Political science and IR society

EvilSheep

Well trying is good! It's better than most English people (no offense to others!!)...

So what exactly are you doing your postgraduate degree in then?? Excited??

I'm doing a research masters :smile:

Currently it's swinging between excited and terrified, but I'm sure it will be fine!

Reply 82

EvilSheep

IlexAquifolium

I'm doing a research masters :smile:

Currently it's swinging between excited and terrified, but I'm sure it will be fine!

Whereabouts did you say?? I'm sure you've said it somewhere, but I can't be bothered to look through it all... Specialising in what? (Sorry for being curious!! :p:

)

Reply 83

EvilSheep

IlexAquifolium

Sheffield. You don't really specialise at the MA level since 5 of the modules are compulsory, but in the subsequent PhD you do. :biggrin:

Oh.. I've just been looking at loads of the ones at Notts, and in some of the MAs you only have one compulsory module :s-smilie:

I suppose it just depends on the uni..

Reply 84

EvilSheep

Oh.. I've just been looking at loads of the ones at Notts, and in some of the MAs you only have one compulsory module :s-smilie:

I suppose it just depends on the uni..

Notts is well known for letting you do whatever you want :wink:

Most universities force you to do much more compulsory work - for my undergrad I had 6 optionals out of 18.

Reply 85

EvilSheep

IlexAquifolium

Notts is well known for letting you do whatever you want :wink:

Most universities force you to do much more compulsory work - for my undergrad I had 6 optionals out of 18.

I like optionals :biggrin:

So I guess I'm at the right place then!!

Reply 86

Sorry to quote over from another thread, but...

Wise One

I've subconsciously built myself up for a first. Got a 70.1% average last year, and reckon one of my dissertations was probably the best piece of work I've ever managed, but will have to wait and see.

Week and a day left.

*bites on fist*

Good luck wise one :smile:

I get my results the same day. I think I might be sick. I'm in the same boat - I would be gutted if I missed out on the first - but you never know, really.

Reply 87

Wise One

IlexAquifolium

Good luck wise one :smile:

I get my results the same day. I think I might be sick. I'm in the same boat - I would be gutted if I missed out on the first - but you never know, really.

Well, my dissertations are rambling, interdisciplinary, experimental things that deconstruct questions and assumptions, reassembling them in new and bizarre ways ... could either be brilliant or completely miss the point. No idea quite what to expect.

And I'm well nervous. I know it's out of our hands, but I just want it to be over already!

Reply 88

Wise One

Yeah. I've been slowly getting more and more despondant as the days tick by - you sort of convince yourself that whatever you get back, won't be good enough. I've started getting very snappy and paranoid towards all my friends as I convince myself that they are all going to do spectacularly better than me while I'll have cocked up at the last second. Bastards. I am hitting the stage where I'm tempted to call people in the department up and beg for just the merest sliver of a hint!

Reply 89

Hello all!

I'm Guy

I study AS Politics, and am extremely interested in not just it, but also just about everything related to politics outside the curriculum. I do a lot of reading, keep up to date with foreign affairs, and msot importantly love Debating :smile:

I hope to be applying to study PPE, so any getting further into any of this further as well as all my reading would be a bonus.

Anyhow I was instructed to introduce myself so here I am, ask away with questions and whatnot, and I apologise if I've come across as arrogant, or woefully underinformed or anything in between...

-Guy :smile:

Reply 90

Hello

How have you found the politics A level? What kind of things are on the syllabus now?

Reply 91

I've found it fun, mainly through actually being with like-minded people. However I do think the scope of the course is rather limiting, all you really learn about are the institutions and their effects rather than any theory, or actual systems and so on. Hence why I'm looking foward to university level politics...

Not to mention the exams are nearly entirely technique and memorising examples... Not that I'm complaining, in my modules I got 91/100 but there are people I know who haven't the faintest idea what's going on in the world but can get As just through technique.

However that being said we simply do UK politics and US politics modules so I think we have the dullest course possible. Still I suppose it lays the groundwork.

Apologies that wasn't a very clear answer. So far in AS politics we've done:
Unit 1: "Parties and People in the UK - Pressure groups, parties, elections, referendums etc
Unit 2: "Governing the UK" - legislature, executive, judiciary, constitution
Unit 3: "The Changing UK system" - EU, devolution, constitutional reform, electoral reform

Then we have repeats of unit 1 and 2 but with the US system, and then a comparitive unit...

-Guy

Reply 92

No, that is interesting. I never sat the politics A level, but you've confirmed my opinion of the course - highly institutionalist and anglo-centric. If you've recognised those problems in the course chances are you'll really enjoy degree-level politics, which seems sometimes to be an extended exercise in problematisation :wink:

In fact, what made you choose PPE as opposed to single honours pol sci? (This isn't intended to be a grilling, BTW. I'm just always interested to know why people pick their degrees).

Reply 93

Well basically I'm taking Economics A-level now and really enjoy it as well, so I was looking into a Politics/Economics degree.

And then I knew about PPE anyway, and thought I should give Philosophy a look and see whether I'd actually enjoy it.

Long story short having read a few books on ethics/consequentialism/logic and so on I was in love with philosophy as well.

Not to mention the fact there's a lot of crossover in authors and political philosophy anyway.

As a result I decided that PPE would be good for two main reasons:
1. I found I was interested in philosophy as well as Politics and Economics
2. It gives me a lot more flexibility in case I don't want to do all of the really mathematical Economics parts

Although it's still early days in terms of applications, I think that's my overall plan (grades permitting) :smile:

-Guy

Reply 94

Agreed on all those points. The subjects do undoubtedly complement each other, and studying them simultaneously gives you a flexible perspective, working within different disciplines and their differing (methodological and theoretical) approaches. It sounds like you'll be writing a good personal statement. :wink:

Reply 95

IlexAquifolium

It sounds like you'll be writing a good personal statement. :wink:

Here's hoping... I started working on it about a week ago... Haven't got very far yet though :rolleyes:

Have just had to start my History individual study!

Although I'm doing it on Israel/Palestine so I can do lots of research anyway and mention it as an interest in my personal statement... or that's the plan anyway.

-Guy

Reply 96

GuyM

Here's hoping... I started working on it about a week ago... Haven't got very far yet though :rolleyes:

Interesting.
I'm also thinking of applying for PPE - currently checking out some books that could give me an invitation to these subjects. However, I'm going to apply for Politics / International Relations as well, I think, not solely PPE. It's going to be a tough PS to write, but yeah.

Reply 97

Bismarck

It's not as hard as you think. International Political Economy is an integral part of International Relations nowadays, so it shouldn't be that hard to link economics with politics both both courses.

Thanks.
I'll put that in mind. I've written a bit about economics and its links to politics, and started writing a bit about philosophy as well.
I guess though, it will shine through that I'm applying for PPE as I write about both political economy and philosophy. Do you think this will be negative when applying to non PPE programmes?
I'm mostly scared by LSE stating that they want your PS to be about their programme.

Thanks Bismarck!

Reply 98

Bismarck

I'm used to applying to mostly American schools (where you write a separate PS for each one), so I can't help you too much there, sorry. But like I said, I think depending on what aspects of economics and philosophy you talk about, you might be able to make it look like they're applicable to IR and politics. I do know from experience that prestigious schools like a bit of a you know what licking, so maybe cite one of LSE's IPE people as well as Lakatos (who, despite being a philosopher of science is fairly popular in IR, especially to the methodology people).

Oh, I see. Are you applying to US now, or studying there? Or in UK?
I've tried to present the political aspects of both Economics and Philosophy in my statement - Not really presenting the academic disciplines, rather global economical issues and such, and political philosophies.
Really interesting advice you give regarding LSE's IPE department, nonetheless Lakatos - whom I've never heard of. He sounds interesting - Mathematician and philosophist highly regarded by IR academics :eek:

.
I have a slight feeling that you asserted I'm applying to LSE's IR - right?
I'm however inclined to apply to it's Government programme(s) and I believe my PS is quite respective to that. Perhaps I could cite one of the Govt. academics? I don't know.

Thanks

Reply 99