An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2004 - 2005
REVIEW OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF
POLITICAL SCIENCE AND SOCIOLOGY
Final Report
April 19, 2005
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Report: Review of Department of Political Science & Sociology 2005
This Report results from the visit of the Review Group (RG), consisting of Professor
Henri Goverde (Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands), Mr. Brian Keary
(University of Limerick), Ms. Catherine Forde (University College Cork), Dr.
Margaret Barry (NUI Galway) and Dr. Michael P. Carty (rapporteur, NUI Galway), to
the Department of Political Science and Sociology, National University of Ireland,
Galway on February 22-24th, 2005, and from the review of documents, supplied to the
RG, including the Self-Assessment Report (SAR) prepared in advance by the
Department.
The RG recognizes that the Department is a major contributor to the mission
of the Faculty of Arts and the University, and is held in high regard by all of the many
units of the University with which it interacts. At the outset, the RG would like to
acknowledge the tremendous work of the Department of Political Science and
Sociology in performing its role in undergraduate teaching and taught postgraduate
programmes, and the positive experience reported by the students of the Department.
Throughout the review process, the dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism of the
staff were evident. Student number attest to the popularity of the courses offered by
the Department, and the students expressed satisfaction with their programmes of
study and with their relationship with staff. In addition, the RG acknowledges the
increasing emphasis on research in the Department, including research that is
externally funded.
The report is structured to cover the following main topics:
1. Aims, Objectives and Planning
2. Organization and Management
3. Programmes and Instruction
4. Scholarship and Research
5. Community Service
6. Concluding Remarks
1.
Aims, Objectives and Planning
The aims and objectives of the Department fit well with the overall academic plans of
the University. The Department is student-centered, focused on teaching, research
active and involved in the wider community. The Department was previously
reviewed in 1997, and has attended to the recommendations of the previous selfassessment report. Since the last review the number of students in the BA
Sociological and Political Studies has significantly increased, and two new taught MA
programmes have been introduced. Twelve new staff members have been recruited.
With regard to the Aims of the Department, these are quite general as they are
stated in the SAR. A number of objectives are listed in the section 1.1; however, the
formulation seems more related to the NUI Galway aims than to specific goals and
aims of the Department. It would have been helpful if these aims were stated more
explicitly at the start of the SAR. However, the RG notes that the Department has
developed an Academic Plan for the period 2005 – 2010. This is to be commended,
and should form the basis for further developments within the Department.
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While the plan is clearly laid out, and identifies major challenges facing the
Department in the next five years, the strategic vision for this period is not as clear as
it might be. The priority themes and main aims appear to focus on consolidation and
fine-tuning of existing programmes of learning and instruction. New initiatives
concerning MA programmes and research activities are also formulated. However,
the vision statement appears to lack a sense of prioritisation. The RG feels that in the
future, the Department would benefit from prioritisation of its activities, especially
given the increased emphasis being placed on research, and the introduction of new
Masters programmes. Furthermore, the RG is of the opinion that, in general, the
Department would benefit from the application of more detailed indicators of
performance. In terms of programmes of learning, this would involve a) analysis of
student progression, repeats and dropout rates, b) the use of specific metrics of student
performance, and c) analysis of graduation data in terms of degree level and number
of students. In terms of research activities, this would involve the development of
overall measures of Departmental performance that will enable progress in this area to
be monitored.
In the next phase of its development, initiatives on a European level, including
the Bologna declaration, and the possible requirement for accreditation, will impact
on the Department. In order to create ‘an environment conductive to excellence’ the
Academic Plan 2005-2010 should address issues and opportunities arising in this
context. This might have consequences for the content of academic programmes.
Specifically, it could necessitate creating space for some sub-fields in political
science, particularly international political and economic relations, and for advanced
courses in methodology, as well as methods and skills for quantitative and qualitative
empirical research. In this context, the rationale of the curriculum, in terms of
academic content and praxis, the academic objectives, and the final profiles of the
students should be consistently made operational. For example, academic objectives
have to be translated into educational goals, and then elaborated into the specific
subjects and tasks of the particular course. Under these conditions, the competencies
and skills cumulatively developed within the courses of the Department will require
further enhancement, and the sequencing of assignments and examinations to test the
achievement of these requirements will need to be further aligned with this objective.
Since European accreditation agencies will request detailed information about
entry criteria, enrolment and progression outcomes, the University administration
must be in a position to provide this information in an accurate and timely manner.
Recommendations:
1.
The Department, with the support of Faculty and the University should
actively address issues arising from increasing internationalization, and take
advantage of the resulting opportunities to enhance the profile of the
Department.
2.
The central university administration should implement an information
management system that provides individual departments with readily
accessible data on student registration, completion rates, and general
progression patterns within and across taught programmes.
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2.
Organisation and Management
The Department has undergone a significant growth in staff and student numbers in
the last number of years. A number of new staff have been recruited, which has led to
an improvement in student-staff ratios. The large growth in staff numbers appears to
have been effectively managed. Staff meetings are held 7-9 times per year, with two
of these dedicated to examination results.
The Department delivers a large number of courses, tutorials, and option
courses to a wide variety of students. These courses are very well managed, and the
staff of the Department have a very positive attitude to the delivery of courses, despite
the very large numbers of students and the issues of buildings and space (see below).
Given the high numbers of undergraduate students, equitable distribution of
workloads is an important issue. There appears to be general agreement among the
staff that, in the main, workloads are equitably distributed. In the case of the major
undergraduate BA degree course in Sociological and Political Studies, individual
tutors are assigned to each of the three years of the course, and these tutors rotate on a
three-yearly basis. While this appears to work well, there is a lack of formal structures
defining how responsibilities are assigned, and how workloads are balanced among
the staff. Because the Department has expanded recently, a more formal mechanism
to deal with these issues may be necessary in the future. This is also important in
regard to the development of the research activities of newer staff (see Sections 3 and
4 below). Specific mechanisms to ensure the involvement of new staff in the strategic
development of the Department, and mentoring of these staff in their academic roles,
may also need to be considered. Harnessing the obvious energy and expertise of all
the staff within the Department can provide the impetus for new initiatives that will
carry it into the future.
Administrative support is a related and critical issue, again made more
pressing by the very large numbers of undergraduate and visiting students, and the
development of new taught Masters programmes. Currently, administrative support is
provided by a full-time Departmental secretary, and, for the past three years, a parttime administrative assistant. We are aware that the report of the previous quality
review group highlighted the inadequacy of administrative support, given the
workload of the Department. In the follow-up meeting to the previous quality review
process, new school structures were suggested as a solution to the lack of
administrative support. However, this has not happened to date, and the issue of
administrative resources persists. While both staff and student numbers have
effectively doubled, there has not been a concomitant increase in administrative
support. It will be important to ensure that the Department is properly resourced with
administrative support, in order to allow the Department to continue to deliver highquality courses.
With regard to general organization, space is an issue, due to the fact that
academic staff are located at a number of sites on campus, with some housed in
temporary accommodation. This means that some staff must go the central location
of the Department in Tower 2 of the Arts/Science block to pick up mail and carry out
routine tasks such as photocopying. This problem was noted in the follow-up meeting
resulting from the previous review of the Department, and a new building was
advanced as the solution. This new building on campus, in which the Department of
Political Science and Sociology has been assigned space, is now nearing completion.
Although the overall space available to the Department will be approximately the
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same as presently, relocation to this building will improve the overall infrastructure,
and will assist in bringing all staff together in one location, improving communication
and the co-ordination of Departmental activities.
Recommendations:
1.
Introduction of a mentoring programme for new staff by more experienced
staff.
2.
In the light of the undergraduate student numbers, the new Masters
programmes, and increased staff numbers, the RG strongly recommends that
the number of administrative positions should be significantly increased. In
line with the follow-up meeting of the previous quality review, these positions
should be funded from central resources. In this regard, the position of the
present part-time administrative assistant should be regularised, without
further delay.
3.
Programmes and courses
The general aim of the Department to provide high quality teaching is obviously
being achieved as indicated by the very large numbers of students electing to take the
courses it offers. The Department is fulfilling the University’s goal of being a studentcentred institution. The availability of staff to students, the tutor system, and the
detailed, well organised and informative course booklets for each year are all much
appreciated by the students. The commitment of the teaching staff to small group
teaching is also very popular amongst the students. In general the use of tutorials in
first year, seminars in second year, and optional courses in third year all elicited a
positive student response.
a) Undergraduate Courses
The students of the BA Sociological and Political Studies are particularly approving
of the student-centred approach of the Department. They raised some issues relating
to the content, continuity and delivery of courses, including the coverage of theory in
first year, the standardization of seminar format and the inclusion of presentations.
Our discussion with the year tutors indicated that they had also been informed of
these issues, that they had been given consideration, and in some cases initiatives are
already being taken to address them.
Students of the BA Sociological and Political Studies also strongly argued for
the development of a stream that would allow the student to take a double major in the
subject. They noted that another department within the Arts Faculty was also
interested in pursuing this approach.
Students from the BA Public and Social Policy course also remarked on the
open and supportive atmosphere of the Department. However, they are dissatisfied
with the cross-departmental integration of the course. They feel that the rotation of
responsibility for their course means that they do not know where to turn for guidance
and support. Moreover they feel excluded from some of the tutorials and seminars. In
brief, they feel that they are being asked to take the same courses as students on the
BA Sociological and Political Studies course, but without the same support. They also
commented negatively on the CAO course description, the absence of guidance on
Erasmus opportunities and the absence of a work placement element in the course.
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The RG recognises that its brief is the review of the Department of Political Science
and Sociology, and that the difficulties reported in regard to this specific course do
not fall completely within this brief. However, the RG is of the view that it is
incumbent on it to comment on the situation.
Students from both groups expressed dissatisfaction with the overcrowding at
first year lectures. Their description of conditions leads the RG to conclude that, in
some cases, fire and safety regulations may be being breached. This is obviously an
infrastructural issue that must be addressed at University level. Students also voiced
dissatisfaction with the library facilities. The complaints included the inadequate
number of copies of heavily used texts, the state of the texts and the use of the desk
reserve facility.
The RG did not have an opportunity to talk to any students on the BA
Economic and Social Studies course based in Sligo.
The staff are strongly committed to the delivery of courses through small
group teaching. Aware of their increased workload resulting from the delivery of a
large number of optional courses in third year, they indicated that they were repaid by
the opportunity to work with a small group of highly motivated students on a topic in
which they are especially interested. The staff also recognise the increased
administrative burden placed on them by the system of course and year tutors.
However, again they indicated that they are willing to shoulder this burden in order to
maintain the student-centred ethos of the courses.
Reflecting on the documentation and submissions made available to them, the
RG conclude that the main difficulty facing the Department in maintaining and
improving standards on their undergraduate courses is in fact a consequence of their
success in attracting very large numbers of students to take these courses. In this
regard, the RG notes the report of the external examiner (2004), who commented on a
number of indicators of low performance, concluding that “there are simply too many
students and too few staff”. The RG believes that there is the possibility of a further
increase in numbers as a result of other Departments in the Faculty of Arts placing a
cap on the number of students admitted to their courses. The impact of the teaching
load on the research activity of the staff will be commented on elsewhere in the
report.
Student Assessment procedures
The RG is of the opinion that assessment procedures are fair and impartial, and
capable of accurately discriminating between students with different levels of
knowledge, understanding and skills. The RG notes the manner in which the different
skills and competencies are cumulatively developed throughout the students’ course
of study and the manner in which different assessment instruments are used to achieve
this. On a related issue, the RG notes the concern of the Department with the problem
of plagiarism.
Recommendations
1.
The RG believes that the number of undergraduate students has reached the
limit of viability. We recommend that no further increase in undergraduate
numbers be permitted without the addition of considerable resources. We are,
however, unsure of how this can be implemented, as it is not within the power
of the Department to do so; it would appear that the issue must be addressed at
the level of the Faculty of Arts. This is a crucial issue that must be addressed.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
While recognising the commitment of the staff to small group teaching and the
students’ appreciation of this form of teaching, the RG recommends that the
Department evaluate the number and content of the optional courses offered in
third year.
Mindful of its recommendation that student numbers not be increased, the RG
recommends that the feasibility of a moderatorship (double major) in
Sociological and Political Studies be explored. This initiative, if implemented,
could assist the Department in achieving international accreditation.
The difficulties experienced by the students on the BA in Public and Social
Policy must be addressed. The RG realises that while these are not problems
that emanate from the Department under review, the problems do impinge on
students of the Department. The RG strongly recommends that an external
examiner be appointed to the course, and that a course review be undertaken
under the aegis of the Faculty of Arts. It suggests that, in the meantime,
responsibilities for course coordination not be changed in the middle of the
course of study of a cohort of students.
The RG recognises the efforts that staff members make to distribute lecture
notes and other course material to students. They also note the positive
evaluation given by the students to the new BlackBoard system. The RG
recommends that the Department give consideration to increased utilization of
this system. Moreover, the RG is of the opinion that the Department should
explore with CELT ways in which the delivery of courses to the large student
numbers could be facilitated and improved, and the way in which the courses
delivered on out-reach campuses, such as the degree in Economics and Social
Studies in Sligo, could be enriched by applying developments in Information
Technology.
The RG recommends that, in conjunction with CELT, the feasibility of using
specific computer software packages to identify instances of plagiarism be
explored.
While the Department and its staff are very much aware of the necessity to
make special provision for students with special needs and do so within the
constraints placed upon them, the major difficulty which students with special
needs face results from the configuration of buildings and teaching space. The
Review group therefore recommends that the issue of physical access for all
students be given a high priority by the University.
b) Postgraduate Programmes
The Department offers a range of postgraduate opportunities. These include three
taught Masters programmes, an M.Litt. and a Ph.D. route. Between them, the taught
Masters programmes accommodate approximately 100 students, while smaller
numbers of students choose the M.Litt. and PhD. routes. Two of the taught
postgraduate degrees (the Higher Diploma/Masters in Family Support, and the
Masters in Social Work) commenced very recently and have attracted optimum
numbers of students. The outlook for these courses and for the MA in Community
Development appears to be very good.
The Review Group met with the co-ordinator of the M.Litt. and PhD.
programmes, and the directors of the MA in Community Development, Masters in
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Family Support, and Masters in Social Work. The group also met with a number of
the postgraduate students in the Department. These students, who were drawn from
all of the postgraduate options, spoke very positively and cogently about their courses
of study, their relationships with staff members and the commitment of staff to the
programmes.
The RG notes that the relationship between the undergraduate programmes
and the postgraduate options offered by the Department is not completely congruent.
There are Masters programmes in Community Development, Family Support and
Social Work, all of which appear to have resulted from overtures by the State, as well
from staff interest in these areas. While these programmes are obviously attractive to
significant numbers of graduates, there is no taught Masters in Sociological and
Political Studies. The Departmental Academic Plan 2005-2010 mentions the
possibility of establishing such a programme. This programme would provide a direct
postgraduate route for students who are interested in furthering their studies in these
subjects, as well as offering a route to the Ph.D. Alternatively, the Department could
offer a Masters in Governance and Public Management, incorporating a field-based
dimension. If this new Masters course were field-based in nature, the demands on
staff members might be less than those that would result from a completely academic
Masters programme.
Given that the three taught Masters programmes are all in the human services
area, there is a possibility that they may find themselves in competition with each
other for students. This prospect is mentioned in the SWOT analysis of the MA in
Community Development, and should be given further consideration by the
Department.
In its Academic Plan 2005-2010, the Department indicates that it intends to
develop a more synergistic relationship between the three existing taught Masters
programmes, which are in related areas. The RG agrees that this would a useful
undertaking, although the distinctive characteristics and orientation of each
programme should be maintained. Possible examples of co-operation include the
provision of joint modules to students across the three programmes, and joint student
meetings.
While students on the three Masters programmes spoke very positively about
their courses of study, a number of issues were brought to the attention of the RG.
The RG advocates that staff members associated with these programmes engage in
regular evaluation with students, so as to discover and address any issues that may
arise. Three key areas that need consideration include the availability of community
development and social work resources in the Hardiman library, the adequacy of the
placement visitation system on the MA Community Development, and the methods of
assessment of the MSW.
In its response to the report of the previous quality review group, the
Department indicated it would establish a Ph.D. programme that would concentrate
on the areas of public policy, social and political theory, sociology and politics of
development, and sociology and politics in Ireland. To this end, an M.Litt./Ph.D.
director was appointed in 1997. The RG suggests that the Department should build
upon this positive development, and should revisit its proposal for a coherent Ph.D.
programme which would concentrate on the areas of research in which the
Department is strong. The number of M.Litt./Ph./D. students is relatively low,
although the RG acknowledges that this number has grown from a low base. The RG
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supports the Department’s intention to spread the supervisory load across the entire
staff group, thus moving away from the current situation whereby some staff
supervise more than one M.Litt./Ph.D. student, and others do not do any such
supervision. This is important both for staff development, as well as to ensure
equitable distribution of the supervision workload.
Recommendations:
1.
The RG supports the commitment of the Department to carry out a feasibility
study on the development of a taught Masters programme in Sociological and
Political Science. The Department should seriously consider the possibility of
introducing a Masters degree in this area, or a Masters in Governance and
Public Management that would be more field-based in nature. These Masters
courses should incorporate an international dimension.
2.
There should be a review of assessment procedures on the MSW programme.
In particular, the RG recommends that the MSW team reconsider the use of
formal examination as a method of assessment. This recommendation is being
made in the knowledge that equivalent programmes in other Irish universities
do not utilize formal examinations as a means of assessment.
3.
Ongoing attention must be paid to the relationship between the Department
and the organizations and agencies that provide practice placements for
students. Placements are the lifeblood of the taught postgraduate degrees, and
good relations need to be maintained between the University and these
organizations (see also Section 5, below).
4.
The Department should develop and implement guidelines on best practice
regarding Ph.D. and M.Litt. supervision and monitoring of student progress.
5.
Ph.D. students should be encouraged to present and discuss their work-inprogress at seminars or mini-symposia specifically aimed at these students.
These seminars or mini-symposia would constitute protected space where
students would gain confidence in presenting their ideas and responding to
those of others.
6.
In order to facilitate the recruitment of more Ph.D. students, the Department
should explore a scheme of small-scale fellowships that would make it
financially more feasible for greater numbers of graduates to commence Ph.D.
studies while seeking others sources of funding.
4.
Scholarship and Research
The RG commends the Department on its publication record, the increased emphasis
on research in the Departmental Plan and the development of research clusters within
the Department. The self-assessment report indicates that the Department is
committed to encouraging and facilitating high quality academic research. An
emphasis on research is highlighted in the Departmental Academic Plan 2005-2010,
and is reflected in the vision statement. Four specific research themes or clusters are
identified as forming the basis of the Department’s research activities over the coming
five years.
In order to facilitate this process, the development of a Strategic Research Plan
for the Department is recommended. This plan needs to consider how the different
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types of research within the Department can best be supported and promoted,
including collaborative work both within and outside the Department. Further
consideration needs to be given to the role of external funding in the development of
research activity, in particular the contracting of dedicated researchers in developing
the work and profile of the different research clusters identified within the
Departmental Academic Plan.
On a strategic level, Departmental policy on developing its research capacity
needs to address the balance of time and resources in terms of teaching and research.
In view of the very large undergraduate student numbers, the strong publication
record and research activity of certain staff members is to be commended. The
promotion of a strong link between teaching and research across the Department is
important in the context of the Department’s national and international profile.
Mechanisms to develop the research of new staff members should be put in
place. The Department could consider instituting a mentoring system whereby new
members of staff would receive support and guidance on research development from
the more established senior staff in the Department. As noted above, given the
expansion in the staff numbers in the Department, there are merits in considering
establishing a formal mentoring and support system.
Postgraduate level research is a crucial component of the development of
research in the Department. The detailed comments and recommendations in Section
3(b) above are pertinent in this regard.
Recommendations:
1.
Develop a Strategic Research Plan for the Department that will facilitate the
realisation of the research aims outlined on the Departmental Academic Plan
2005-2010.
2.
Give consideration to the benefits of actively pursuing external sources of
research funding to facilitate research in the Department.
3.
Take strategic decisions at departmental level regarding the balancing of staff
time and resources in respect of research and teaching.
4.
Support the development of research by new members of staff, for example
through establishing a formal mentoring system.
5.
The office of the Vice-President for Research should be responsive to and
support the particular needs of researchers in the social sciences and
humanities.
5.
Community Service
Departmental staff are very active in a variety of roles within the University
community, and in the wider regional and national community. In this regard, the
Department has been very successful in creating three Master programmes which
have a significant impact on professional life in the community. The Family Support
programme is recognized as providing a unique curriculum (a niche in the national
and perhaps even in the European market). Undoubtedly, all three taught Masters
programmes make a significant contribution to the practice of CD, SW and FS. As
these programmes significantly enhance the social reputation of the Department, good
relations with external agencies and community organizations need to be maintained,
and nurtured on an ongoing basis. With regard to monitoring of student placements, it
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seems feasible to continue institutional contacts by one formal visit on location, and
through regular contact by telephone or email. These external agencies and contacts
are partners that will, in the longer term, play an important role in facilitating
European-level MA accreditation. Furthermore, the development of Masters-level
research projects that are linked to the programmes of the Departmental research
clusters could facilitate joint research with the external agencies that currently support
student placements.
Recommendations:
1.
Put in place formal structures that ensure continued success in the interaction
between the various Masters programmes and professional bodies and
institutions, including a system for monitoring placement students.
2.
Consolidate sustainable relations with institutions in the relevant praxis to
ensure that the Department is well positioned to deal with issues arising from
accreditation, and from the development of new postgraduate curriculae.
6.
Concluding Remarks
As noted at the outset of this report, the RG acknowledges the tremendous work of the
Department of Political Science and Sociology in performing its role in undergraduate
teaching, and taught postgraduate programmes, and the positive experience reported
by the students of the department. The dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism of
the staff are of the highest order. The RG also commends the development of postgraduate research initiatives, and the research output of the staff.
The Department should consolidate and build on its positive achievements to
date, which include the following: the critical mass of staff and students in the
Department, the presence of a national and internationally visible group of talented
researchers, the support of the community as well as professionals for the three taught
MA programmes, and the goodwill the Department has accrued in its relationships
with higher administrative levels in NUI, Galway. Based on these developments, the
RG would like to invite the Department to give priority in its Departmental Academic
Plan 2005-2010 to positioning the Department as a nationally and internationally
recognised centre of academic quality based on its teaching, research and practice
contributions in the field of Political Science and Sociology. However, to achieve
this, the Department must (i) prioritise its activities, and (ii) develop a highly strategic
and planned approach to its future development. By taking these actions, the
Department will be strengthened, and better positioned to embark on the next stage of
its development.
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Comments on The Methodology of the Review Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
In terms of accommodation, transport and logistics, the Review visit was very
well organized by the Quality Office.
The Review Group required more laptops, plus access to printing facilities.
The Review Group should have been allocated more time to meet with the
Head of Department (half-hour was not nearly enough).
The Review Group should have had more opportunities to meet staff on an
individual basis.
Mr. Brian Keary, University of Limerick (Chair)
Professor Henri Goverde, Radboud University Nijmegen
Ms. Catherine Forde, University College Cork
Dr. Margaret Barry, National University of Ireland, Galway
Dr. Michael P. Carty, National University of Ireland, Galway (rapporteur)
April 19, 2005
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