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Work Experience related to doing a Politics and International Studies Degree?

Hi, so I want to study politics at uni and when thinking about what to write in my personal statement, I don't really have anything. It's a hard subject to find work experience for, but does anyone have any ideas? Or even books to recommend?

Thanks in advance :smile:
Politics just about what happens in Parliament - its also about how/why social policy is developed, and the nitty-gritty of politics at a basic grass-roots level. Its as much about 'people' and what makes them tick, as about MPs bickering at PMQs.

Therefore any work experience/volunteer work that gets you out of your comfort zone and exposes you to the reality of other people's lives is very much worth doing for any social science degree. Refer in your PS to how this increased your maturity, self-confidence and gave you more insight into society than an A level syllabus.

For books, go to Amazon.co.uk and search on 'Politics Introduction' or similar. Look at the entry descriptions and these will tell the level they are aimed at. You want something aimed at 1st year undergrads. Btw, you dont need to buy these books - note down the details and see if you can get them through inter-library loan from your local library.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 2
Avatar for jelly1000
jelly1000
21
Original post by simplysparky
Hi, so I want to study politics at uni and when thinking about what to write in my personal statement, I don't really have anything. It's a hard subject to find work experience for, but does anyone have any ideas? Or even books to recommend?

Thanks in advance :smile:


I applied for straight IR at some unis and hadn't done any experience relevant to IR. I did however do a weeks work experience with a nearby MP in the local constituency office. And I read a few magazines- The Spectator, The Economist and New Statesman to give me a political balance as one is one the left, one on the Right and one in the middle.
Politics is an academic, not vocational, degree. Therefore, there really is no need to do any work experience.

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Reply 4
Avatar for mariocasas
mariocasas
9
I have a question, I can't afford a gap year, but I am planning on volunteering abroad in March until August. So more of a gap half year, but if I write that in my personal statement which has to be sent off by January, they could think I'm lying. Who's say I even went abroad and did volunteer work after I sent off my personal statement? I know I'm not lying, but will the Universities think I could be lying?
Original post by mariocasas
I have a question, I can't afford a gap year, but I am planning on volunteering abroad in March until August. So more of a gap half year, but if I write that in my personal statement which has to be sent off by January, they could think I'm lying. Who's say I even went abroad and did volunteer work after I sent off my personal statement? I know I'm not lying, but will the Universities think I could be lying?


You'll be fine :wink: universities know that the normal state of affairs is not a whole year spent abroad anyway

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Reply 6
Avatar for jelly1000
jelly1000
21
Original post by mariocasas
I have a question, I can't afford a gap year, but I am planning on volunteering abroad in March until August. So more of a gap half year, but if I write that in my personal statement which has to be sent off by January, they could think I'm lying. Who's say I even went abroad and did volunteer work after I sent off my personal statement? I know I'm not lying, but will the Universities think I could be lying?


a year spent out of education between a-levels and uni or uni and a job is a gap year regardless of where or how you spent it. i didn't go abroad at all for mine and only volunteered for 2 months but it was still a gap year.

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