Politics with a Foundation Year

Our BA (Hons) Politics degree with a foundation year can open up a range of exciting career possibilities by helping you to develop transferable skills, which are highly valued by employers.

The Foundation Year gives you an exciting introduction to Higher Education, setting you up with the skills, confidence, and knowledge that you’ll need to be successful on your undergraduate degree. It’s ideal if you need a little more support after Further Education or are returning to education after a gap.

The degree itself involves exploring British and European politics, public policy, political theory and philosophy.

You have the chance to take an internship with the Welsh Assembly Government and a British Parliamentary Studies module, partly taught by expert staff from the Houses of Parliament.

Why Politics with a Foundation Year at Swansea?

Based on our stunning Singleton Park campus, in parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula.

Politics at Swansea is ranked:

4th in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)

8th in the UK for Academic Support (NSS 2024*)

Politics with a foundation year at Swansea University is ranked in the Top 250 in the World (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)

You will study in one of the select departments in the UK to offer the British Parliamentary Studies module, where you will be taught by our specialist academic staff and Members of Parliament, and you will visit the House of Commons.

You will have the competitive option of undertaking an internship module with the National Assembly for Wales, working closely with Assembly Ministers.

You can also have a semester abroad in Hong Kong, Singapore or the USA, further enhancing your student experience and career prospects.

*Based on the average positivity score across questions 15 to 16 in the NSS 2024 when ranked against universities featured in the Times Good University Guide

Your Politics with a Foundation Year Experience

During your Foundation Year, you will learn the key skills you’ll need to make your degree a success while developing knowledge of your subject area and how it relates to the humanities and social sciences.

You will start the degree course in your second year, when we offer varied and flexible course content, so you can shape your Politics degree to your own interests.

Topics include British and European politics, public policy, political theory and philosophy, electoral issues, democracy and International peace and conflict.

Teaching is informed by our world-leading research and you can attend seminars organised through our guest speaker programme.

You will have a personal tutor for any pastoral and academic support you may need.