Law vs Politics

I agree with jessjanellbhons1. Many universities offer the choice to study a combined Law and Politics (LLB). I did this but dropped the politics side after my first year. Sounds like the perfect solution for yourself.

The truth is I'm really passionate about politics, like REALLY passionate. However, Law has always been intriguing because it's more respected and overlaps politics. I'm about to start my A-Levels which are perfectly fine for both, I'm taking Law, Government & Politics, Economics, History. So I've got some time to decide. Ideally, I'd like to become a Member of Parliament, once again, really passionate. But I'd like to do something that isn't politics when I leave uni, an internship in the city etc. I think I'd get a better degree grade with Politics and I would have more fun, but on the other hand, Law is more respected I assume. I plan on applying to Durham or Edinburgh, maybe Cambridge... any ideas??

Have you considered a joint honours degree in Politics and Law? You just need to make sure that it's a qualifying law degree should you decide to become a barrister or solicitor.

Here are a few you can consider:
QMUL: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/coursefinder/courses/173551.html
Edinburgh: http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/degrees/index.php?action=view&code=ML12
Manchester: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2017/09674/llb-law-with-politics/
Kent: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/194/politics-and-law

The truth is I'm really passionate about politics, like REALLY passionate. However, Law has always been intriguing because it's more respected and overlaps politics. I'm about to start my A-Levels which are perfectly fine for both, I'm taking Law, Government & Politics, Economics, History. So I've got some time to decide. Ideally, I'd like to become a Member of Parliament, once again, really passionate. But I'd like to do something that isn't politics when I leave uni, an internship in the city etc. I think I'd get a better degree grade with Politics and I would have more fun, but on the other hand, Law is more respected I assume. I plan on applying to Durham or Edinburgh, maybe Cambridge... any ideas??

Here is a biased response from a future international relations student.

You have already said you are passionate about politics, that you would enjoy it, and that you would love to become an MP. So, would you enjoy Law? Would you like to work in the domain of law?

I suggest you look over course structures and see which one suits you better. Try to get work experience in both politics and law if you have not done so already. Read books if you have not read any yet.

Look into jobs that you can do with these two degrees. You already know you want to be an MP, but until then? Choose a job to have until you reach your final career goal.

I considered law and politics at some point too. I discovered that law bores me to death and that a lot of people who are supposed to follow and enforce the law do the opposite, which really put me off. Law is supposed to be linked to justice, but most people I have met who work in the domain of law are unjust. Obviously, plenty of politicians are corrupt too, but I found politics to be more interesting at least.

Of course, you can choose to study Law and Politics in the end, which sound suitable.

just do a degree in PPE like every other MP.

Cheers for the response, to be completely honest, I would really hate doing a joint subject at degree level as my ability to multitask is atrocious and I'd really only want to do one or the other. Obviously, Politics is appealing because I'm passionate about it, but being an MP is more of a retirement plan in a sense after I've done something else in the city. Whatever that something else is, I'm sure a Law degree would be a good foundation.

Here we go again haha, so basically, I've wanted to do PPE for my whole life, right from the start of GCSE's but I told myself it's Oxford or nothing... My GCSE's aren't going to be mostly A*s so Oxford is a no go unfortunately, and yh totally get what you mean haha...

Thanks for the links! At the moment I think I'm going to do a Law degree, maybe at Cambridge, maybe at Edinburgh, time will tell!

No matter how good passionate you are you must be wary that this passion may not convert over to being exceptional within the field of law or politics. Realistically your goal of becoming an MP is probably never going to happen especially as a simple "retirement plan", If i was you i'd be inclined to perhaps do something within the city become an MP early ( hypothetically if this does happen) and then make your money within lobbying and consultancy firms or within a newspaper after this.

I don't understand? You can do PPE in most unis, it's not only Oxford.

*will do a joint degree with a minor*

Keep in mind law-related jobs are very competitive, though, so you might end up not getting a related job. To exemplify, I know two Law graduates. Both work at KFC because they cannot find law-related jobs (One finished university with like 96% of the marks too.) However, if you are fine with not working in the domain of law, that does not matter much. You can just work a random human resources job or something.

Best of luck, no matter what you choose