Module POL3077 for 2019/0
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL3077: Global Environmental Politics and Policy
This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.
Module Aims
This module has two primary aims. The first is to provide an introduction to global environmental politics and policy. You will examine the issues, actors, and institutions that shape global environmental politics, as well as the socioeconomic forces that strengthen or undermine global environmental sustainability. You will also critically evaluate core theoretical frameworks in the field of environmental politics and apply these frameworks to real-world environmental issues.
The second aim is to introduce you to the practices and procedures associated with producing original quantitative research. As part of this module, you will participate in a series of quantitative methods and statistical software tutorials. These tutorials will not only provide you with the necessary tools to complete your final essay, but will give you a set of quantitative skills that are increasingly important for potential employers and graduate school admissions boards.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. describe key global environmental issues, including why such issues arise and why they are considered policy problems"; 2. analyze the key stakeholders, institutions, and political processes that shape global environmental politics; 3. critically evaluate proposed solutions to environmental problems; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 4. critically assess the primary international and domestic forces that either constrain or facilitate international cooperation on the environment; 5. summarize and critique key approaches to studying environmental politics; 6. apply key approaches to assess current environmental issues; 7. isolate and evaluate the empirical implications of theoretical frameworks; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 8. analyze quantitative data using R (a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics), including the analysis of descriptive statistics and basic hypothesis testing; 9. identify the basic steps of conducting empirical research and writing an empirical paper; and 10. demonstrate oral and written communication skills. |
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:
Introduction to Global Environmental Politics and Policy
- What are global environmental politics & policy?
- Conflicting views of the (global) environmental problematique
Domestic Determinants: Global Environmental Politics “On the Ground”
- Environmental values & attitudes
- Environmental behaviour
- Social activism & environmental movements
- Electoral politics & the environment: are “green” parties the answer?
- The political economy of global environmental policy
International Determinants: Cooperating on Global Environmental Policies
- Setting the stage: world politics & international cooperation
- International environmental regimes
- Non-state actors in global environmental politics: IGOs, NGOs, and Secretariats
- Are international environmental regimes the answer?
Environmental Issues
- Case Study 1: Persistent organic pollutants
- Case Study 2: Global warming
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 49 | 251 | 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 | 36 | 18 x 2 hour seminars |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 8 | 4 x 2 hour quantitative research tutorials |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 5 | 5 x 1 hour lab sessions |
| Guided independent activity | 46 | Examination preparation and completion |
| Guided independent activity | 12 | Completion of quantitative lab assignments |
| Guided independent activity | 33 | Statistical software/methodology tutorials |
| Guided independent activity | 84 | Essay preparation and completion (including the submission of the essay research question, proposal, and the essay presentation.) |
| Guided independent activity | 76 | Reading assignments |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
Statistical software resources
- Institute for Digital Research and Education's “Resources to help you learn R" page at www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/r/
- Code School's “Try R” short course at http://tryr.codeschool.com/
- Quick R website at http://www.statmethods.net
Other Learning Resources
Documentaries
This section provides a handful of documentaries on environmental issues discussed in class. While far from exhaustive, these videos provide a useful starting point for understanding the difficulties (and opportunities) associated with solving global environmental problems.
- Climate of Doubt." http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/climate-of-doubt/
- The Inconvenient Truth." http://www.takepart.com/an-inconvenient-truth/film
- The 11th Hour." http://www.11thhourfilm.com/11th-hour-film-documentary.htm
- Crude." http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/crude-real-price-of-oil/
- The End of the Line." http://endoftheline.com/
- A Fierce Green Fire." http://www.afiercegreenfire.com/
- Who Killed the Electric Car?" http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/
- Trashed." http://www.trashedfilm.com/
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay research question | 100 words | 1-3, 4, 6, 7, 9 | Written |
| Essay research proposal | 500 words | 1-3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 | Written |
| Seminar and tutorial participation | weekly | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 30 | 10 |
...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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 30 | 1.5 hours | 1-7, 10 | Written |
| Essay | 60 | 5,000 words | 1-10 | Written |
| Individual Essay presentation | 10 | 15 minutes | 10 | Verbal |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 hour examination | 1.5 hour examination | 1-7, 10 | August/September reassessment period |
| 5,000 word essay | 5,000 word essay | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
| 15 minute essay presentation | 15 minute presentation to module leader | 10 | August/September reassessment period |
