Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL2050: Political Philosophy

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

Module Aims

To introduce students to a range of positions in contemporary political theory and philosophy, familiarizing them with key texts, authors and debates, such as those concerning, liberty, justice, community, equality, identity, recognition, citizenship, power and the critique of power. To introduce students to a range of theoretical/methodological approaches associated with these literatures and to explore some of their implications in the assessment of modern societies, their values and their institutional arrangements. To develop in students the ability to critically reflect about the nature and scope of political discourse.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.

On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. demonstrate substantive knowledge of the theories and issues considered, their significance and the major criticisms made of them.
2. summarize and assess a range of political philosophies and theoretical discourses.
Discipline-Specific Skills3. identify and discuss the major concepts deployed in a theory and to apply them in making and analyzing moral and political judgments.
4. engage in both sympathetic interpretation and reasoned criticism of such theories, and to evaluate different interpretations.
Personal and Key Skills5. construct and evaluate ideas, to relate to various intellectual languages.
6. formulate and express ideas at different levels of abstraction, to assess and criticise the views of others.

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
Essay2000 Word1-6Written

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
01000

...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
Examination1002 hours1-6Written feedback

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
ExaminationExamination (2 hours)1-6August/September reassessment period