Loughborough University
Leicestershire, UK
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Loughborough University

Programme Specifications

Programme Specification

BA (Hons) Politics with International Relations (Entry prior to 2020)

Academic Year: 2020/21

This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if full advantage is taken of the learning opportunities that are provided.

This specification applies to delivery of the programme in the Academic Year indicated above. Prospective students reviewing this information for a later year of study should be aware that these details are subject to change as outlined in our Terms and Conditions of Study.

This specification should be read in conjunction with:

  • Summary
  • Aims
  • Learning outcomes
  • Structure
  • Progression & weighting

Programme summary

Awarding body/institution Loughborough University
Teaching institution (if different)
Owning school/department School of Social Sciences and Humanities
Details of accreditation by a professional/statutory body
Final award BA (Hons)/BA (Hons) + DPS/BA (Hons) + DIntS
Programme title Politics with International Relations
Programme code Politics with International Relations (EUUB19)
Length of programme The duration of the programme is either 6 semesters (three-year programme), or 8 semesters (four-year programme, including a placement year). The three-year programme allows, at Part B (Semester Two), for a course of study to be taught in English at a foreign University.
UCAS code Politics with International Relations (L291, L292)
Admissions criteria

BA (Hons) - http://www.lboro.ac.uk/l291

BA (Hons) + DPS/DIntS - http://www.lboro.ac.uk/l292

Date at which the programme specification was published Fri, 22 Jan 2021 19:32:25 GMT

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 familiarise students with a selection of concepts and examples in a cognate discipline.
  7. 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
  • School 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;

K6. discuss key concepts and examples from a cognate discipline.

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 phenomena and events in politics and a cognate discipline;

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 and a cognate discipline;

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

Politics with International Relations

This is a three-year long full-time degree programme.  In each of the three parts (years) of the degree (A, B and C), students take modules amounting to 120 credits with a minimum modular weight of 50 credits in each Semester, taking into account compulsory, optional and elective modules.

 

In addition, students have the opportunity to undertake a Placement Year (Part I) after Part B.

 

Important Note: No module may be taken and passed more than once.  Optional module availability is subject to timetabling constraints and optional modules may be subject to change.

 

Part A – Introductory Modules

 

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

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

EUA001

Smart Scholarship

1

10

EUA601

The Contemporary World Arena

1

20

EUA801

Power, Politics & Ideology in Modern Europe

1

20

EUA610

Conceptions of Democracy

2

10

EUA617

International Political Theory

2

10

EUA800

The Making and Unmaking of the World Order

2

20

EUA805

British Politics & Government

2

10

 

(ii) Optional Modules (total modular weight 20 Credits)

 

Students must choose 20 Credits of optional modules from:

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

Geography

 

 

GYA004

Geographies of Global Economic Change

1

10

GYA104

Geographies of Identity

2

10

Languages

 

 

One or two 10-Credit modules, one from each semester, from a list supplied by the Language Centre, levels dependent on candidates’ previous qualifications. Languages offered are: French; German; Mandarin Chinese; Spanish

1 & 2

10/20

Social & Policy Studies

 

 

SSA001

Identities & Inequalities

1

10

SSA002

Global, Social and Cultural Change

2

10

SSA201

Introducing Criminology

1

10

SSA202

Understanding Social Policy

2

10

 

Part B – Degree Modules

 

EITHER

 

(a) Standard Route

 

(i) Compulsory Modules (total modular weight 20 Credits)

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIB605

Theories and Methods in Political Research

1

10

PIB800

Research Design

2

10

 

(ii) Optional Modules – Politics and Languages (total modular weight 60 Credits)

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIB601

The European Union (20 Credit)

1

20

PIB604

Comparative European Politics (20 Credit)

1

20

PIB620

Comparative European Politics (10 Credit)

1

10

PIB625

The European Union (10 Credit)

1

10

PIB628

History of Political Thought (20 Credit)

1

20

PIB629

History of Political Thought (10 Credit)

1

10

PIB632

Politics of Developing Countries

2

20

PIB637

Political Simulation

2

10

PIB638

The Politics of Star Wars

2

20

Languages

 

 

One or two 10-Credit modules, one from each semester, from a list supplied by the Language Centre, levels dependent on candidates’ previous qualifications. Languages offered are: French; German; Mandarin Chinese; Spanish

1 & 2

10/20

 

(iii) Minor Subject Modules (total modular weight 40 Credits)

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIB619

Critical Security Studies

1

20

PIB802

Small Wars

1

20

PIB612

Foreign Policy Analysis (20 Credit)

2

20

PIB634

The American Century: US Politics & Society in the 20th Century

2

20

 

OR

 

(b) International Semester Route

Students may replace the modules required for Part B Semester 2 with an approved course of study taught in English at a foreign University.  In Semester 2, students will undertake assessed work equivalent to 50 credits, as required by Politics and International Studies, along with a Distance Learning Research Design module. Students who opt for this route must ensure that they have selected a total of 60 Credits in Semester 1.

 

(i) Compulsory Modules (total modular weight 70 Credits)

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIB605

Theories and Methods in Political Research

1

10

PIB001

International Semester

2

50

PIB801

Research Design (Distance Learning)

2

10

 

(ii) Optional modules (total modular weight 30 Credits)

Students not studying a Foreign language must take 30 Credits of Politics modules listed below. Students studying a Foreign Language should take 20 Credits of Politics Modules.

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIB601

The European Union (20 Credit)

1

20

PIB604

Comparative European Politics (20 Credit)

1

20

PIB620

Comparative European Politics (10 Credit)

1

10

PIB625

The European Union (10 Credit)

1

10

PIB628

History of Political Thought (20 Credit)

1

20

PIB629

History of Political Thought (10 Credit)

1

10

Languages

 

 

One 10-Credit module, from a list supplied by the Language Centre, levels dependent on candidates’ previous qualifications. Languages offered are: French; German; Mandarin Chinese; Spanish

1

10

 

(iii) Minor Subject Modules (total modular weight 20 Credits)

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIB619

Critical Security Studies

1

20

PIB802

Small Wars

1

20

 

 

Part I

 

Students will undertake one of the following approved study and/or work placements leading to the Diploma in International Studies (DIntS) or Diploma in Professional Studies (DPS) in accordance with Regulation XI.

Code

 Title

PII003

Diploma in Professional Studies (work placement)

PII004

Diploma in International Studies (study abroad)

LAN900

Diploma in International Studies (overseas work placement in a foreign language)

GYI100

Year in Enterprise (DPS)

GYI200

Professional Training Placement & Overseas Study (DIntS)

 

  

Part C – Degree Modules

 

Students must be registered for a minimum of 50 Credits and a maximum of 70 Credits in any one Semester.  Dissertation Credits are split 20:20 between both Semesters

 

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

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIC800

Dissertation

1 & 2

40

 

(ii) Optional Modules – Politics, International Relations and Languages (total modular weight 80 Credits)

Students must choose modules in Politics and International Relations with a modular weight of 40 Credits each.  Group 1 contains Politics modules and Group 2 contains International Relations modules.  Group 3 modules count as either subject.

 

Group 1 – Politics

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIC660

Contemporary Political Philosophy

1

20

PIC680

The Populist Challenge to Democracy

2

20

 

Group 2 – International Relations

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIC682

International Politics of the Middle East

1

20

PIC688

 Emerging Threats in the 21st Century

1

20

 

Group 3 – Politics and International Relations

 

Module Code

Module Title

Semester

Modular Weight

PIC604

State, Violence and Terrorism

1

20

PIC628

The Asia-pacific in Global Politics

1

20

PIC665

Postwar Britain: The Start of the Decline

1

20

PIC677

Britain and the European Union

1

20

PIC666

Gender and Politics

2

20

PIC684

War in the 21st Century

2

20

PIC685

Power, Politics & Participation in the Digital Age

2

20

PIC687

The Politics of Militarism

2

20

Languages

 

 

Two 10-Credit modules, one from each semester, from a list supplied by the Language Centre, levels dependent on candidates’ previous qualifications. Languages offered are: French; German; Mandarin Chinese; Spanish.

1 & 2

20

 

 

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 programme percentage mark.

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