Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL3120: War and Public Opinion

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 the public knows (and doesn’t know) about foreign affairs

Situational factors that shape public opinion about war

Principal Policy Objective (PPO) and support for war

Elite signals and rhetoric

Understanding the contested role of casualties

Group identity

Expectations of success

Media effects and framing

Individual level factors that shape public opinion and elite perceptions about war

Personality

Emotions and Morality 

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
402600

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

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity4020 x 2 hour seminars
Guided Independent Study100Reading assignments
Guided Independent Study100Essay preparation: conducting research, and writing the finished product (c.50 hours per essay)
Guided Independent Study60Preparation for and completion of examination

Online Resources

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