Module POLM880DA for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
POLM880DA: Interdisciplinarity in the Public Sphere
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
The Interdisciplinarity in the public sphere module will help apprentices meet a range of skills (S5, S6, S7), knowledges (K1, K3, K5) and behaviours (B3, B5, B8, B9) implicit in the IATE Systems Thinking Practitioner standard.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
---|---|
Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate a detailed understanding of, and be able to critically analyse and evaluate, holism and systems ontologies as they pertain to the modern public sphere 2. Collect and analyse a wide range of data sources for building soft system models. |
Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Critically explore the constellations of stakeholders in a complex problem settings. 4. Evidence a detailed and critical understanding of the systems laws as they pertain to problem-solutions 5. Reflect upon participation in, and contribution towards a collaborative inter-disciplinary problem-solving team |
Personal and Key Skills | 6. Demonstrate cross-disciplinary team building and problem resolution skills. 7. Critically consider the application of soft systems approaches to extant organisational challenges. |
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 to support apprentices:
- Gain a detailed and rich contextual understanding of inter-disciplinarity and complexity in the public sphere;
- Gain an appreciation for the application of systems thinking and approaches to complex, multi-partner public challenges;
- Develop an understanding of the historical and contemporary penetration of systems thinking and methodologies in the public sector and services;
- Begin a process of learning about the fundamental laws of systems theory;
- Gain a detailed working understanding of the soft-system methodology based on the seven-step method;
- Start to develop an understanding of how and where this method might be applied in the host organisation.
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
---|---|---|
22.5 | 67.5 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
Category | Hours of study time | Description |
---|---|---|
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 22.5 | Masterclasses: The masterclasses are where apprentices are given day length teaching and learning, contextualised through practical group exercises. |
Guided Independent Study | 67.5 | Weekly study sessions A day per week spent on guided, independent, group and informational sessions to enhance, contextualise, and practice the learnings from masterclasses. |
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 assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
---|---|---|---|
Group presentation | 15-20 minutes (5 group members) | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | Oral |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Applied essay | 65 | 4000 words | 1, 3, 4, 7 | Written |
Self-reflective report | 35 | 2000 words | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | 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 |
---|---|---|---|
Applied essay | Applied Essay 4000 words | 1, 3, 4, 7 | Next re-assessment period |
Self-reflective report | Self-reflective report 2000 words | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | Next re-assessment period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
- Checkland P, & Scholes J. (1999). Soft-System Methodology In Action. London: Wiley