True, and this is one of the reasons why I am now doing a social policy degree, so I understand the policy formation process much better. I have to say that I don't think that alone would place me well in politics.  It merely strengthens the concepts I already hold in my head built upon by experience, and provides me with a means for articulating those concepts and the tools for deconstructing them.

But one thing I have noticed with my Open University degree is that they are very progressive in the way they define issues and teach social policy.  I imagine other courses could choose differing ideologies as a base for discussion and I have heard complaints from people who think the OU course is too 'left wing'. ie the examples used to critique different theories and perspectives and conclusions drawn within the structure of the course may differ depend on the leanings of the authors of the syllabus.

Ad astra per aspera