Programme Specification for the 2024/5 academic year
BSc (Hons) Politics and Management with Employment Experience
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | BSc (Hons) Politics and Management with Employment Experience | Programme code | UFS4HPSSBECB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Full Time |
Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Campus(es) | Cornwall Campus |
NQF Level of the Final Award | 6 (Honours) |
2. Description of the Programme
In an era of complex global challenges and transformations, it is more important than ever for managers and business leaders to understand politics and policymaking, and for politicians and policymakers to understand business and the practice of management.
Business and management are increasingly impacted by political processes and phenomena – populism, protest, war, geopolitics, industrial policy and state regulation. Meanwhile, many key political and policy issues concern business and management: climate change, supply chains, digitalisation, productivity and economic growth. Moreover, politics and policymaking are businesses in themselves, where success is the result of strategic thinking and skills in managing people and projects.
Navigating this terrain through a combination of academic insight and practical experience, this employability-focused degree programme aims to give you the knowledge and understanding needed to operate effectively in a range of relevant professional and organisational contexts. This includes industry, small business, local and national government, party politics, policymaking, NGOs or related fields like consultancy, marketing and public relations.
The degree programme is delivered on our Penryn Campus in Cornwall – a hotbed of innovation and experimentation with the sustainable and socially responsible industries, organisations and business models of the future. Our academics bring the latest research to your degree, combining academic excellence with real-world problem-solving that mobilises you to meet the critical and pressing challenges of the 21st century.,
Through the programme, you will benefit from Penryn’s interdisciplinary research strengths in three key themes central to the complex social, economic and environmental transitions underway in Cornwall and around the world, and central to success in any contemporary career in business or politics:
- Policy and Practice for Environmental Sustainability and Innovation – including business sustainability, environmental governance, industrial policy, energy policy, circular economy, environmental justice and social entrepreneurship;
- Management and Leadership in Work and Economic Life – including public policy, political economy, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, organisational strategy, equality diversity and inclusion, political communication and marketing, well-being and happiness, political participation and psychology,;
- Organisations and Institutions for Good Governance and Social Responsibility– including new and alternative business models and organizational structures, social movements, workplace democracy and industrial relations, comparative politics, NGOs, and the interaction between organisations and the natural environment
In year one, you will take compulsory introductory modules in the theory and practice of management, understanding work and organisations, public policy, and political communication. You will select from a range of optional modules spanning both departments, allowing you to specialise in areas such as business and society, political participation or accounting and marketing. You will also be able to choose between two work placement modules as recommended options, expanding your career horizons and professional experience.
In year two, you will take core training modules in project management and political analysis, as well as skills and employability-focused modules on political economy and business strategy. You begin to develop your intellectual and professional independence with a choice of optional modules including sustainable enterprise, business finance, workplace wellbeing, digital technology, marketing, political psychology, political geography and environmental politics. You are also able to take a work placement in this year of study.
In year three you will undertake a work placement.
In your final year you will continue to specialise through core modules on marketing strategy and international business, as well as recommended optional modules on employability-focused topics including the politics and policy of work and employment. You will work independently, with support from a supervisor, to produce a dissertation on a topic of your own choosing. You will also further specialise by taking modules in such diverse fields as sustainable development, organisational change and creativity, social and technological innovation, the economy of space, British party politics and the politics of China and post-Soviet states.
This programme is only available at University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus, renowned for its setting in the beautiful coastal landscape of Cornwall, a contemporary hotbed of innovation, entrepreneurship and green industries. The campus is recognised for its supportive and diverse learning environment, accessible staff, and world-leading interdisciplinary research and teaching. At the Penryn Campus you can pursue a unique programme combining intellectually challenging rigour with career-oriented skills and employability training. The programme unites the world-class resources of two departments based at the University of Exeter with the locally-focused, challenge-oriented interdisciplinary research and teaching for which Penryn Campus is renowned.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
This programme aims to:
- Offer a career-focused programme grounding you in the best of both Business and Politics, driven by an ethos of ethics, sustainability and good governance.
- Combine the study of business, work, government, political communication, policymaking, sustainability and ethics in a course that is designed for students seeking a managerial or leadership role in business, government, policymaking, civil service, third sector, human resources, consultancy or marketing.
- Engage you in the pressing global challenges confronting business, governments, political parties and other organisations, including social and economic inequalities, climate change, technological innovation, the future of work, populism, geopolitical conflicts and the contested character of contemporary globalisation.
- Provide the context for you to learn how to analyse change and uncertainty within complex, multi-faceted local and global environments, using local management, politics and governance in order to contextualise global issues and questions
- Help you to develop practical skills through problem-based learning. This includes training in policy analysis, political communication, marketing strategy and sustainable development
- Help you develop key graduate employability skills such as, critical thinking, intellectual flexibility and creativity, willingness to engage with new and challenging ideas, competency across a range of media and modes of communication, and organisational strategic assessments.
- Offer you a range of module choices, insofar as this choice is consistent with the coherence and intellectual rigour of the degree.
- Maximise your learning experience through an optimal mixture of lectures, seminars, field-based learning and supervised research projects that is commensurate with your needs and abilities as you progress through the programme.
4. Programme Structure
5. Programme Modules
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual review of this programme. Details of the modules currently offered may be obtained from the College website:
For a full list of Politics (POCxxxx) modules on Penryn Campus, see:
https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/studyinformation/modules/?prog=hass-cornwall
For a full list of Business Studies modules (BEPxxxx) on Penryn Campus, see:
https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/studyinformation/modules/?prog=business-school
You must complete 480 credits, with at least 150 credits of Politics modules and 150 credits of Business Study modules throughout your degree.
You may take optional modules as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.
You may take elective modules up to 30 credits annually outside of the programme in stages 1-3 of the programme as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.
Stage 1
75 credits of compulsory modules (including a 0 credit compulsory placement year preparation module). 45 credits of optional modules of which at least 15 must be taken from Stage 1 Business options and 15 credits from Stage 1 Politics options.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEP1080 | Theory and Practice of Management | 15 | No |
| BEP1100 | Understanding Work and Organisations | 15 | No |
| POC1014 | The Public Policy Process | 15 | No |
| POC1033 | Political Communication | 30 | No |
| HAP1906 | Preparing for Placements 1 | 0 | No |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSc Politics and Management - Year 1 Options (Business) 24.25 | |||
| BEP1010 | Business and Society | 15 | No |
| BEP1020 | Business Practice and Analysis | 15 | No |
| BEP1120 | Introduction to Economics | 15 | No |
| BEP1040 | Marketing in a Digital Age | 15 | No |
| BEP1030 | Operations Management: A Sustainable Perspective | 15 | No |
| BEP1160 | Business History | 15 | No |
| BEP1070 | Accounting | 15 | No |
| BSc Politics and Management - Year 1 Options (Politics) 24.25 | |||
| POC1026 | Power, Inequality and Global Justice | 15 | No |
| POC1029 | Work Placement | 15 | No |
| POC1021 | Key Concepts in Politics and International Relations | 15 | No |
| POC1003 | British Government and Politics | 15 | No |
| POC1023 | Participating in Politics | 15 | No |
| POC1028 | Modern Political Theory | 15 | No |
| POC1022 | Violence in World Politics | 15 | No |
Stage 2
60 credits of compulsory modules, (including a 0 credit compulsory placement year preparation module). 60 credits of optional modules of which at least 15 must be taken from Stage 2 Business options and 15 credits from Stage 2 Politics options.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEP2040 | Strategic Concepts for Business | 15 | No |
| BEP2020 | Project Management | 15 | No |
| POC2131 | Political Economy | 15 | No |
| POC2124 | Political Analysis | 15 | No |
| HAP2906 | Preparing for Placements 2 | 0 | No |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSc Politics and Management - Year 2 Options (Business) 24.25 | |||
| BEP2030 | Business Practice (Placement/Work Experience Project) | 15 | No |
| BEP2040 | Strategic Concepts for Business | 15 | No |
| BEP2050 | Finance for Business | 15 | No |
| BEP2060 | Research Inquiry for Practice | 15 | No |
| BEP2110 | Workplace Wellbeing | 15 | No |
| BEP2120 | Digital Technologies and the Future of Work | 15 | No |
| BEP2190 | Understanding Financial Statements | 15 | No |
| BEP2200 | Marketing Analytics | 15 | No |
| BSc Politics and Management - Year 2 Options (Politics) 24.25 | |||
| POC2005 | American Politics | 15 | No |
| POC2047 | Work Placement | 15 | No |
| POC2085 | Imagining the Good Life: From Agora to the American Dream | 15 | No |
| POC2087 | Security Studies | 15 | No |
| POC2088 | Understanding Israel and Palestine: One Land, Two People | 15 | No |
| POC2041 | The Political Psychology of Elites | 15 | No |
| POC2128 | Global Authoritarianism | 15 | No |
| POC2108 | Political Geographies: Local to Global | 15 | No |
| POC2114 | Green Politics in Theory and Practice | 15 | No |
| POC2012 | The Ethics and Politics of Humanitarian Intervention | 15 | No |
| POC2018 | National and Community Identity | 15 | No |
| POC2103 | Introduction to Postcolonialism | 15 | No |
| POC2120 | Power and Democracy | 15 | No |
| POC2123 | Politics of the Middle East | 15 | No |
| POC2129 | Gender and Politics in Africa | 15 | No |
| POC2130 | Political Behaviour across Generations and the Life Course | 15 | No |
| POC2132 | Politics of Work | 15 | No |
| POC2098 | Comparative Politics | 15 | No |
| POC2124 | Political Analysis | 15 | No |
Stage 3
120 credit compulsory placement module.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAP3906 | Work Placement Year | 120 | Yes |
Stage 4
60 credits of compulsory Dissertation, 60 credits of optional modules of which at least 15 credits must be selected from final stage Politics optional modules and 15 credits from final stage Business Study optional modules.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| POC3040 | Dissertation | 30 | No |
| BEP3020 | Practice-Based Consultancy Management | 15 | No |
| BEP3110 | Marketing Strategy | 15 | No |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSc Politics and Management - Final Year Options (Business) 24.25 | |||
| BEP3011 | Business and Climate Change | 15 | No |
| BEP3070 | Crisis: Change and Creativity in Organisations | 15 | No |
| BEP3010 | Social and Technological Innovation | 15 | No |
| BEP3172 | Future 17: Sustainable Development Goals Challenge | 15 | No |
| BEP3040 | Local-Global Innovation (Cornwall Research Seminar Series) | 15 | No |
| BEP3171 | The Economy of Space | 15 | No |
| BSc Politics and Management - Final Year Options (Politics) | |||
| POC3147 | Politics of Work | 15 | No |
| POC3146 | Party Politics, Voters and Elections in Britain | 15 | No |
| POC3103 | The Resource Paradox: Blessing or Curse? | 15 | No |
| POC3095 | Environmental Knowledge Controversies | 15 | No |
| POC3148 | Political Psychology and Society | 15 | No |
| POC3128 | Post-Soviet Politics and Societies | 15 | No |
| POC3023 | Entangled Life: Radical Democracy in Theory | 15 | No |
| POC3026 | Entangled Life: Radical Democracy in Practice | 15 | No |
| POC3097 | The Politics of Gender, Sex and Sexuality | 15 | No |
| POC3105 | Negotiating Postcoloniality: History and Politics of Independent India | 15 | No |
| POC3117 | The Politics of Climate Change | 15 | No |
| POC3124 | Political Thinkers of the Late Twentieth Century | 15 | No |
| POC3130 | Controversies in American Politics | 15 | No |
| POC3133 | Chinese Politics and Society | 15 | No |
| POC3134 | Queer Theory in the Global Context | 15 | No |
| POC3137 | The Politics of Knowledge and Ignorance | 15 | No |
| POC3138 | Field Trip | 15 | No |
| POC3141 | Displacement and Migration in the Middle East | 15 | No |
| POC3142 | Social and Islamist Armed Movements | 15 | No |
| POC3144 | Gender and Politics in Africa | 15 | No |
6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
1. 1. Demonstrate through written and oral work a solid understanding of theories and approaches in BusinessBusiness and Politics. | - 1, 2 and 3 begin to be developed in stage one, especially core modules, though lectures, seminars, written assessments, and group and individual presentations. Second and final stage extend this foundation into more specialist knowledges and approaches, in the context of more defined debates. - 2 and 3 form the backbone of all modules taken at all stages, but the level of complexity and nuance develops according to stage. The choice of assessment topics that you are given in upper-level modules develops your capacity to assess, apply, and extend your relevant knowledge. - 4 from the outset of the programme. Where applicable, you are encouraged to use the stage two modules in research methods, in Politics or Business and the final stage dissertation as a further way of addressing 4. Further, required field trip modules ensure you are instructed in field-specific methods and incorporation of field data into research and assessment. - 5 is a requirement of all Politics and Business modules, but there is particular emphasis on developing methodological and theoretical complexity as you progress through the stages of the programme. - 6 you are supported through your methods training and supervision structure to identify and pursue a self-defined research topic. - 7 you are given clear guidelines on style and academic practice, suitable to each of Business or Politics , in online Handbooks, are instructed in such matters across all stages of the degree, and are expected to demonstrate it in all modules. | The assessment of these skills is through a combination of: - term-time essays (1-5, 7), - critical reviews (1, 3, 5, 6), - examinations (1, 2, 3, 5), - year-long projects (the final stage dissertation) (1-7), - group role plays (1-3), - creative, narrative, and visual analyses (1-7) - oral presentations (1-5), - seminar participation (1-5, 7). The criteria of assessment pay full recognition to the importance of the various skills outlined. |
Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
8. 8. Draw comparisons between empirical evidence and theoretical approaches from a variety of different cases. | These skills are developed throughout the degree programme, but the emphasis becomes more complex as you move from stage to stage. They are developed through lectures and seminars, field trips, written work, oral work (both presentation and class discussion), and other interactive and collaborative learning practices that require engaging and assessing multiple perspectives | The criteria of assessment pay full recognition to the importance of the various skills outlined. These skills are assessed through a combination of: - term-time essays (8-15, 17) - critical reviews (8-12, 15) - examinations (8-15, 17) - year-long projects (final stage dissertation) (8-13, 17) - group role plays (10, 12, 13, 15, 16) - oral presentations (8-17) - seminar participation (8-16). |
Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
18. 18. Undertake independent study and work to deadlines | - 18 is an essential part of the successful completion of the programme. - 19 is developed through the formative assessments and increasing complexity of assessment forms over the programme - 20 is developed through practice: at all stages, you are partly assessed by timed, unseen examinations. - 21 is developed by ongoing opportunities to practice writing and speaking in academic contexts and receive continual, structured feedback - 22 and 23 is developed through self-assessment of work, peer review and meetings with module convenors (which you generally arrange); also developed through seminars, which form the whole or part basis of all modules. - 24 is developed to some extent in all modules, through interaction in seminars and in discussion with tutors about essay work, and in response to criticism both collective and individual. - 25 is most closely supported through the research methods training and the dissertation supervision process. - 26 is supported by the requirement to complete multiple forms of assessment that use IT tools relevant to a BA in Business and Politics , including word processing, powerpoint and other presentation software, image processing applications, and potentially spreadsheets and quantitative analysis tools. | These skills are assessed in Business and Politics modules through a combination of: - term-time essays of differing lengths – 2,000 words in Level 4 modules, - 2,500-3,000 in Level 5 modules, - 3,000-4,000 in Level 6 modules, and 10,000 in the Level 6 Dissertation (18-19, 22, 25-27), - critical reviews (18, 19, 22), - examinations (21), - year-long projects (final stage dissertation) (18-19, 22, 25-27), - group role plays (22-24), - oral presentations (18-19, 22-25, 27), - seminar participation (22-24). The criteria of assessment pay full recognition to the importance of the various skills outlined. |
7. Programme Regulations
Classification
Full details of assessment regulations for all taught programmes can be found in the TQA Manual, specifically in the Credit and Qualifications Framework, and the Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook. Additional information, including Generic Marking Criteria, can be found in the Learning and Teaching Support Handbook.
8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning
You will have an academic personal tutor for your entire programme of study who is available at advertised ‘office and feedback hours’. There are induction sessions to orientate you at the start of your programme. A personal tutoring system will operate with regular communication throughout the programme. Academic support will be also be provided by module leaders. You can also make an appointment to see individual teaching staff.
9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning
Please refer to the University Academic Policy and Standards guidelines regarding support for students and students' learning.
10. Admissions Criteria
Undergraduate applicants must satisfy the Undergraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Postgraduate applicants must satisfy the Postgraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Specific requirements required to enrol on this programme are available at the respective Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study Site webpages.
11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.
The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.
14. Awarding Institution
University of Exeter
15. Lead College / Teaching Institution
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS)
16. Partner College / Institution
Partner College(s)
Not applicable to this programme
Partner Institution
Not applicable to this programme.
17. Programme Accredited / Validated by
0
18. Final Award
BSc (Hons) Politics and Management with Employment Experience
19. UCAS Code
Not applicable to this programme.
20. NQF Level of Final Award
6 (Honours)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | 360 |
ECTS credits | 180 |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
[Honours] Politics and international relations
23. Dates
| Origin Date | Date of last revision | 05/06/2024 |
|---|
