Studying Politics today is certainly one of the most interesting fields to study. The political tensions around the world at the moment are palpable, between Donald and Kim, the ongoing Brexit talks and the security threat to multiple Nation States as a result of ‘terrorist organisations’. There is a lot going on, one can certainly say.
So, what does that mean for the politics student? In your fist year, there is a lot of abstract theory in your modules, which is interesting in its own way, but sometimes it makes you feel like you should be interacting more with the day to day political issues. This is where you can get involved with lots of different things on campus that enhance your grasp of today’s political issues.
For instance, there is always something to gain when joining a society. This is especially the case when you start to get involved with the political societies here on campus. To mention the biggest, Model United Nations are an amazing way to really progress you’re academic studies. When joining Model United Nations at Kent (which is free for politics students!) you get the chance to truly get to grips with real issues facing the United Nations. Through debates, expert guest speakers, and trips around the globe, Model United Nations is the perfect place for you to engage in your studies with this amazing platform.
Another politics society that has grown significantly in the past year is the Current Affairs Society. Again, politics students can join for free! The Current Affairs Society has a very impressive range of guest speakers lined up for this year. This is a great way for you to widen your awareness of different political topics and issues that you weren’t even aware of before.
Finally, another platform for you to get involved with is the Open Forum put on by the Politics Department on campus. This is of course open to all students and is in fact run by politics students. Every Monday from 12pm to 1pm in Rutherford Lecture Theatre 1, lecturers will present a topic and welcome a discussion with the students. Again, there is no better place to interact with issues than with the experts in the field.
These societies and platforms are so important for you to be aware of because they offer such a wider content of information that adds to your weekly lectures.
Lastly, you should make use of the internships and work experience available before you even get your degree. Through Employability Points there are many opportunities for you to get involved with real life political work while still being at university. For instance, Medway Council will be offering a number of internships focused on local government, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council are allowing a student to shadow their Chief Executive and the Civil Service Fast Stream will providing exclusive opportunities!
These internships can really make a difference. For example, Benedetta Veneruso a Politics and Law student at the University of Kent, shadowed the Chief Executive of Tunbridge during the General Elections of 2017. She was able to be at the heart of the action during the General Election, something that the majority of Politics Students do not get the chance to experience!
Lastly, a very interesting work experience opportunity is being offered through Employability Points which is something that is worth looking at if you are looking to get rewarded for all your extra-curricular activities. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is responsible for leading on the Ministry of Defence’s science and technology programme, and they are offering a remote work experience opportunity, which will allow two students to undertake some significant research. The opportunity to do research for DSTL is an incredible chance to get a kick start to your career in the political world. So keep an eye out for further details!
Get involved with more than just your modules and weekly lectures!