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Critical Skills for Politics and International Relations

Module description

This module provides you with an introduction to the study of politics and international relations with a focus on skills to support effective learning, critical thinking, and academic success. It enables you to develop skills crucial to a range of cross-cutting areas of academic practice (as well as professional life beyond university), such as: finding and critically engaging with appropriate sources; effective reading and note-taking; academic integrity; analysis and argumentation; interpretation of information and appropriate use of evidence; planning and structuring academic writing; and effective communication. You will develop your skills in these areas alongside discussion of a variety of socio-political topics as well as issues of epistemology and research methodology.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims to introduce you to the study of politics and international relations and provide foundations in a range of skills crucial for academic success across the related disciplines and approaches. It aims to provide consistent delivery of guidance around important matters of academic practice and lay the groundwork for further development of academic and personal skills throughout your degree programme, as well as professional life beyond university.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate understanding of academic integrity and conventions and practices essential to good academic conduct;
• 2. Demonstrate ability to think critically and independently, to construct coherent argumentation and to assess logical validity;
• 3. Demonstrate ability to critically engage with sources and information and to identify appropriate evidence;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Demonstrate effective application of key study and analysis skills to political issues and debates;
• 5. Demonstrate understanding of a range of approaches and disciplines relevant to study of the political world;
• 6. Demonstrate ability to communicate clearly and effectively about complex political issues;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Demonstrate ability to work independently and collaboratively;
• 8. Demonstrate skills in effective written and spoken communication

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Basics of various disciplines and approaches to the study of politics and international relations;
• Finding and critically engaging with appropriate sources;
• Effective reading and note-taking;
• Academic integrity;
• Analysis and argumentation;
• Interpretation of information and appropriate use of evidence;
• Planning and structuring academic writing;
• Effective communication

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Ref/Def Quizzes will be different versions of the term-time Quizzes (i.e. with questions on the same content, but differently constructed).

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Key words search

Introduction, Academic Skills, Critical Thinking, Foundation, Research, Communication, Analysis