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Parliamentary Studies

Module description

The Parliamentary Studies module examines the workings of the UK Parliament and the legislative processes in the context of the British party system and political culture, and the broader system of multi-level parliamentary government in the UK, including relationships with European institutions and devolved legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This module is suitable for non-specialist students interested in British politics. It does not have pre-requisites nor assumes prior knowledge and skills in this subject area. It is, however, specifically focused on the UK Parliament, and would not be the best fit for those on interdisciplinary pathways.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to foster your understanding of the many facets of Parliament – from the structure, functions and internal working of parliamentary bodies to inter-parliamentary relations between the UK Parliament and European institutions and devolved legislatures of the UK.

In addition to the institutional set-up, it aims to examine parliamentary politics by focusing on behaviours and legislative roles of parliamentarians, as well as their relationships with constituents, political parties and the British public using a series of simulation games and interactive activities.

Finally, it aims to build confidence and proficiency in the use of parliamentary language and writing styles, thus enabling you to write for political practitioners in the future.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

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

• 1. Show understanding of the internal organisation and the relationships between and within UK parliamentary structures, as well as the mechanics of the legislative process
• 2. Demonstrate awareness of debates regarding (1) the relationship between the executive and Parliament; (2) modernisation and reform of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and (3) the relationships of Parliament with devolved legislatures and with the EU institutions
• 3. Identify, explain and discuss the roles of Members of the House of Commons and Lords and the dynamics and effectiveness of parliamentary scrutiny and of parliamentary accountability

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

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

• 4. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the main issues shaping the future development of legislatures, including the UK Parliament
• 5. Demonstrate knowledge of the main theoretical and methodological approaches to legislative studies
• 6. Select and present in a coherent way, orally and in writing, empirical and theoretical arguments relevant to the study of Parliament
• 7. Collect, synthesise and analysis evidence, as well as present it in a coherent way in response to both academic and practitioners’ inquiries

ILO: Personal and key skills

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

• 8. Select, critically engage with and manage relevant learning resources and information and to develop own, evidence-based arguments
• 9. Organise study time, plan and undertake assigned tasks, as well as reflect on and integrate oral and written feedback, individually and in collaboration with peers
• 10. Communicate effectively and accurately, orally and in writing, to academic and political practitioner (i.e. parliamentary) audiences

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:

• Theoretical and historical perspectives on the UK Parliament
• Modernisation and the structure of the UK Parliament since 1997
• Passing legislation through the UK Parliament: The legislative cycle
• The EU, UK politics and Parliament
• Parliament and devolution
• Legislative roles and parliamentary behaviour
• Parliamentary representation and accountability
• The UK Parliament in a comparative perspective

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)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

• Leston-Bandeira, C. and Thompson, L. (eds.) 2018. Exploring Parliament. Oxford: OUP.
• Norton, P. 2013. Parliament in British Politics, 2^nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Additional readings:

• Bogdanor, V. 1999. Devolution in the United Kingdom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Cowley. P. 2002. Revolts and Rebellions, Parliamentary Voting under Blair. London: Politico.
• Deschouwer, K. and Depauw, S. (eds). 2014. Representing the people: a survey among members of state-wide and sub-state parliaments. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Flinders, M. 2002. ‘Shifting the balance? Parliament, the Executive and the British constitution’, Political Studies 50(1): 23-42.
• Geddes, A. 2013. Britain and the European Union. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Goldsworthy, J. 1999. The Sovereignty of Parliament: Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Kelso, A. 2009/13. Parliamentary Reform at Westminster. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
• Rehfeld, A. 2006. The Concept of Constituency: Political Representation, Democratic Legitimacy, and Institutional Design Cambridge: Cambrige University Press.
• Robert, R. and Walters, R. 2006. How Parliament Works. Harlow: Pearson Longman.
• Russell, M. 2013. The Contemporary House of Lords: Bicameralism Revived. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Searing, D. 1994. Westminster's world: Understanding political roles. Harvard University Press.
• Thompson, L. 2015. Making British Law, Committees in Action. Basingstoke: Palgrave.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

1. Parliamentary Research Papers (House of Commons Library/House of Lords Library) http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/ 
2. Hansard (official report of parliamentary debates) https://www.hansard.parliament.uk/
3. Committee publications http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/committees/select-committeepublications/ 
4. UK Government Departmental sites http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm 
5. UK Cabinet Office website http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/
6. They Work For You http://www.theyworkforyou.com
7. Hansard Society http://www.hansardsociety.org.uk
8. The Constitution Unit http://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
9. The Study of Parliament Group http://www.studyofparliament.org.uk
10. History of Parliament Trust http://www.histparl.ac.uk
11. The Inter-Parliamentary Union http://www.ipu.org/english/home.htm
12. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Union http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/mem/default.aspx
13. PSA Specialist Group on Parliaments and Legislatures http://www.psa.ac.uk/spgrp/33/ParlLeg.aspx
14. Institute for Government http://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
15. Westminster Foundation for Democracy http://www.wfd.org

Key words search

Parliamentary Studies