CORINTHIAM
Beit Daniel ECTS Workshop
19-20 December 2010
School of Politics and International
Relations
BA in Politics and International
Relations (Bi-diplôme)
Established in 2002
Bi-lingual and bi-national programme offered in partnership with the Insitute d’Etudes
Politiques (IEP) de Lille
first and fourth years are spent in Lille France
second and third in Canterbury England
BA (Kent) awarded on completion of four years study.
Diplôme of the IEP on completion of a fifth year of study either at the IEP or at Kent.
• PO621:Political Research and Analysis 15 credits, Autumn and Spring
terms
• PO555: International Organisation: The UN System 7.5 credits, Autumn
term
• Recommended modules A Either EC500 Microeconomics, 15 credits,
Autumn and Spring terms Or 15 credits of Philosophy Or 15 credits of
Law
• Recommended modules B 15 credits of either German, Italian or Spanish
at the appropriate level.
Political Research and Analysis
(first year module)
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will:
• be able to understand the basic logic of the empirical
research process;
• be familiar with key methodological and statistical concepts
relevant to quantitative data analysis;
• have improved their ability to critically evaluate arguments
supported by quantitative work;
• be able to select and evaluate statistical tests appropriate
to explore substantive research questions in the fields of
politics and international relations;
• have developed a basic ability to enter code, transform and
examine data sets with SPSS for Windows.
Module Descriptor
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1 The title of the module
Political Research and Analysis
2 The School which will be responsible for management of the module
3 The Start Date of the Module
4 The number of students expected to take the module
5 Modules to be withdrawn on the introduction of this proposed module
and consultation with other relevant Schools and Faculties regarding the
withdrawal
6 The level of the module (eg Certificate [C], Intermediate [I], Honours [H]
or Postgraduate [M])
7 The number of credits which the module represents
8 Which term(s) the module is to be taught in (or other teaching pattern)
9 Prerequisite and co-requisite modules
10 The programmes of study to which the module contributes
11 The intended subject specific learning outcomes and, as appropriate,
their relationship to programme learning outcomes
Specific Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will
• understand the importance of quantitative research methods for
the cumulative growth of knowledge in the political and social
sciences;
• be able to understand the basic logic of the empirical research
process,
• be familiar with key methodological and statistical concepts
relevant to quantitative data analysis,
• have improved their ability to critically evaluate arguments
supported by quantitative work,
• be able to select and evaluate statistical tests appropriate to
explore substantive research questions in the fields of politics and
international relations,
• have developed a basic ability to enter, code, manipulate, and
examine data sets with SPSS for Windows,
• formulate and test simple hypotheses using bivariate and
multivariate designs.
Generic Learning Outcomes
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12 The intended generic learning outcomes and, as appropriate, their relationship to
programme learning outcomes
In addition to the specific outcomes under point 11, the module will also enable students to
progress towards achievement of the generic learning outcomes of the school’s
undergraduate programmes listed below.
Students who successfully complete their undergraduate programme in the School will be
able to:
GLO1: engage critically with political phenomena, including the vocabulary, concepts,
theories and methods of political debate
GLO2: examine and evaluate different interpretations of political issues, events and solutions
to problems
GLO3: describe, evaluate and apply different approaches involved in collecting, analysing and
presenting political information
GLO4: develop reasoned arguments, synthesise relevant information and exercise critical
judgement
GLO5: reflect on and manage their own learning and seek to make use of constructive feed
back from peers and staff to enhance their performance and personal skills
GLO6: use information and communication technology for bibliographical searches, data
acquisition, data analysis and presentation
GLO7: work independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organisation and time-management
• 13 A synopsis of the curriculum
- The module is built around 12 lectures and 12 one-hour seminars.
- The main topics to be introduced
• 14 Indicative Reading List
• 15 Learning and Teaching Methods
including the nature and number of contact hours and the total study
hours which will be expected of students, and how these relate to
achievement of the intended learning outcomes
(Independent studySeminarsPC Laboratory Sessions Lectures)
• 16 Assessment methods
how these relate to testing achievement of the intended learning
outcomes
• 17 Implications for learning resources,
including staff, library, IT and space
• 18 A statement
confirming that, as far as can be reasonably anticipated, the curriculum,
learning and teaching methods and forms of assessment do not present
any nonjustifiable disadvantage to students with disabilities
Modern Classics of Comparative
Politics (third year module)
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will be
familiar with the/ able to:
• comparative method in its most important variants, the
rationale of comparative political analysis, different
methods of comparison and different designs in
comparative politics;
• apply concepts, theories and methods used in the study of
politics to the analysis of political ideas, institutions and
practices;
• link theoretical arguments, empirical evidence and political
events;
• critically analyse texts and other sources.
Modern Classics of Comparative
Politics (third year module)
• 10. Prerequisite and co-requisite modules
• Successful completion of PO621 or equivalent is a
prerequisite
• 11. The programmes of study to which the module
contributes
• The module is compulsory for students reading for the BA
in Politics, in Politics and International
• Relations (with and without a language/year abroad) and
all joint-honours degrees involving Politics
• and International Relations. It constitutes an option for all
other undergraduate programmes
• offered by the School of Politics and International Relations.
subject specific learning outcomes
12. The intended subject specific learning outcomes and, as appropriate, their
relationship to programme learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will be familiar with the:
• SLO1: comparative method in its most important variants, the rationale of
comparative political analysis, different methods of comparison and different
designs in comparative politics;
• SLO2: different approaches to the study of comparative politics based on in-depth
study of a small number of classical texts;
• SLO3: applicability of lessons from comparative politics (e.g., case selection and
different comparative designs) to political research (e.g., in dissertations);
These specific learning outcomes contribute to achieving the general aims of our
undergraduate programmes, which aim to:
• ensure that students acquire knowledge and understanding of theories and
analysis in the disciplines of politics and international relations
• develop students’ capacities to think critically about political events, ideas and
institutions
• assist students to develop cognitive and transferable skills relevant to their
vocational and personal development (especially the critical analysis of complex
literature and research designs)
generic learning outcomes
13. The intended generic learning outcomes and, as appropriate, their relationship
to programme learning outcomes
Successful students will be able to:
• GLO1: apply concepts, theories and methods used in the study of politics to the
analysis of political ideas, institutions and practices;
• GLO2: evaluate different interpretations of political issues and events;
• GLO3: describe, evaluate and apply different approaches to collecting, analysing
and presenting political information;
• GLO4: link theoretical arguments, empirical evidence and political events;
• GLO5: critically analyse texts and other sources;
• GLO6: Work with others (work co-operatively on group tasks, understand how
groups function,review and manage the effectiveness of a group, resolve conflict)
These generic learning outcomes contribute to the intellectual skills in Section 12.B of the
programme specifications for undergraduate programmes in the School of Politics and
International Relations and point 3.2 (1)of the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Politics and
International Relations.
• 13 A synopsis of the curriculum
- The module is built around 12 lectures and 12 one-hour seminars.
- The main topics to be introduced
• 14 Indicative Reading List
• 15 Learning and Teaching Methods
including the nature and number of contact hours and the total study
hours which will be expected of students, and how these relate to
achievement of the intended learning outcomes
(Independent studySeminarsPC Laboratory Sessions Lectures)
• 16 Assessment methods
how these relate to testing achievement of the intended learning
outcomes
• 17 Implications for learning resources,
including staff, library, IT and space
• 18 A statement
confirming that, as far as can be reasonably anticipated, the curriculum,
learning and teaching methods and forms of assessment do not present
any nonjustifiable disadvantage to students with disabilities