Module POLM057 for 2019/0
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
POLM057: Understanding and Interpretation in Political Thought
This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.
Module Aims
The main aim of this module is to expose you to a variety of approaches and methodological positions in the history of political and philosophical thought. It also aims familiarise you with some of the key texts and debates on the theory and nature of interpretation.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. demonstrate knowledge of the main methodological debates on questions of interpretation and historical reconstruction of ideas. 2. demonstrate an ability to critically analyse arguments by reading and discussing key texts in seminars and essays; 3. demonstrate an ability to construct sophisticated arguments in oral presentations and written work; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 4. analyse political arguments; 5. criticise texts in political thought; 6. introduce discussions about the nature of political thought; 7. write well-argued essays and question received ideas about politics; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 8. demonstrate abilities to construct and evaluate ideas; 9. formulate and express ideas at different levels of abstraction; and 10. assess and criticise the views of others. |
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 assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | 10-15 minutes | 1-10 | Verbal |
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.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | 50 | 4,000 words | 1-10 | Written |
| Essay 2 | 50 | 4,000 words | 1-10 | Written |
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 assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | 4,000 word essay | 1-10 | August/September assessment period |
| Essay 2 | 4,000 word essay | 1-10 | August/September assessment period |
