Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL2087: Digital Media and Politics

This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.

Module Aims

This module aims to enable you to examine: the changing nature of political communication in the contemporary information environment; the emergent trends in findings regarding the role of new media platforms in political life; alternative and newer forms of political media and talk’ and theories which address the motivations behind online behaviour.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Understand the key debates regarding the effects of digital media on the political process 2. Demonstrate solid knowledge of ethical questions raised by new technological affordances
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Critically analyse primary and secondary source material 4. Understand political theory and models 5. Construct and present rigorous oral and written argument
Personal and Key Skills	6. Develop critical thinking skills, particularly as it relates to evaluating empirical evidence 7. Develop writing skills to facilitate more powerful communication

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
Class group presentation	20 minutes	1-7	Verbal comments

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
50	50

...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	50	3500	1-7	Written comments
Written exam	50	90 minutes	1-7	Written comments
	0

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	Essay (3500 words)	1-7	August/September reassessment
Written exam	Written exam (90 mins)	1-7	August/September reassessment