This module is explored in the following six blocks.
Block 1: Introduction
The first block focuses on the core question: What is politics? By examining the many interpretations and impacts of this question, the block addresses ‘who?’ or ‘what?’ is political, exploring the spaces and places ‘where’ politics is conducted and considers ‘how?’ and ‘why?’ politics is best practised or studied.
Block 2: Political concepts
You'll explore political concepts and see how ideas shape how we think about, talk about and practise politics. You'll look at key concepts such as freedom, equality, power, and sovereignty, examine how ideas can influence the social world, and offer helpful answers to urgent political questions.
Block 3: Ideas and ideologies
This block examines how concepts, once turned into ideologies, can be taken up and used by practitioners of politics and the public. By being produced and consumed in a number of ‘public’ and ‘private’ locations, ideologies such as conservatism, liberalism, socialism and feminism offer explanatory frameworks which organise our opinions, help us interpret and navigate the political world, and provide us with some sense of identity.
Block 4: Political institutions in liberal democracies
You'll look at political institutions in liberal democracies, comparing and contrasting the very different political systems of two particular nations, the UK and the US. This block outlines their different executive, legislative and judicial arrangements, explains the structures of their constitutions, and explores the political roles of the Prime Minister and the President, political parties, electoral politics, interest groups and social movements.
Block 5: Global politics
You'll investigate global politics by looking at the interrelationship of the ‘national’ to the ‘international’, the ‘local’ to the ‘global’. The block introduces you to key themes and perspectives in the study of international politics, examining the role of international institutions, non-state actors and issues, exploring the ways in which globalisation is making the world smaller and more interlinked.
Block 6: Revision
The module concludes by revising the key concerns, issues and arguments raised in the previous blocks.
Supporting study materials
The module is delivered online via the module website, which includes all study support, a multiplicity of online text, audio and visual assets, and two printed module books.
You will acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of key political debates, applying these to your understanding of the contemporary social world. This will help you explain and evaluate issues of ethical, social, political, policy and public concern, with the ability to assess their impact on real-world institutions and events.
As well as building your interdisciplinary social science knowledge, you'll develop practical and transferable skills. These include critical thinking report and essay writing, making presentations, ICT skills, collaborative working skills, and synthesising and applying knowledge. You'll also learn how to:
This module offers a comprehensive grounding in the study of politics at OU level 2 and provides opportunities to develop skills that will be relevant to your current or future career.
Studying this module, as part of a social sciences qualification, could open up employment opportunities in a wide range of occupations in politics, business, banking, insurance, education, health professions, administration, law, social services, voluntary and campaigning organisations, the media, public relations, public service organisations and government (national and local) planning and environmental management, the criminal justice system, and social welfare organisations. The module provides a set of transferable skills and aptitudes that are relevant to many other career pathways.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
You’ll be provided with two printed module books and access to the module website, where the majority of the module content is delivered. The website includes:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
DD211 is a compulsory module in our:
DD211 is an option module in our:
Understanding politics: ideas and institutions in the modern world starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2027.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
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If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
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Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
