Could you be a better leader than May or Corbyn?

Politics and international relations courses are a great way to get into a career in politics, says Russ Thorne. And don’t forget to make your mark on the student union

(Getty Images)

Been tutting at the recent dramas and tragedies of British politics? Want to sort things out? For Tories, Corbynistas, Green Warriors and many more besides, university offers training for a life in politics in a number of ways, not all of them related to studying the subject at degree level.

Student politics societies are a great way to learn about, and participate in, the system, suggests Malcolm Todd, pro vice-chancellor for student experience at the University of Derby. “There is usually something that will appeal to all political interests,” he says. Your university can also help you find voluntary work so you can contribute to a wider civil society. “Students can develop real world experience of social and political issues that would be valuable for a career in public service.”

Study options include courses such as politics and international relations at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). Students are drilled in preparation for the real thing, explains Peter Clegg, senior lecturer in the subject. “We hold role-play events where students represent a particular country or international body in a debate about a given topic. They must persuade classmates to vote in their favour.”

On other modules students write policy briefings as if they were already working for an MP. “Giving students this type of experience helps develop the skills they will need and gives them confidence that they’ll be well-equipped for whatever role they go into,” says Clegg.

Your university could also help you get experience of the real thing. At the University of Hull, politics graduates include former sports minister Tracey Crouch MP and Labour Party Deputy Leader Tom Watson MP. Current British politics and legislative studies students can spend a year working for an MP as part of their degree; there is also a separate Westminster Hull internship programme.

Both offer important opportunities, says Dr Simon Lee, senior lecturer in politics. “The programmes are overseen by Lord Norton of Louth from his vantage point as a serving member of the House of Lords. In both cases students are immersed in a political environment where they can hone their oral and written communication skills.”

Finally, irrespective of your course, active participation in your university's democracy is great training, as well as benefiting the wider student community. Matt Evans is president of Hull University Union and argues that SU officers “are often the most informed and likely to head for a political career” as a result of working on national campaigns.

If you want to do better than May or Corbyn, or find a way to effect the changes you want to see in the world, getting involved at university is a start. Says Evans: “Taking part in student union democracy and clubs and societies makes for a more politically aware group of people who go out into the world with an appetite for engaging in broader decision-making.”