Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

1. To introduce the concepts and principles that underpin politics, informed by research that fosters critical and independent thought.
2. To introduce students to debates about power and distribution which lie at the heart of politics (‘who gets what, when, how and why’) and hone the analytic skills required to determine the legitimacy of distributions.
3. To engage students in debates about political events, institutions and ideas as a route to their engagement in politics as citizens and actors in the global political arena.
4. To familiarise students with the methodological and theoretical assumptions which underpin political arguments.
5. To familiarise students with key concepts in critical political analysis, including power, justice, accountability, order, dissent, violence, sovereignty, governance and decision-making.
6. To combine the study of politics with related disciplines in humanities and social sciences and to enable students to extend, apply and/or reflect on their learning through training in the UK or abroad and/or through the study of a modern language.

2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• QAA Benchmarking statement for Politics and International Relations
• Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
• University Learning and Teaching Strategy
• Departmental Learning and Teaching policies
• The research interests and specialisms of the teaching staff and their professional involvement in the discipline

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme, students will be able to:

K1. discuss the nature and characteristics of a variety of political issues, ideas and phenomena;

K2. analyse the social, economic and historical context in which political systems evolve and operate;

K3. explain competing interpretations of political issues and events;

K4. apply concepts, theories and methods used in the study of politics to analyse political ideas, institutions and practices;

K5. explain and evaluate concepts of political change such as revolution, war, crisis, protest, agency, and modernity.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students will be able to:

C1. choose appropriate methods in explanatory and normative political theory and political science to investigate key issues and events in politics;

C2. evaluate political opinions, ideas and events and defend personal preferences through reasoned argument;

C3. use supporting evidence and illustrative examples to discuss and/or explain complex political phenomena and events;

C4. use sophisticated argument and analysis to propose solutions to complex problems.

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students will be able to:

P1. use information technology to retrieve information from a variety of primary and secondary sources and to communicate ideas orally, visually and in writing;

P2. evaluate sources and the ethical issues relating to research in politics;

P3. undertake independent research under supervision;

P4. organise personal learning and development self-critically.

c. Key transferable skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students will be able to:

T1. use constructive criticism to improve and strengthen work;

T2. work independently, demonstrating initiative and the ability to manage time and resources effectively;

T3. apply research skills and practices to offer interpretations of complex and unfamiliar ideas, abstract concepts, political phenomena and events;

T4. summarise academic debates drawn from a range of introductory and specialist research literatures, fluently and with sophistication, to a range of specialist and non-specialist audiences;

T5. evaluate alternative solutions to complex problems;

T6. work with others for collective benefit and knowledge advancement.

4. Programme structure

4.1 Notes

4.1.1 Candidates must take a minimum module weight of 50 in each semester, taking into account both compulsory and optional modules.

4.1.2 Due to timetabling constraints, not all option combinations may be available.

4.1.3 Candidates following the four-year programme are required to undertake an academic year abroad (Part I) which occurs between Part B and Part C at a French-, German- or Spanish-speaking university, following an approved course of study leading to the Diploma in International Studies in accordance with Senate Regulation XI. Candidates may also follow an approved course of study at a foreign university where teaching is in English leading to the Diploma in International Studies in accordance with Senate Regulation XI.

4.1.4 Candidates following the four-year sandwich programme are required to spend the third academic year (Part I) EITHER undertaking an approved Assistantship at a school or other approved placement in a French-, German- or Spanish-speaking country, leading to the Diploma in International Studies in accordance with Senate Regulation XI, OR undertaking an approved placement in the UK or abroad leading to the Diploma in Professional Studies in accordance with Senate Regulation XI.

Participation in study abroad or a placement is subject to Departmental approval and satisfactory academic performance during Parts A and B.

4.2 Content

Part A – Introductory Modules

Students must be registered for a minimum of 50 credits and a maximum of 70 credits in each Semester

(i)  Compulsory Modules (total modular weight 100 credits)

(ii) Elective Modules (total modular weight 20 credits)

(2)  Part B

EITHER

(a) Standard Route

Students must be registered for a minimum of 50 credits and a maximum of 70 credits in each Semester

(i)  Compulsory Modules (Minimum modular weight 40 credits)

(ii)  Optional Modules

The remaining 60-80 credits may be chosen from Groups 1 and 2, of which a maximum of 20 can be from Group 2. Modules EUB601 and EUB625 are mutually exclusive, as are EUB702 and EUB703.

Group 1 Politics optional modules are likely to cover:

• European Politics

• US Politics

• British Politics

Group 2 Elective Subject modules can be chosen from a range offered by:

• Business

• Economics

• English

• Languages (French, German, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese)

• History

• Geography

• Social Sciences

OR

(b)  International Semester Route

Candidates may replace the modules required for Part B Semester 2 with an approved course of study taught in English at a foreign University. Candidates will undertake assessed work equivalent to 50 credits, as required by the Department of Politics, History and International Relations, along with a Distance Learning Research Design or Crafting a Dissertation module. Candidates who opt for this route must ensure that they have taken a total of 60 credits in Semester One, including 20 credits from each subject.  Candidates should note that combinations of modules of the same titles but with different credit-weightings are mutually exclusive.

(i)           Compulsory Modules (total module weight 80 – 90 credits)

 (ii)  Optional Modules (total module weight 20 – 30 credits)

Group 1 Politics optional modules are likely to cover:

• European Politics

• US Politics

• British Politics

Group 2 Elective Subject modules can be chosen from a range offered by:

• Business

• History

• Geography

• Social Sciences

(3)          Part I

Candidates following the four-year programme are required to undertake an academic year abroad (Part I) which occurs between Part B and Part C at a French-, German- or Spanish-speaking university, following an approved course of study leading to the Diploma in International Studies in accordance with Senate Regulation XI.  Candidates may also follow an approved course of study at a foreign university where teaching is in English leading to the Diploma in International Studies in accordance with Senate Regulation XI.

Candidates following the four-year thick sandwich programme are required to spend the third academic year (Part I) EITHER undertaking an approved Assistantship at a school or other approved placement in a French-, German- or Spanish-speaking country, leading to the Diploma in International Studies in accordance with Senate Regulation XI, OR undertaking an approved placement in the UK or abroad leading to the Diploma in Professional Studies in accordance with Senate Regulation XI.  Participation in study abroad or a placement is subject to Departmental approval and satisfactory academic performance during parts A and B.

 (4)  Part C

Students must be registered for a minimum of 50 credits and a maximum of 70 credits in each Semester. Credits from the Dissertation in Politics and International Relations module must be split equally (20:20) across both Semesters.

(i)  Compulsory Module (total modular weight 40 credits)

 (ii)  Optional Modules (total modular weight 80 credits)

In addition to the compulsory module EUC643, candidates must choose a minimum modular weight of 60 from Group 1 modules over Semesters 1 and 2.  The remaining 20 credits may be chosen from Groups 1 and 2.

Politics Group 1 modules are likely to cover:

• Security and Governance

• British Politics

• Western Democracies

• Global Politics

Group 2 Elective Subject modules can be chosen from a range offered by:

• Business

• Economics

• English

• Languages (French, German, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese)

• History

• Geography

• Social Sciences

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

5.1 In order to progress from Part A to Part B, from Part B to C, and to be eligible for the award of an Honours degree, candidates must not only satisfy the minimum credit requirements set out in Regulation XX but also achieve a module mark of at least 30% in all modules in each Part.

5.2 Provision will be made in accordance with Regulation XX for candidates who have the right of reassessment in any Part of the programme to undergo re-assessment in the University's special assessment period.

6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification

Candidates' final degree classification will be determined on the basis of their performance in degree level Module Assessments in Parts B and C. The percentage mark for each Part will be combined in the ratio Part B 40%, Part C 60% to determine the final percentage mark.