Undergraduate Course: Politics in a Changing World: An Introduction for non-specialists (PLIT08012)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course introduces students to key concepts and ideas through weekly case studies in politics and international relations. Students will explore issues such as authority, democracy, human rights, security and nationalism though a team-taught course involving PIR staff. Each week staff will introduce a case study, discuss key concepts, highlight different approaches in the literature to the challenge as outlined and propose possible solutions, linking these to wider theories about politics & international relations.
Students taking this course must not be enrolled in 'Introduction to Politics & International Relations'. |
| Course description |
This course offers an introduction to key issues in Politics and International Relations to non-specialists. It provides a taster to the types of topics that are typically dealt with in semester-long honours courses in the MA Politics and MA International Relations degrees. The course is team taught, with different staff members in PIR teaching on their areas of expertise. Many of the topics are famed as key challenges facing voters, states or political organisations.
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students with either Politics or IR in their degree title are not eligible to take this course (they must take IPIR), but students enrolling in this course will have a sufficient foundation for it to count as an equivalent to IPIR should they wish to transfer into a PIR degree. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: 275 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 12.5,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
161 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
10% seminar review
40% essay
50% exam
********************************************
10% seminar review. Students will be required to provide a reflective review of the seminar they attended, linking the arguments to the wider academic literature
40% essay. 2500 words
50% exam
|
| Feedback |
Students will receive two key pieces of feedback prior to writing their final exam, namely an assessment of the 1500-word essay they submit around Week 5 and comments on their seminar review.
|
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Politics in a Changing World: An Introduction for non-specialists exam | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | Politics in a Changing World: An Introduction for non-specialists exam | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Substantive knowledge of key concepts in Politics & IR
- Substantive knowledge of a set of current global ¿challenges¿
- Ability to situate key issues within wider political context
- Ability to identify which academic theories help to understand contemporary political issues
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Knowledge of key issues, concepts and theories in politics and international relations.
Critical thinking and analytical skills.
Advanced research skills.
Effective written and oral communication skills.
Global citizenship.
|
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Harshan Kumarasingham
Tel: (0131 6)51 4750
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Claire Buchan
Tel: (0131 6)50 8253
Email: |
|
|
University Homepage