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 Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover most or all of the following topics:
- Models of British politics
- Executive politics (PM, Cabinet, policy making and implementation)
- The Parliament and representation
- Elections, voting, the electoral system
- The political party system
- The constitution, devolution, calls for independence and the future of the UK
- British Citizenship, equality and fair treatment
- Thatcherism and associated reforms
- New Labour and the third way
- The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government
- The post-war political consensus and its demise
- Britain and the World
- Britain and Europe (including the development of Brexit)
- The ‘Age of Austerity’
- The British party system
- Reforms to the UK system (electoral, constitutional, improving policy and implementation)
- Voting behaviour
- The consequences of Brexit
- Contemporary challenges presented by Covid 19 and associated pressures
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | 256 | 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 activities | 44 | 22 x 2 hour seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 88 | Seminar preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 168 | Coursework including essay planning and writing |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
- https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/
- http://www.ft.com/world/uk/politics
- https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news
- https://www.theguardian.com/profile/michaelwhite+politics/blog
- http://www.spectator.co.uk
- http://www.newstatesman.com
- http://www.conservativehome.com
- http://www.britishpoliticalspeech.org
- http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/
- https://www.britishelectionstudy.com/
- http://ukpollingreport.co.uk
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 |
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.
- Evans, G. and Menon, A. (2017) Brexit and British Politics , Cambridge: Polity
- Finlayson, A, (2003) Making Sense of New Labour , London: Lawrence and Wishart
- Gamble, A. (1994) The Free Economy and the Strong State , Basingstoke: Palgrave
- Heffernan, R., et al. (2016) Developments in British Politics 10 , Basingstoke: Palgrave
- Jones, B. and Norton, P. (2014) Politics UK , 8th edition, Oxon: Routledge
- Kerr, P. (2005) Postwar British Politics: From Conflict to Consensus , London: Routledge
- McAnulla, S. (2006) British Politics: A Critical Introduction , London: Continuum
- Moran, M. (2015) Politics and Governance in the UK , 3rd edition, London: Palgrave
- Bevir, M. and Rhodes, R. (2003) Reinterpreting British Governance ,London: Routledge
- Mayblin, L. (2017). Asylum after empire: Colonial legacies in the politics of asylum seeking. Rowman & Littlefield.
- James, O., Olsen, A. L., Moynihan, D., & Van Ryzin, G. G. (2020) Behavioral Public Performance: How People Make Sense of Government Metrics. Elements in Public and Nonprofit Administration. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
