Module POL3074 for 2019/0
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL3074: The Politics of Climate Change
This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.
Module Aims
This module aims to examine why the issue of climate change is so difficult to address. While being rooted in concepts from political science, it aims to provide a platform through which the climate change problematique can be analysed from different disciplinary and theoretical perspectives. Through a mixture of role play, discussions, seminar presentations and group work it seeks to facilitate student learning around key aspects of climate change governance.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. demonstrate in-depth understanding of the role and perspectives of different actors involved in climate policy 2. show detailed knowledge of the complexities of addressing climate change across different policy sectors and governance scales 3. evaluate critically policy initiatives to tackle climate change |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 4. think critically, analyse debates and present coherent arguments from a political science perspective 5. evaluate critically the effectiveness of policy 6. demonstrate in-depth understand of the reasons for and barriers to policy intervention |
| Personal and Key Skills | 7. produce high quality written and visual material; 8. evaluate effectively ideas and debates; 9. interact and work with fellow students effectively, and in a cooperative manner; 10. reflect critically on own learning and practice; |
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:
- Challenges of climate change mitigation governance
- Challenges of climate adaptation governance
- The Political economy of climate change: the role of markets and business
- Climate policy instruments
- Politicisation of climate science
- Climate scepticism
- Public understanding and engagement with climate change
- International dimensions of climate change – Development, equity and justice
- International dimensions of climate change – Human rights and migration politics
- International dimensions of climate change – international policy
- Climate change and sustainable futures
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | 256 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 44 | 22 x 2 hour Seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 118 | Reading and seminar preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 34 | Learning diary writing and preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 4 | Role play preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 20 | Poster research and preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 80 | Case study research and writing |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case study plan | 1000 words | 1-8 | Written convener feedback and oral peer feedback |
| Sample learning diary | 450 words | 1-8, 10 | Written from lecturer and from peers |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 85 | 0 | 15 |
...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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Role play group presentation and participation | 15 | The role play will take place over two seminars. In total each group with formally present for 20 minutes. | 1, 2, 6 and 9 | written feedback at the end of the module |
| Poster | 15 | A3 | 1-8 | Written and oral feedback |
| Analytical Case Study | 30 | 3,000 words | 1-8 | Written feedback |
| Reflexive learning diary term 1 | 20 | Students reflect on their seminar learning approximately 150 words a week (total: 1500 words) | 1-8, 10 | Written feedback |
| Reflexive learning diary term 2 | 20 | Students reflect on their seminar learning approximately 150 words a week (total: 1500 words) | 1-8, 10 | Written feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Role play group presentation and participation | Oral viva (10 minutes) | 1,2,6 & 9 | Term 3 |
| Poster | Poster (A3) | 1-8 | August/September Re-assessment period |
| Analytical Case Study | Analytical Case-Study (3,000 words) | 1-8 | August/September Re-assessment period |
| Reflexive learning diary term 1 | Literature review (1,500 words) | 1-8, 10 | Term 2/Term 3 |
| Reflexive learning diary term 2 | Literature review (1,500 words) | 1-8, 10 | August/September Re-assessment period |
