PIR-30160 - Module Specification
School of Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

Parliament has never seemed more relevant to political life in the UK and this module aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of how the UK Parliament works in both theory and practice. Taught in conjunction with staff from the Westminster Parliament, the module examines the increasing prominence of Parliament as an actor in policy-making in the twenty-first century, particularly in the context of Brexit. The module gives students the tools to understand the role of Parliament in shaping policy and politics in the twenty-first century.

This module aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of how the UK Parliament works in both theory and practice. It seeks to examine the increasing importance of Parliament as an actor in policy-making in the twenty-first century. The module aims to enhance both the subject-specific knowledge of students about the operation of Parliament, but it also seeks to develop the analytical skills of students (principally through engagement with advanced interpretive frameworks) and their practical-orientated capabilities (e.g. in writing policy briefs).

Intended Learning Outcomes

evaluate scholarly accounts of legislatures and legislative decision-making in the context of the UK Parliament
: 1
apply theoretical/analytical frameworks from legislative studies and public policy to features of parliamentary practice and public policy outputs: 1
develop skills in identifying and analysing policy: 1,2

Study hours

20 hours: 10 two-hour lecture/seminars
5 hours: Day trip to Westminster
45 hours: Preparation and completion of policy brief components
80 hours: Preparation and completion of 2,500-word report

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment