GV481      Half Unit
Political Science and Political Economy

This information is for the 2015/16 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Valentino Larcinese

Availability

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Political Science and Political Economy. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Open to all MSc students in the Department of Government.

Course content

This course examines public policy formation, political processes and political institutions. The emphasis is on introducing some key formal models to simplify and analyze broad classes of situations. Students are not only expected to be familiar with these models but also to be able to use them to solve problems of a technical nature. The course will also emphasize rigorous empirical testing of formal models. We will focus on collective action, voting, elections, interest groups, legislative organization, political agency and bureaucracies.

Teaching

20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the MT. 1 hour of seminars in the ST.

Formative coursework

Two problem sets. Two additional optional problem sets can also be submitted.

Indicative reading

D. Mueller: Public Choice III; T. Persson and G. Tabellini: Political Economics; T. Besley: Principled Agents?

Assessment

Exam (100%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period.

Student performance results

(2011/12 - 2013/14 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 38
Merit 34.2
Pass 17.7
Fail 10.1

Key facts

Department: Government

Total students 2014/15: 41

Average class size 2014/15: 18

Controlled access 2014/15: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Communication

Course survey results

(2011/12 - 2013/14 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 89.2%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

2.4

Materials (Q2.3)

2

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

2.6

Lectures (Q2.5)

2.7

Integration (Q2.6)

3.1

Contact (Q2.7)

2.7

Feedback (Q2.8)

3.2

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

31.3%

Maybe

50%

No

18.7%