Module POC3111 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POC3111: Political Sociology
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 provides you with the opportunity to learn about and appraise theories used in political sociology. This will help you to learn about and reflect on the drivers of the social basis of political competition, social and political attitudes, processes of political engagement and competition.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Acquire a thorough understanding of recent political sociology explanations of political competition, social and political attitudes, processes of political engagement, the social basis for the formation, change and maintenance of political institutions. 2. Relate this theoretical understanding of political sociology to empirical data and analyses for more than two major industrial countries. 3. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the competing approaches in political sociology. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 4. Understand in depth the main methods of data collection and analysis in political science and sociology. 5. Demonstrate familiarity with major features of contemporary developed societies that are relevant to political science. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 6. Write analytical essays. 7. Present coherent arguments. 8. Communicate effectively in your written work. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation in (online) seminars | Weekly informal quizzes | 1,5,7,8 | 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 | 50 | 2 x 1,000 word questions | 1-8 | Written |
| Essay | 50 | 2,000 words | 1-8 | Written |
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 | 2 x 1,000 word answers | 1-8 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Essay | Essay (2,000 words) | 1-8 | August/September re-assessment period |
