POL20020 Comparative Politics

Academic Year 2024/2025

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.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

• 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;
• Develop transferable skills including critical thinking, team work, and written communication.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Tutorial

6
Autonomous Student Learning

95
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 Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Group Work Assignment: Group work assignment and presentation in tutorials n/a Graded No

30
Participation in Learning Activities: Participation in lectures n/a Graded No

10
Assignment(Including Essay): Essay questions and technical requirements on Brightspace. n/a Graded No

60

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