Module POL3228 for 2020/1
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL3228: From the Shadows into the Light: Political Advisers and Policy Making
This module descriptor refers to the 2020/1 academic year.
Module Aims
The main aim of this module is to provide you with the full conceptual skills to critically engage with the research scholarship on the policy roles of political advisers across countries, as well as across political and administrative traditions: a) Westminster (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK); b) Napoleonic (Belgium, France, Italy, Greece), c) European continental and Nordic (Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands); d) the USA; e) Supranational institutions (European Commission and European Parliament). In so doing the module also aims to provide you with the skills to critically reflect upon stereotypes and images of political advisers, created by the media and advisers’ own accounts. Although political advisers enjoy a share as central players in the policy making process, their advent in the central political stage has come along with important challenges. Concerns are being raised due to advisers’ growing numbers, their lack of accountability, the way they operate (spin-doctoring), their policy influence, as well as the opacity of their status. The fundamental question the module will address is whether political advisers are pillars of responsive and good governance, or incompetent and non-accountable dark princes. Moreover, is there convergence, or divergence in the use and roles of political advisers across systems and why? In addressing such issues, a complementary aim of the module is to make you aware of the professional and ethical values pertaining to the job of political adviser.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
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Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the concepts and theories on political advisers and their policy making roles . 2. Apply the appropriate concepts and theories in order to explain and critically appraise the role of political advisers in policy making across countries over time. |
Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Find, use and critically analyse a range of material, including empirical and theoretical studies published in scientific journals, books and conference papers; policy reports and guidelines published by governments, administrations and international organisations; news and internet items. 4. Critically analyse both empirical and theoretical material by applying theoretical arguments to empirical case studies. |
Personal and Key Skills | 5. Communicate ideas effectively both formally during presentations and informally during class discussions. 6. Communicate ideas effectively in a given number of words in written form. 7. Work independently and in groups. |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
Short answer questions 1 | 1 A4 | 1, 3, 6, 7 | Written feedback |
Short answer questions 2 | 1 A4 | 1, 3, 6, 7 | Written feedback |
Short answer questions 3 | 1 A4 | 1, 3, 6, 7 | Written feedback |
Short answer questions 4 | 1 A4 | 1, 3, 6, 7 | Written feedback |
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 |
---|---|---|
80 | 0 | 20 |
...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 | 80 | 6000 words | 1-7 | Written feedback |
Individual presentation in class | 20 | 15 minutes | 1-7 | Oral peer feedback in class |
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 (6000 words) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
Individual presentation in class | Redo individual presentation (15 minutes) | 1-7 | As soon as possible after the presentation date and latest before the end of term 3 |