Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Portuguese

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

This course allows you to specialise in the study of criminology within a social policy degree. It explores the nature, extent and causes of crime, justice, social harm and deviance in national and international contexts, as well as examining the policy responses to them within a broader conceptual and theoretical framework of social policy and related social science subjects.

The course seeks to address key questions such as: what are the serious crimes and other social harms that people experience? Why do they occur? How effective are criminal justice systems, policymakers and governments in tackling and responding to crimes and social harms? 

You will take compulsory first-year units that introduce you to the theoretical and conceptual debates about the meaning and existence of crime, harm and deviance in contemporary society, the way that crime is understood and represented and the range of responses to various crimes. In the second and third years you will learn about key thinkers in criminology and the policy responses to harm then select from optional units, which may include: Criminology Placement; Youth, Sexualities and Gendered Violence; Youth Justice; Punishment in Society; Globalisation, Crime Harm and Justice; Climate Emergency; Harms of the Powerful; Violence, Conflict and Forced Migration; Drugs and Society; and Understanding 'Terrorism'.

This interdisciplinary program will provide you with the skills, knowledge and expertise to become a practitioner in functional materials research, whether in industry or academia. Our graduates have a strong track record of progressing to full-time employment or further study, with around half obtaining PhD places in Bristol or other leading universities throughout the world.

The program is run by the Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials (BCFN), which engages with a network of more than 100 academics from 15 departments in the Faculties of Science, Engineering and Life Sciences. This rich and diverse community provides truly interdisciplinary training and challenging projects at the cutting edge of functional materials research.

The structure of the program - featuring both short training projects and an extended research project - provides multiple opportunities for direct contact with leading academics and industry partners across a wide range of research areas. You will choose your extended research project after exploring BCFN's research network through short projects and the teaching programme. Recent project titles have included ‘Tunable Fluorescent Carbon Dots for Digital Display Technologies', ‘Nanoscale Bi/Sb Chalcohalides for Solar Energy Conversion’ and ‘Silk-Bone: a New Spin on Bone-tissue Engineering’.

Throughout the program you will have opportunities to further your technical and professional development in research skills, delivering effective presentations, scientific writing, teamwork, creativity and entrepreneurship.

This degree combines theatre with the study of Portuguese, the official language of nine countries. The political importance of countries like Angola and Brazil means that Portuguese speakers are increasingly in demand. 

The course offers an enriching experience with exciting intellectual challenges and a wide range of options that will allow you to pursue your own interests. Both departments encourage strong synergy between research and teaching, resulting in a vibrant learning environment for students.

The theatre course will allow you to develop your understanding and practical skills by exploring critical and historical frameworks alongside practical workshops. There are opportunities to engage with professional theatre makers and our museum-accredited archive, the Theatre Collection. 

For Portuguese, as well as following a structured language course, you will explore the literature, cinema, history, thought, politics, linguistics and culture of Portuguese-speaking countries. You will spend your third year abroad in a Portuguese-speaking environment, extending your language skills and cultural knowledge. Visit Global Opportunities to find out more about where you can study abroad.

When you return to Bristol for your final year you will have the opportunity to undertake an independent practical or written research project and/or a work placement in the creative industries.

Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and is the most common second language in the US. Studying a modern language in the context of its speakers' history, literature, experience and outlook can broaden horizons and challenge preconceptions, including those about one's own language and country.

In the Department of Film and Television, guided by leading scholars and practitioners, you will explore the history of film and television. You will consider theoretical perspectives, appreciate how films are made and engage in practical filmmaking activities.

You will study film alongside Spanish language, history and culture units, choosing from a wide range of options that allow you to pursue your own interests. Both departments offer a vibrant learning environment with research-led teaching.

You will spend your third year abroad on a work or study placement in a Spanish-speaking country, refining your language skills and cultural understanding. For further details of year abroad opportunities visit Global Opportunities.

In your final year you will return to Bristol, where you have the chance to undertake a placement in the creative industries.

This course offers you both depth and breadth over three years of exciting and challenging study. The third-year units require engagement with the latest research. Our students reach a high level of attainment and are well prepared for postgraduate study, both in philosophy and many other subjects.

The program equips you with skills, including textual analysis, clear written and verbal expression and critical thinking, that are valuable in a wide range of careers.