BSc (Hons) Politics with Foundation

• Foundation year

• In this year, you’ll experience a supportive environment to assist in the transition to successful study in higher education. You will learn about academic writing, critical thinking skills and begin to develop your research skills, as well as develop your knowledge and understanding through an introduction to key aspects of international relations and politics, and other relevant areas of law and social science.

  Core modules

  • Discovering Your Inner Academic (SSC301)

    In this module, students will learn the core academic and organisational skills required to succeed at university. They will benefit from a range of skill development sessions and subject-specific seminars, allowing them to practice applying the delivered academic skills in the context of their field of study.

  • Individual Project (SSC302)

    Students will undertake, with supervision, an individual project related to their degree programme. Staff will guide students through the process of defining, planning, and setting up their project. As part of the module, students will gain research and time management skills that will support their successful progression through their degree programme.

  • Crime and Deviance (SSC303)

    This module will introduce students to the main institutions and processes of the legal system and criminal justice in England and Wales, while developing key transferable skills related to the study and practice of law and criminal justice.

  • Human Rights and Social Justice (SSC304)

    Through the lens of human rights and social justice is module will introduce students to a foundational sociological understanding of the structure and organisation of society; and to the main institutions of domestic and international government, and the theories and concepts used by political science to study them.

• Year 1

• In year one, you will meet and work with all members of staff in the politics and international relations group. You will develop the skills to thrive at Plymouth as an undergraduate, and be provided with opportunities to make friends with your peers on the course. You will find out what some key political thinkers have argued about democracy and its rivals. You will study the politics behind some of the most urgent environmental problems faced by humanity. You will compare different democratic systems across the world, and understand how various domestic and international political actors behave and how international systems have evolved.

  Core modules

  • Democracy and Democratization (PIR4001)

    This module provides the foundation for the study of democracy and democratisation in politics and international relations, with a focus on competing theories of democratic governance and how these can be applied in a critical analysis of political practices and institutions both within states and in transnational global governance.

  • Discovering World Politics (PIR4002)

    The team-taught immersive module introduces students to key concepts and contemporary issues in the fields of Politics and IR and provides them with the necessary skills and tools to write essays and engage with academic debates.

  • Imagining World Order (PIR4003)

    This module introduces the essential terms, concepts and processes of international relations analysis. It describes the main features of the international system since its evolution from the Treaty of Westphalia, continuities and discontinuities with earlier international systems, plus the move from state sovereignty to global governance in the contemporary context. It also introduces the primary theories of international relations analysis, whilst putting their emergence and development into historical context.

  • Comparative Democracies (PIR4004)

    This module introduces students to the key themes involved in the study of democracies. It examines each of these topics within a comparative framework. The application of the key themes will be achieved through the medium of theoretical approaches and case study application. This module will include two 2-hour talks that introduce our School and programme level employability related opportunities and support, including details of the optional placement year.

  • International Relations Since 1945 (PIR4005)

    This module provides an introduction to the historical development of the international political system since 1945. It provides a crucial background to the major processes and actors that have shaped the contemporary international system.

  • One Planet? Society and Sustainability (PIR4006)

    This module addresses some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century from a variety of ideological and political perspectives. Through real-world case studies and critical reflection of lived experiences, we explore and debate the complex, interdependent processes underpinning sustainability and global inequality and insecurities. You develop an understanding of key drivers and public policy impacts and consider future alternative scenarios. The emphasis is on active, collaborative, learning via field trips and debates.

• Year 2

• In your second year, you will look at the politics of the global south, study British politics as it evolves, explore different types of non-democratic regimes and find out how the EU works and how it intends to deal with the UK as its new neighbour. You can study how civil society groups shape politics, how political debate and opinion is changing via traditional and social media, and how globalisation influences our understanding of sovereignty. Alternatively, you can choose up to two modules from across our school or study abroad with one of our partner institutions overseas.

  Core modules

  • Democracy in the UK: An Introduction to British Politics (PIR5005)

    This module presents an introduction to a basic understanding of how governance and democracy is organised in the United Kingdom. We explore the post war history of the UK, its evolving constitutional settlement, political institutions, regions, political parties, and devolution. We apply theoretical notions of democracy to the empirical reality of political life in the United Kingdom in the present day, against the backdrop of declining trust in institutions and eroding political engagement.

  • Politics and International Relations of the Global South (PIR5006)

    This module takes a critical approach to politics and international relations in the Global South. Students will interrogate labels associated with the Global South, state emergence and postcolonialism, and themes that highlight complexity in the Global South. These may include issues of race, legitimacy, democracy, revolution, connectivity, climate change, and development and inequality.

  • Stage 2 Professional Development, Placement Preparation and Identifying Opportunities (SSC500)

    This module is for students in the School of Society and Culture who are interested in undertaking an optional placement in the third year of their programme. It supports students in their search, application, and preparation for the placement, including developing interview techniques and effective application materials (e.g. CVs , portfolios, and cover letters).

  • Global Political Economy (PIR5007)

    This module analyses how the governance of international economic affairs has developed from the Mercantilist expansion of early modern Europe to the present day. It introduces four alternative approaches to the study of IPE. It presents the leading historical narratives of the evolution of the modern world political economy, and then investigates its development since 1945.

  Optional modules

  • The Longest War; Britain, Ireland and the Troubles 1949-2006 (HIS5003)

    This module looks at the complex relationship between Britain and Ireland in the later part of the twentieth century up to present day. It has a special focus on the conflict in Northern Ireland. Students will look the impact of the Troubles on both societies; and study in depth the peace process.

  • The Politics of the European Union (PIR5001)

    This module introduces students to the history, structure, tensions and potential future development of the European Union. It examines these within the context of theories of democracy and power. There is a specific focus on the unique supranational element of the EU and the multilevel politics involved. It also offers case studies of key policies and the experience of specific states within the EU. Furthermore, Brexit and the process of leaving the European Union is covered.

  • Non-Democratic Regimes (PIR5004)

    This module supplements our first stage modules on ‘democracy and democratization’ and ‘comparative democracies’ by introducing students to the study of political systems that commonly fall under the title ‘non-democratic’ and their social and political origins.

  • Race, Nation, Empire: Understanding Identity and Belonging in the UK (SOC5002)

    This module explores how intersecting ideologies of racism, nationalism, and imperialism relate to contemporary struggles over identity and belonging in the UK. In doing so, the module seeks to provide students with a critical understanding of the ideological bases of some of the most urgent issues facing British society today, including: the fracturing of the UK after loss of empire; the racist backlash against postcolonial migration; and, the rise of English nationalism and the vote for Brexit.

  • Politics Beyond Parliaments (PIR5013MX)

    This module analyses the role of civil society and the public sphere in democratic governance and in democratization from a variety of theoretical perspectives.

  • Harm in the 21st Century (CRM5003MX)

    This module explores the global challenges of harmful behaviours and activities in contemporary society by considering specific areas of concern for criminologists. By drawing on real-world examples in everyday life, the module examines how social problems and issues have arisen due to processes of globalisation that have changed the social, political and economic landscape of the 21st century.

  • Crime, Harm and Culture (CRM5009MX)

    The module aims to provide students with a critical appreciation of harm and crime by exploring relevant issues from film, television, music, fiction literature and art. By applying a criminological lens to different forms of popular culture, students will be able to examine a variety of media forms in terms of its content and its contemporary political, social and economic context using different theories and concepts.

  • Writing Genre Fiction (ENG5017MX)

    This module takes students into in-depth engagement with prose fiction writing in various genres, with possibilities including fantasy, science-fiction, period/historical, young adult fiction, horror, comedy, romance, crime, and thriller. The module is taught through lecture, seminars, and workshops where students are asked to submit and feedback to peers and tutors on a regular basis.

  • Play and Games for Performance (PER5008MX)

    This module will introduce students to practical methods for designing games and play structures for participatory performances that invite audiences to become actively involved in the work. In addition to learning new tools for designing and facilitating play, students will be prompted to consider playfulness from a theoretical perspective, recognising the connection between the play of mimesis and theatrical performance.

  • ‘Hurt Minds’: Madness and Mental Illness in Literature (ENG5013MX)

    This module considers changing attitudes towards, and a variety of theories of, the mind, examining how different cultures have understood ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ mental states. It will look at how the experience and treatment of mental illness has been represented in fiction. The mind is at its most fascinating when it behaves outside of expected social norms. By considering a variety of literary texts over several centuries, this module explores shifts in the definition, understanding, evaluation, and management of exceptional mental states.

  • Law in Context: Commerce and Intellectual Property (LAW5019MX)

    This module focuses on the work of commercial lawyers in practice in helping businesses to trade. It analyses a range of contractual agreements dealing with the manufacture, sale, supply and distribution of goods, assets and services in general and intellectual property in particular.

  • Voter Behaviour and Effective Election Campaigning (PIR5014MX)

    This module undertakes an advanced examination of contemporary trends and developments in theories of electoral behaviour globally; then more specifically the relationship between electoral rules, electoral systems and election outcomes; the evolution of campaign techniques, and the role, mechanics, and accuracy of opinion polls in modern electoral politics. These global understandings are applied directly to the case of British politics.

  • Gothic Fictions: Villains, Virgins and Vampires (ENG5002MX)

    This module looks at eighteenth- and nineteenth-century novels to trace the variety and scope of literary contributions to the Gothic. It begins by discussing the origins of the Gothic novel, then moves to the heyday of the genre in the revolutionary 1790s, on to authors writing in the early and mid-nineteenth century, through to the decadence of the 1890s.

• Optional placement year

• Undertake an optional placement year where you can build a number of key employability skills. Put theory into practice, get a taste for your chosen career and expand upon your professional network.

  Core modules

  • School of Society and Culture Placement Year (SSC600)

    Students have the opportunity to gain work experience that will set them apart in the job market when they graduate by undertaking an optional flexible placement year. The placement must be a minimum of 24-weeks (which can be split between a maximum of two different placement providers) and up to a maximum of 48-weeks over the course of the academic year. The placement is flexible and can be undertaken virtually, part or full time and either paid or voluntary. This year allows them to apply and hone the knowledge and skills acquired from the previous years of their programme in the real world.

• Final year

• You will do research on a political issue of your choice, with close support from our expert staff. You can choose from modules delivered by staff with research expertise in subjects such as the politics of the Middle East, Africa, the USA and Europe, environmental governance, the media, post-truth politics, or learn how to develop, plan and coordinate political campaigns and elections. There is also an opportunity to develop your skills with our work-based learning module. Make your degree your own, studying modules offered by other disciplines across our school.

  Core modules

  • Dissertation in Politics and International Relations (PIR6000)

    This module provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their attainment of the aims and objectives of the Honours Programme. It requires the design and execution of a dissertation of 12,000 words in the field of political science, together with the submission of a 2,000 word formative Literature Review detailing the aims and objectives of the dissertation together with a consideration of the extant academic literature in the field of the research question.

  Optional modules

  • Work Based Learning in Politics or International Relations (PIR6001)

    This module provides students with opportunities to gain practical insights into the workings of organisations whose role and function have clear relevance to the focus and subject matter of their undergraduate degree in Politics or International Relations, and to link such insights to their acquired knowledge and understanding of social science theories and concepts. In addition the module will prepare students for the graduate job market and encourage their autonomous engagement in personal development planning.

  • NATO after the Cold War and Beyond (PIR6002)

    This module proposes to study the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from a theoretical as well policy point of view. The aim is to investigate the relevance of NATO in the 21st century by looking at how NATO survived and developed in the aftermath of the Cold War as it appeared to have lost its original purpose of containing the Soviet Union. By looking at key developments within NATO in the post-Cold War period, this module also looks at the challenges which NATO has faced and overcome but it also critically reflects on the contemporary relevance of NATO.

  • Africa in the International System (PIR6003)

    This module provides an introduction to African politics, examining the historical, economic and socio-political developments of over fifty states with a strong regional emphasis, and a particular focus on political economy, state-society relations, foreign policy and conflict analysis. The module’s regional focus allows comparison between different approaches to international relations. It also seeks to provide the tools to analyse and understand what is going on in Africa today.

  • Europe in the World (PIR6004)

    Europe includes the European Union (the world’s major trading bloc and its most integrated regional institution) as well as many states of importance in their own right. This module takes a holistic look at the EU’s role in the world and the link between its economic and political presence. Furthermore it analyses the role of individual European states (inside and outside the EU). Apart from the policies and strategies of European actors vis-à-vis Russia, the US, China and countries in the Middle East and Africa it will also cover these states’ opinions of Europe and the European Union.

  • The Politics of the United States (PIR6006)

    This module introduces students to the fundamental principles of politics in the United States. While domestic politics are privileged, consideration is given to the foreign policy of the US. Specific emphasis placed on the role of the Constitution and institutions of governance in promoting (or inhibiting) democracy both domestically and abroad.

  • Advanced Short Story Workshop (ENG6003)

    In this module we will examine a range of contemporary short story writing and relevant theory as a way for students to learn how to compose their own short fiction. Class time will be divided between discussion of short fiction and theory, writing exercises and peer workshops of student work. The workshops will be substantially informed by staff research practice.

  • American Crime Writing (ENG6005MX)

    This module considers the development of twentieth-century American crime fiction from hard-boiled detectives, to myths of the mafia, and postmodern reinventions of the genre. This module will explore the cultural contexts of American crime writing, prevailing conventions of the genre, as well as challenges to those conventions.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

BSc Politics with Foundation Programme Specification Sep23 7233