Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC3121: Public Opinion from Cradle to Grave

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Module Aims

This module aims to improve your: (1) understanding of political socialisation processes over the life-course and how these interact with social and political structures, (2) ability to analyse empirical evidence on political attitudes and behaviour, and (3) critical evaluation of the interdisciplinary research on life cycle events, identity, communication, inter-personal and social networks and political behaviour. Finally, the module aims to improve your ability to communicate thoughts and ideas through presentations and written work.

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 Skills1. critically assess how political attitudes and behaviour develop over the life course in oral and written work
2. demonstrate detailed understanding of theories and approaches explaining the effects of life cycle events on political behaviour and attitudes
Discipline-Specific Skills3. demonstrate expertise and the ability to use key concepts pertaining to mass political attitudes and behaviour in oral and written work;
4. synthesize and critique a variety of theories and arguments in the field in your written work;
5. demonstrate a deep understanding of the implications of new evidence for a given theory in your oral and written work;
6. demonstrate that you understand different methods of research in the field and their implications for findings in your oral and written work;
Personal and Key Skills7. work independently and in groups, including presentations for class discussion, and in spontaneous discussion and defence of arguments in class, and to manage conflict;
8. demonstrate oral and written analytical and organizational skills in essays, group presentations and group discussion;
9. write essays to a deadline.