPE isn't going anywhere anytime soon:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_Oxford_people_with_PPE_degrees#UK_politicians


Wow the UK politicians was pretty much expected, but the non-U.K. Politicians section was extremely fascinating to discover
Reply 18
Original post by Plagioclase
It does not. They say "many successful applicants have studied Maths to at least AS-level" but it definitely does not say that you need it.


They say this but I'm sure something like over 80% of successful have done maths AS, I've seen the figures on their site somewhereI doubt it's a coincidence but you're right, they do say it isn't an absolute requirement although it's clear it's a strong preference that would give an advantage
Original post by Jammy Duel
Can anybody tell me where OP said they want to be PM? I imagine the average MP either has no degree or only just has one insomuch that most will either not have one, or at least it will be irrelevant.

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9/10 MP's went to university, 3/10 to Oxbridge...

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