Module POL3268 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL3268: Developments in British Politics: Challenges and Opportunities
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
This module provides students with high level knowledge about UK (Britain and Northern Ireland) politics and develops skills for analysing its political institutions, political behaviour and contemporary themes. This facilitates understanding of challenges and opportunities in the contemporary context, especially the importance of Brexit, contemporary UK political movements and challenges including those presented by Covid 19.
The module examines developments in politics through a set of key themes. These include political leadership and movements, especially Thatcherism, New Labour, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, and Brexit. Institutional and representation, citizenship and equality, devolution, policy-making,
The module draws on a mix of qualitative and quantitative evidence giving participants flexibility in their focus. Likely future scenarios for British politics are considered –including consequences of Brexit, Covid 19, moves towards digital politics and associated digital and social media, technological change in government including the use of artificial intelligence, constitutional and electoral reform, and the changing party system.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. demonstrate a critical understanding of key features of British (UK) political institutions, political behaviour and political themes and theory and evidence about them 2. identify and critique the most important challenges and opportunities in British politics today alog with theory and evidence about them; and, 3. situate specific institutions, behaviours, challenges and opportunities in British politics within their political and contemporary historical context. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 4. apply abstract theories and concepts to empirical cases; 5. use logic and reasoning to evaluate arguments; and, 6. deploy a range of social research methods commonly used in the discipline of politics. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 7. demonstrate ICT skills in accessing and using learning resources for the module; 8. work effectively in an organised manner individually as part of a team in seminars; 9. conduct research using a wide variety of sources; 10. -communicate research findings clearly and concisely in the form of written reports; and, 11. communicate research findings clearly and concisely in the form verbal presentations |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 plan | 500 words | 1-11 | Written feedback |
| Essay 2 plan | 500 words | 1-11 | Written feedback |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | 50 | 3500 words | 1-11 | Written feedback |
| Essay 2 | 50 | 3500 words | 1-11 | Written 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 assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | Essay 1 (3500 words) 50% | 1-11 | August/September Reassessment Period |
| Essay 2 | Essay 2 (3500 words) 50% | 1-11 | August/September Reassessment Period |
