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POL20020

Academic Year 2024/2025

Comparative Politics (POL20020)

Subject:
Politics
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Politics & Int Relations
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Dawn Walsh
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module introduces students to issues and methods in comparative politics, focusing on domestic politics. We study politics in a comparative context, to broaden and deepen our understanding of important political institutions and processes. We do this by making systematic comparisons among political systems that are similar in many respects but nonetheless differ in important ways. This allows us to analyze the effect of these differences in a careful and rigorous way, enriching our understanding of how politics works.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module students will:
Understand why we might use the comparative method in political research and some of the main strengths and limitations of this approach;
Understand how countries differ in their political institutions and why this matters;
Be able to engage with contemporary academic research on comparative politics

Transferable skills developed:
Research capabilities
Writing
Oral presentation
Teamwork

Use of AI not permitted.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

95

Lectures

24

Tutorial

6

Total

125


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
• Lectures
• Tutorials
• Group discussions
• Academic reading and writing

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

Students taking this course should have already have taken a Level One Politics course or its equivalent. This course is recommended for all students who intend to take any Politics courses at Level Three in the future.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Essay questions and technical requirements on Brightspace. Week 12 Graded No
60
No
Group Work Assignment: Group work assignment and presentation in tutorials Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
30
No
Participation in Learning Activities: Participation in lectures Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
10
No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be provided to students within 20 working days of the deadline for the assignment in accordance with university policy.

Name Role
Professor David Farrell Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 2 Week(s) - 23, 25, 29, 31, 33 Tues 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 3 Week(s) - 22, 24, 26, 30, 32 Tues 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 5 Week(s) - 23, 25, 29, 31, 33 Thurs 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 6 Week(s) - 22, 24, 26, 30, 32 Thurs 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 7 Week(s) - 23, 25, 29, 31, 33 Thurs 10:00 - 10:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 8 Week(s) - 22, 24, 26, 30, 32 Thurs 10:00 - 10:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 9 Week(s) - 23, 25, 29, 31, 33 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 13 Week(s) - 22, 24, 26, 30, 32 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 15 Week(s) - 23, 25, 29, 31, 33 Tues 14:00 - 14:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 16 Week(s) - 22, 24, 26, 30, 32 Tues 14:00 - 14:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 17 Week(s) - 23, 25, 29, 31, 33 Tues 10:00 - 10:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 18 Week(s) - 23, 25, 29, 31, 33 Wed 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 20 Week(s) - 22, 24, 26, 30, 32 Wed 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 22 Week(s) - 22, 24, 26, 30, 32 Tues 10:00 - 10:50