Module POL1018 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL1018: The Challenges of World Politics in the Twenty-First Century
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
This module will introduce you to an important sub-field within the discipline of Politics, that is, International Relations (IR). More concretely, this module will expose you to a range of pressing issues in world politics such as great power competition, terrorism, international cooperation, human rights, poverty and inequality, and the environment and provide you with the conceptual and analytical tools to critically assess their origins, nature and potential impact. On completing the module you should be familiar with a range of contemporary political problems and the debates in world politics.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. demonstrate general knowledge of international politics from 1945 onwards; 2. demonstrate familiarity with a range of conceptual approaches to specific global political issues; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. distinguish between theoretical, conceptual and empirical lines of inquiry in international relations; 4. approach both empirical and theoretical literature in international relations critically; 5. make valid and insightful comparisons between international relations theories and cases; 6. articulate your own policy, political and ethical viewpoints on the main challenges in world politics; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 7. listen and engage with the opinions of others, attentively and respectfully; 8. demonstrate that you are able to work independently and in groups to achieve your aims; 9. demonstrate the ability to work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task. |
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
The module’s precise content may vary from year to year. Topics covered range from international organizations and human rights, the global political economy and the capitalist system, global challenges such as poverty, climate change, and migration, to the implications for international security and order of great power competition, terrorism, and populism.
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 26.5 | 123.5 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 16.5 | 11 x 1.5 hour lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 10 | 10 x 1 hour tutorials |
| Guided Independent study | 73.5 | Preparation and completion of course work |
| Guided Independent study | 50 | Reading for tutorials |
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 assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group discussions in tutorials | During lectures and tutorials | 1-8 | 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.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 70 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 30 | 1,500 words | 1-6 | Written |
| Examination | 70 | 2 hours | 1-6, 9 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (1,500 words) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment period |
| Examination | Examination (2 hours) | 1-6, 9 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
The reading for the module will all be made available through the module's web page in ELE. please see:
ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
Indicative learning resources include:
Baylis, John, Smith, Steve, and Owens, Patricia (2019), The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations (8th edn.: Oxford University Press).
Beeson, Mark and Bisley, Nick (eds.) (2017), Issues in 21st century world politics (3rd edn.: Palgrave MacMillan)
Edkins, Jenny and Zehfuss, Maja (eds.) (2019), Global Politics: A New Introduction (3rd edn., London: Routledge).
