| Unit name | Foundations of Politics |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LANG00050 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | QCA-3 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Mr. Thornthwaite |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
IELTS: minimum 6.0 overall; minimum 5.5 in Writing component, minimum 5.0 in Speaking, Listening and Reading components, or equivalent |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
Not applicable. |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None. |
| School/department | Centre for Academic Language and Development |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
The 21st century is proving to be a period of immense interconnectivity, but also immense political complexity. Understanding the basics of political sciences and the forces that determine states’ interactions will be vital for any social scientist. Foundations of Politics provides a lively and challenging introduction to the study of Politics and International Relations. You will study major thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, Hannah Arendt and John Rawls, concepts like Liberalism, Realpolitik and Constructivism, and case studies that illuminate the real-world workings of theory and ideology. By the end of the unit, you will be familiar with the underlying theory and political reality you need to begin a range of degree programmes.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit provides specialist knowledge in the fields of Politics and International Relations. Students who wish to study these subjects further gain a solid foundation of knowledge, while for students in adjacent disciplines like Policy Studies, it combines with the units Introduction to the Social Sciences and Culture and Identity to provide a rich and engaging introduction to the study of a range of social science subjects.
An overview of content
In this unit, you will learn about major thinkers and ideas in political thought and International Relations. This includes concepts such as liberty, power and sovereignty. You will learn about constitutions and types of local and global government and governance, and gain a solid grounding in the different models of state interaction. In the study of International Relations you will become familiar with influential authors, and both the theory and the reality of global politics by exploring global developments such as migration and climate change.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
By the end of this unit you will be well prepared for studying Politics & International Relations and a range of other degrees. You will develop skills and critical thinking desirable for further studies in Social Science programmes. You will also develop strong discussion and debating skills, and you will be confident constructing arguments and communicating complex ideas in political contexts.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
Teaching is facilitated weekly through weekly workshops. Classes are delivered interactively, using a combination of teacher input and student discussions. This means you should come prepared to ask questions, join in discussions and make notes.
Tasks that help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks
Tasks that count towards your unit mark
When assessments do not go to plan
Any student registered on the International Foundation Programme will be offered a conditional place on an undergraduate degree at the University of Bristol. Students must meet the entry requirements to be admitted onto an undergraduate degree at the University of Bristol. Different degree programmes may have different entry requirements. The IFP Board will review the mark profiles of all students who are close to attaining the entry requirements but are outside the previously agreed near miss criteria and may agree to admit them to a degree programme. If not admitted, students may be offered a further opportunity (i.e. two attempts in total) to meet the entry requirements for their intended degree programme at the University of Bristol by re-taking a relevant assessment. Marks are not capped for this purpose. If a student is absent or their performance in assessment is significantly affected due to exceptional circumstances, they may re-take the relevant assessment at the next appropriate time, without penalty.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LANG00050).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
