GV251     
Government, Politics and Public Policy in the European Union

This information is for the 2017/18 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Eiko Thielemann

Availability

This course is available on the BSc in Government, BSc in Government and Economics, BSc in Government and History, BSc in International Relations, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, BSc in Politics and International Relations, BSc in Politics and Philosophy and BSc in Social Policy with Government. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.

Pre-requisites

Students must have completed Introduction to Political Science (GV101).

Course content

The course is divided into two parts; (i) Government and Politics: the EU as a political system, the Council, the Commission and the Parliament in the policy process, Court of Justice and Judicial politics, public opinion and EP elections, parties and Europe, interest representation; (ii) Public Policy: the policy-making process, policy implementation, the single market, social and environmental policies, budgetary policies, EMU, migration policies, external relations policies.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 9 hours of classes in the MT. 10 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the LT. 1 hour of lectures and 1 hour of classes in the ST.

There will be a reading week in week 6 of the MT and LT for feedback and advice sessions and assessment preparation.

Formative coursework

Two essays per term; students' preparedness for the examinations will depend on this written work and on private reading.

Indicative reading

S Hix and B Hoyland, The Political System of the European Union, 3rd edn; H Wallace, M Pollack & A Young (Eds), Policy-Making in the European Union, 6th edn; D Dinan, Ever Closer Union? An Introduction to the European Union, 4th edn.

Assessment

Exam (100%, duration: 3 hours) in the main exam period.

 

GENERAL COURSE STUDENTS ONLY:

The Class Summary Grade for General Course students will be calculated as follows: 15% class participation, 80% formative coursework (each formative essay counts for 20%) and 5% attendance.

Student performance results

(2014/15 - 2016/17 combined)

Classification % of students
First 27.7
2:1 58.5
2:2 10.6
Third 3.2
Fail 0

Key facts

Department: Government

Total students 2016/17: 37

Average class size 2016/17: 13

Capped 2016/17: No

Lecture capture used 2016/17: Yes (MT & LT)

Value: One Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

PDAM skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Communication