Module POC1021 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POC1021: Key Concepts in Politics and International Relations
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.
Module Aims
This module aims to provide you with a solid foundation in the basic concepts and theories that are useful for making sense of contemporary debates and challenges in international politics. In addition, it highlights the role of the state and the major actors involved in shaping cross-national borders. To this end, the module brings together diverse methodological approaches, current and historical events and critical study skills. By the end of the course, you will have acquired the necessary tools that enable you to critically weigh common academic and policy arguments about global affairs.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the actors, approaches, issues and institutions in IR 2. Explain the connections between global problems and the theories used by political scientists to understand their causes, effects, and possible solutions |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Compare and contrast major schools of thought in IR 4. Use these concepts, vocabulary, and theories to analyse issues facing political leaders and societies. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 5. Communicate arguments effectively 6. Develop good research and indexing praxis 7. Identify, locate, evaluate, and responsibly use and share information relevant to the discussions at hand |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio exercise | 500 words | 1-7 | Written |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 95 | 3,500 words | 1-7 | Written |
| Academic Honesty and Plagiarism Online Quiz | 5 | 15 mins | 7 | Online responses |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Portfolio (3,500 words) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
| Academic Honesty and Plagiarism Online Quiz | Academic Honesty and Plagiarism online quiz (15 minutes) | 7 | August/September reassessment period |
