Postgraduate Module Descriptor


POLM148: Brexit: Causes, interpretation, and implications

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

  • What is the EU about?
  • UK’s history with the EU
  • The referendum campaign(s)
  • Result and interpretation
  • The negotiations: Legal basis, domestic priorities and EU priorities
  • Domestic implications: Economy and immigration
  • Domestic implications: Democracy, sovereignty and the Union
  • Domestic implications: Rights and standards
  • European implications: Which future for the EU?
  • Field studies: which local citizen support for Brexit?

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
22278

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity2211 x two-hour seminars. These will be a mix of lectures led by the module convenor, student presentations, and group work. The emphasis is on weekly seminar presentations and active seminar participation.
Guided Independent Study70Reading and preparing for seminars, including in reading groups.
Guided Independent Study30Preparation of presentation
Guided Independent Study50Preparation of and implementation of field work
Guided Independent Study128Preparation and writing of assessment

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Essay planMax. 500 words1-9Written

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
50050

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
In-class presentation (in groups of 2)2020 minutes 1-10Written
Group Field work and its presentation3015 minutes1-10Written
Essay 504,000 words1-9Written

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Group presentation10 minute viva1-10Term 3
Field work and its presentation15 minutes1-10Term 3
Essay Essay (4,000 words)1-9August/September re-assessment period