Undergraduate Course: US Government (PLIT10027)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Politics |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This course examines the primary actors, ideas, and institutions comprising United States (US) government. It begins with an introduction to core 'American' political values and beliefs shaping US government. It then analyses the role of the US Constitution and federalism before examining three major institutions of US government: the Congress, the Presidency and Judiciary, and debates surrounding their operation. Competing analytical approaches to understanding US government (including elite theory and pluralism and their modern variants) will be applied and critically evaluated throughout the course. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least 4 Politics/International Relations courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses.
** as numbers are limited, visiting students should contact the Visiting Student Office directly for admission to this course ** |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2014/15 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: 75 |
|
Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Class Delivery Information |
Plus 1 hr tutorial per week |
| Course Start Date |
12/01/2015 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Revision Session Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
175 )
|
| Additional Notes |
|
| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
55 %,
Coursework
35 %,
Practical Exam
10 %
|
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | US Government | 2:00 | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course we would expect students to be able to:
- critically debate the existence and role of 'American' values and beliefs;
- exhibit a solid grasp of key institutions comprising US government: (including Congress, the Presidency, and Judiciary);
- evaluate alternative theoretical explanations for the operation of US government
- make their own assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the US system of government. |
Assessment Information
| Tutorial assessment (10%), coursework (35%) and examination (55%) |
Special Arrangements
| This course has a quota. Preference will be given to Politics and IR students. |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Elizabeth Bomberg
Tel: (0131 6)50 4248
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Lizzie Robertson
Tel: (0131 6)50 4457
Email: |
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