Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC2125: Politics of the European Union

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

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

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 European integration – what is ‘Europe’ and the European Union?
  • Major theories of European integration – federalism, neofunctionalism, intergovernmentalism, the ‘governance’ turn and Europeanization
  • The historical development of the EU – early integration and the post-War federalist movement, the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community, the Single Market, Maastricht and the European Union, Single Currency, the Lisbon Treaty process, Brexit, the Covid crisis
  • Future developments – geo-political expansion (enlargement) and de-Europeanization, policy functions and potential challenges after the Covid crisis

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
221280

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities2211 lectures of 2 hour duration
Guided Independent Study128Private study – students are expected to read suggested texts and make notes prior to seminar sessions. They are also expected to read widely to complete their coursework assignments. More specifically, students are expected to devote at least: 60 hours to directed reading; 6 hours to completing the formative research outline; 14 hours for completing the policy note; Around 50 hours on completing the research project.

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 assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Research project online<300 words1,2,4Written or 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.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Research project653000 words1-7Written
Policy note351500 words1-7Written

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 assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Research projectEssay (3000 words)1-7August/September Reassessment Period
Policy noteEssay (1500 words)1-7August/September Reassessment Period