BA Philosophy and Politics

PHL1002A: Knowledge and Reality 1

This module introduces you to classical epistemological and metaphysical questions such as 'how do we know what we know?' and 'what is there?'. It presents and analyses some classical questions of the nature of reality and discusses subjects such as innate knowledge, scepticism, empiricism and common sense.

You will consider the early modern debate between rationalists and empiricists, as well as older and newer treatments of such related issues as Decartes' cogito, substance, idealism and the value of metaphysics. You will gain an understanding of technical terminology such as epistemology and metaphysics and be able to comment on the strengths and weaknesses of these views.

The aim of this module is to introduce you to classical epistemological and metaphysical questions. It presents and analyzes some classical answers to the question of how we know what we know, and about the nature of reality. The module discusses the early modern debate between rationalists and empiricists, as well as older and newer treatments of such related issues as innate knowledge, substance, scepticism and the value of metaphysics

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PHL1002B: Knowledge and Reality 2

The aim of this module is to introduce you to core topics in western philosophy. The course will revolve around a number of questions: What is the mind? What is the self? Does God exist? Why is there evil? Are we free? What should we do? How should we live? In considering these questions, you will become acquainted with some of the main historical movements in western philosophy, as well as with basic concepts and theories in core areas of philosophy such as epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, and moral philosophy. No special knowledge is required, but it would be helpful to have attended the first part of this module, Knowledge and Reality 1.

The aim of this module is to introduce you to core topics in western philosophy. The course will revolve around a number of questions: What is the mind? What is the self? Does God exist? Why is there evil? Are we free? What should we do? How should we live? In considering these questions, you will become acquainted with some of the main historical movements in western philosophy, as well as with basic concepts and theories in core areas of philosophy such as epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, and moral philosophy.

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PHL1005A: Evidence and Argument 1

Philosophers try to think rationally about the most general and abstract questions; for this reason, they spend a lot of time constructing and criticising arguments. This module introduces you to the basic principles of argumentative reasoning, including basic propositional and predicate logic; you will investigate what makes a good or a bad argument, and how to distinguish one from the other. This is an essential skill not only in science and philosophy, but also in politics and everyday life.

Consisting of a mixture of theory and practical exercises, this module will teach you the tools and skills necessary for analysing, evaluating and constructing arguments. You will learn to analyse texts taken from philosophy and the social sciences, assess the validity of arguments, identify the most common forms of pseudo-reasoning and evaluate the use of evidence in empirical science.

This module is suitable for all students in philosophy and other social science disciplines. No prior knowledge is required.

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PHL1006: Introduction to Philosophical Analysis

On this module, you will be introduced to various conceptions of philosophy that have existed over time, and you will develop your interpretive skills through the study of classic texts. You will be introduced to five different conceptions of philosophy and study texts illustrative of each, together with critical commentaries. This will teach you to appreciate the differences between styles of philosophical writing and thinking, the historical and philosophical reasons for those differences, and the implications for the kind of arguments that are produced. You will also learn how adopting these different styles can affect and inform your own way of thinking and arguing, and you will be encouraged to assess which of these styles better suits your skills and aims in studying philosophy.

This module has two aims: to introduce you to the various conceptions of philosophy that have existed over time, and to develop your interpretive skills through the study of classic texts. You will be introduced to five different conceptions of philosophy and study texts illustrative of each, together with critical commentaries.

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PHL1013: Philosophy of Morality

Almost daily we, both as individuals and as a society, are confronted with situations that are morally challenging. We are occasionally tempted to do things that we know to be wrong, and often we are not even sure what the right thing to do is. Amongst other things, we argue about the morality of abortion and assisted suicide, about animal rights and the rights of human embryos, about the permissibility of torture and the death penalty.

How do we know what is right and what is wrong? Philosophers have developed different theories that are meant to provide an answer. We will study these theories, look at various arguments that can be derived from them to show either the rightness or wrongness of certain actions or practices, e.g. abortion, and discuss their merits and weaknesses. No prior knowledge is required to complete this module.

The course introduces students to basic principles of the main contending moral theories and seeks to show how these are involved in assessing moral justifiability and obligation. It will also draw attention to the complex relation between moral theory and moral judgment on the one hand, and the factual status of the phenomena and situations to which moral reasoning and principles are applied on the other.

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POL1025: Classical Political Thought

This module is the first instalment in a series of History of Political Thought modules at Exeter. You will study some of the formative political writings in the Western philosophical tradition that have come down to us from the pens of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. You will become acquainted with a world very different from our own, yet one that is the source of many of the concepts, values, institutions, and much of the language, of modern Western politics. For example, ‘democracy’, ‘tyranny’, ‘justice’, ‘citizen’, ‘republic’, and ‘politics’ itself are all words that have Greek or Latin origins, and refer to ideas crucial to the political thought of the Classical period.

The aims of this module are:

• Historical – to introduce you to various important Classical political thinkers, their context, ideas, and relationships;
• Philosophical – to critically explore the structure and coherence of the ideas studied and to enable you to reflect on their value for thinking about politics in our own time;
• Methodological – to help you develop skills in close-reading and interpretation of textual evidence, skills which have application in many areas of life, academic and otherwise.

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POL1026: Early Modern Political Thought

This module will introduce you to the key works of some of the most important thinkers in the early-modern period, spanning from the Italian Renaissance to the French Revolution. These will include Niccoló Machiavelli (1469-1527), Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), John Locke (1632-1704), Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797), and Edmund Burke (1729-1797). You will be encouraged to study these works from a variety of perspectives, including: as addressing problems peculiar to the historical context in which they were written; as abstract theoretical explorations of some of the key concepts in politics, such as the state, sovereignty and liberty; and as important episodes in a narrative of the development of modernity that shapes how we understand both the history and identity of politics today. These perspectives need not be antithetical and the scope of the course encompasses all three.

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PHL1004: Philosophical Problems 1

This module will introduce you to the kind of philosophical thinking that is involved in solving, or at least addressing, concrete philosophical problems. Each lecture will focus on such a problem, which will take the form of a concrete real-world example. Throughout the module, and through the lens of these examples, we will cover many of the core areas of philosophy. What sets this module apart from other general introductions to philosophy is its focus on concrete problematic examples. These examples themselves will guide your thinking and discussion, rather than what some famous philosopher happened to say. There is no prior knowledge or experience required, and there are no pre-requisite or co-requisite modules.

The aims of this module are both general and specific. The general aims are to introduce you to a way of approaching concrete problems with both clarity of thought and methodological sophistication. However, it will also introduce you to the fundamental nature and underlying motivations behind core areas and debates in philosophy. Too often students are told to read the two sides of a debate in philosophy without being first given an appreciation of why the debates in question are taking place. In stark contrast, this module situates, grounds and motivates key debates in philosophy, so that you will understand why so much ink has been spilled on certain (often seemingly trivial or obscure) issues.

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PHL1010: Introduction to Asian Philosophy

This module introduces you to some of the most important philosophical traditions of Asia: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. It analyzes and discusses ancient classical texts in these traditions, and looks at different conceptions of reality, selfhood, consciousness, meditation, virtue and self-cultivation.

At the end of the module, you will be familiar with major Asian philosophical traditions, their historical and social background, and their central concepts as discussed in major classical texts. You will be aware of the existence of spiritual traditions concerned with the practice of self-cultivation, and understand the relationship between meditative practices and philosophical worldviews.

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PHL1112: Philosophy of Film

In this module, you will watch and discuss 10 films, with a view to investigating the philosophically interesting problems that they raise. Topics discussed include horror films, film and ethics, film and politics and the ontology of cinema. This module is suitable for all students. It does not require a prior background in philosophy.

Films often address philosophically interesting topics, but not in the manner of abstract philosophical books or articles. A film, like any fiction, tells a story, in which a philosophical idea may be obliquely conveyed. But it is also a visual article, which can further clarify or complicate its philosophical meaning. The nature of cinema as a medium is a philosophically interesting topic in its own right. This module introduces you to a variety of philosophical problems through film, and asks what cinema may contribute - if anything - to our understanding of those problems

This module is intended as an alternative introduction to philosophical thinking, adding an audio-visual dimension to more text-based modules. The module prepares students for further studies at stages 2 and 3 by introducing them to various ways in which philosophical thinking can be applied productively to hypothetical and real life problems in a wide variety of contexts. The module also provides important analytical and interpretative skills essential in an increasingly visual social world.

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SPA1004: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

This module will introduce the core societal, philosophical and ethical issues raised by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLM) and provide a practical introduction to ethical use of Generative AI, with a focus on higher education. The module is suitable for all philosophy, sociology, criminology, anthropology, politics and international relations students who want to understand the philosophical issues related to AI and LLMs, and to acquire practical skills in the ethical use of AI.

• You will learn to identify and assess societal, philosophical and ethical issues raised by the development of artificial intelligence.
• You will learn research skills in ethically using Generative AI.
• You will develop core philosophical skills such as critical reflection, argumentation and clarity of expression.

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POL1017: Globalisation of World Politics

This module introduces you to the discipline of International Relations, to the key moments in the historical development of world politics and how these historical processes have shaped the emergence of globalization. You will develop an understanding of the key questions and core concepts used within the field of IR, the historical contexts in which they are situated, and thereby understand how to use them for yourself.

• To introduce you as first year politics students to the concepts and questions of world politics.
• To introduce you to the key moments in the historical development of the world politics and the emergence of globalization
• To familiarise you with the contexts and broad approaches used within the field of International Relations.
• To exercise some of the analytical techniques necessary to evaluate world politics.

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POL1018: The Challenges of World Politics in the Twenty-First Century

This module equips you with the analytical tools needed to understand and engage with the major tensions and policy dilemmas confronting international relations in the twenty-first century. We explore these debates through the lens of what many scholars describe as 'the crisis of the Liberal International Order'. Since the end of the Cold War, international relations has been profoundly influenced by the actors, institutions, and norms associated with liberal order: international organisations, market-driven economic integration and free trade, and universal human rights. Now, a range of enduring and emerging challenges has raised questions about the resilience and legitimacy of this order, including the retreat of multilateralism, international armed conflict, global economic inequality, humanitarian crises, climate change, populism, and disinformation. You will consider whether these developments signal a fundamental transformation of international order and how policymakers should respond.

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POL1019: Power and Democracy

Democracy means 'rule by the people'. But who are the people? Who should be included as part of the demos? How can the people rule over themselves? Can they limit their own power? This module examines the idea of democracy and the meaning and nature of a range of democratic practices and institutions. It will consider the conditions under which power is exercised within a democratic regime. By surveying some influential texts in democratic theory, the module will provide foundational training in contemporary political theory for students of Politics and International Relations.

This module will introduce you to some key conceptual and normative debates in democratic theory. It aims to make you aware of the nature, limitations and possible applications of a range of different perspectives, conceptual approaches, and interpretations in democratic theory. For students interested in pursuing Politics and/or International Relations as a field of study, this is a useful introduction to core concepts in democratic theory.

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POL1029: Introduction to Comparative Politics

This module introduces you to the key concepts, theories, and methods from the field of Comparative Politics. Topics include the nature and origins of the modern state, democracy, authoritarianism and regime transitions, social and political cleavages, elections, political participation and media systems. You will develop the skills needed to engage in rigorous and systematic comparison, and to apply core theories to better understand political change. Although we will spend time thinking about concepts and theories, empirical case studies will inform all the questions we ask. In true comparative fashion, our examples will be drawn from a wide variety of representative case studies around the world. Teaching and learning for this module will take place in an interactive environment where students will be expected to engage fully with their peers and tutor, as well as working independently. Lectures will introduce key concepts and give students a grounding in the main issues and debates pertaining to the topic under consideration. Independent study and tutorials will help students to formulate, debate, and refine their own analyses of these topics.

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POL1045: International Politics of the Global South

This module will introduce you to the historical construction and evolution of what has come to be called the Global South - formerly known as the 'Third World' and the 'developing countries' - starting from the processes of colonisation, decolonisation and postcolonial state- and nation-building. You will learn about the position and roles that this varying and heterogeneous grouping of states has had within international politics and the global economy, both during and after the Cold War. Secondly, theories of International Relations (IR) that pay particular attention to the Global South will be critically discussed, including structuralist/dependency/international political economy (IPE) approaches, subaltern realism, and postcolonial and decolonial theories. Consideration will also be given to non-Western contributions to IR and the related problems of sociology of knowledge in the discipline. Finally, thematic sessions will be devoted to understanding the shared or varying features of foreign policy, security and regionalism in the Global South, as well as the Global South's impact on the global governance of the economy, climate change and migration. No pre-requisites or prior experience needed.

1) To introduce students to the historical construction and evolution of the Global South in international politics

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POL1046: The State of the UK: Identifying Marginalised Identities and Addressing Inequalities

This module will introduce foundational concepts for the study of UK Politics, including Parliament's constitutional basis and the process of devolution, and considers theories of power to questions who can access such resource. The module provides a detailed examination of the impact of contemporary law and policy on citizens, and identifies marginalised identities and the associated inequalities embedded in public institutions. In an empirical sense, this involves the study of trends including institutional bias and heteronormativity in the law, through case studies such as ableism and Housing, LGBTQI+ and healthcare, BAME students and education, and women and employment. The course will develop to additionally appreciate the global context and the UK's synergies and differences on these issues with its international counterparts.

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POL1047: Global Sustainability Policy and Governance

Multiple transnational challenges face policy-makers in the 21st Century, raising questions over how they should be governed in practice. In this respect, the United Nations has set out a normative agenda for future global policy up to the year 2030 via its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), agreed by national governments in 2012. These goals encompass the critical issues of our times, including reducing poverty, ensuring access to clean water, promoting clean energy, preserving oceans, reducing inequality and maintaining global security. Achieving them will require innovative critical thinking and novel, interdisciplinary policy solutions.

This foundation module seeks to identify, discuss and evaluate emerging policy responses to these challenges at multiple institutional levels as basis for lesson-drawing. Drawing on theories of governance as an analytical lens it will: examine the context relating to the SDGs; provide an overview of the UN targets; introduce a range of governance theories (for example, multi-level governance, network governance, regulatory governance, collaborative governance, urban governance, polycentric governance, mixed governance, global governance); and provide an empirical and theoretical analysis of critical policy challenges to attaining the SDGs.

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POL1048: The Politics of Development

This module will introduce you to the politics of development focusing on theories and experiences from across the Global South. The module is structured around main themes (theoretical approaches to the politics of development, domestic factors, institutions, and international factors) which provide a comparative perspective on the politics of development. The module provides an introduction to contemporary research on the politics of development, covering issues such as colonialism, political parties, political systems, civil conflict, gender and inequality, international financial institutions, poverty, foreign aid and democratization, populism and leadership.

This module is suitable for specialist and non-specialist alike.

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POL1049: Introduction to Public Policy and Administration

The module introduces you to a range of core conceptual and empirical issues in public policy and public administration, focusing on how governments make and implement decisions for political communities. It provides you with the analytical tools to critically assess stages of the policy process and how government and associated public administration operates. Empirical illustrations draw from the UK and comparative cases including responses to contemporary policy challenges about the environment, economy and society.

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SSI1005: Introduction to Social Data

'Women do 11 hours more housework than men' or 'Violent crime is down for three years in a row'. Much social science research uses quantitative research methods and statistics to investigate social phenomena ranging from employment, crime rates, health outcomes, political participation and social class. This introductory first-year module introduces you to key concepts in quantitative research design,data collection and data analysis as a basis for understanding such social phenomena

This module is suitable for all social science students and is part of the Q-Step core sequence in research methods.

The aim of this module is to introduce you to quantitative research design,data collection and basic data analysis. More specifically, it uses data sets and research examples drawn from existing social science research to illustrate core concepts and methods in quantitative research. By introducing you to methods such as experiments and surveys, and the type of social science research that can be produced using these, this module lays the foundation for understanding quantitative methods and for your own experience in conducting quantitative studies.

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SSI1006: Data Analysis in Social Science 1

The purpose of the module is to introduce you to data analytical tools commonly used in social science research. It is designed for students with no previous experience of quantitative methods or statistics. It will provide you with a basic knowledge of the foundations of descriptive statistics and inference, focusing especially on methods for data presentation, description, and visualization. You will also become familiar with statistical software packages (Excel and R) commonly used in academic and workplace settings. Laboratory (Lab) sessions will be used to re-enforce the material covered in the lectures and to help apply the core concepts seen in class to relevant practical problems. Throughout the module, you will link the techniques and methods learned in class to substantively relevant political science questions - e.g., are there differences in corruption levels and its determinants across countries? What are the key determinants of income inequality in the UK?

SSI1005 (SOC1004/POL1008) is a pre-requisite and no co-requisites are required.

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PHL2010A: Philosophy of Mind 1

In this module you will be introduced to the concept of 'The Mind'. You will consider what he mind is and discuss and be presented with conceptual issues that arise from these discussions. In the first half of the module, you will analyze the mind-body problem in its various facets: how it emerged, what it implies, and whether and how it can be overcome. At the end of the course, you will be familiar with major, classic and contemporary views, including "substance dualism", "property dualism", "behaviourism", "identity theory", "instrumentalism", "functionalism", and "eliminativism". You will demonstrate your knowledge of these theories, summarise and evaluate them and present and justify your own philosophical views with appropriate arguments. In the second half of the module, you will examine some central philosophical topics in recent philosophy of mind, such as the easy and hard problems of consciousness, the problem of mental causation, and puzzles concerning the nature, limits, and threats of artificial intelligence.

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PHL2015: Body and Mind

This module introduces current debates in phenomenology, philosophy of mind, and cognitive science over the extent to which our minds depend upon body and world. Many theorists argue that we can’t understand what minds are or how they work without considering how both the body-beyond-the-brain as well as our surrounding environments shape thought and experience. Some even argue that minds extend beyond skin and skull. This course investigates different ways of understanding these ideas, along with some of their philosophical, practical, ethical, and political consequences.

Questions include: How do embodied frameworks challenge traditional approaches to mind in philosophy and cognitive science? What is the relationship between movement, thought, and experience? What are some ways we experience and live through our bodies? Does the mind extend beyond the head? How does our body shape our experience of other people and the spaces we share? What does it mean to speak of bodies and space as political? What is an embodied approach to emotion? Gender? Race? Psychopathology? How does having a body shape our experience of self? How will emerging AI-powered technologies impact our bodily capacities?

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PHL2016: Metaphysics

Metaphysics has been concerned with philosophy's most fundamental questions and traditionally was thought of as drawing upon distinctively philosophical methods to answer questions that the sciences could not answer. For much of the 20th century 'metaphysics' was seen as an outdated and moribund pursuit by philosophers who believed that philosophy lacks any distinctive knowledge-begetting methods of its own. By the turn of the 21st century however, metaphysics had rebounded to become the fastest growing sector within philosophy. The module will provide you with an in depth study of the meaning of 'metaphysics', basic concepts of metaphysics and the nature of metaphysical inquiry into a variety of contemporary problems.

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the place of metaphysics in the history of philosophy, to the challenges associated with the practice of metaphysics in contemporary thinking and with the principal problems that are presently addressed under the heading of metaphysics. You will become well versed in the nature of these problems and how one goes about addressing them from 'analytic', 'naturalistic' and 'critical' points of view.

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PHL2018: Philosophy of Language

This module will introduce you to one of the dominant contemporary traditions in philosophy. The Anglo-American analytic tradition places great emphasis upon understanding how language works, seeing the possibility of speaking meaningfully as an essential precursor to any philosophical endeavour. The module will provide you with a grounding in the basic philosophical approaches to meaning and reference, and in the canonical debates on these topics over the last hundred years, including the work of Frege, Quine, the verificationists, and the Ordinary Language philosophers.

The module seeks to familiarise you with the central place that philosophy of language occupies in contemporary analytic philosophy, with the influential positions that have been adopted by major figures in the field, and with the key points of the debates between them. You will gain a thorough overview of the philosophy of language, and the grounding necessary for more advanced study in analytic philosophy.

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PHL2043: Philosophical Research

In your philosophy degree thus far, you will have explored a range of philosophies and philosophers, many of which/whom represent the research interests of your lecturers. But have you ever wondered how your lecturers come up with their research ideas, and how their research actually develops? In other words, have you ever wondered what philosophy lecturers and researchers actually do when they're not in the classroom? This is a 'team taught module', in which you'll hear from several Exeter philosophy lecturers and researchers about their current research: what led them to their current research interests, how they developed their current research projects, and what their most recent discoveries, arguments and conclusions are. This module will introduce you to research in philosophy by engaging with the research, and research methods, of the philosophers at Exeter, and learn how to develop your own philosophical research project. The module functions as a precursor to the 3rd -year philosophy dissertation module (although, please note that this module is not a pre-requisite for PHL3040).

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PHL2118: Moral Agency in Social Context

The core theme of this module is the extent to which, and ways in which, moral perception, judgement and action may be socially conditioned and constrained. It consists in examination of the social conditions of morality, moral belief, moral agency, and moral responsibility, addressing such questions as: Is moral consciousness and agency determined by individuals' social conditions of existence, or are individuals' moral beliefs and agency internal powers that actively contribute to social reproduction and change? It will look at philosophical analyses of the nature and conditions of morality, and of the relation between individual moral agency and social context. It will examine these ideas in relation to the major social and economic institutions of modern society, such as, the maintenance and abolition of slavery, the justice and necessity of economic inequalities, obligations to aid people suffering life-threatening poverty, and the relationship between moral or political belief and action in conformity with such belief.

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POL2059: Political Thought of Modernity

This module will introduce you to some of the most influential, fascinating, and controversial texts and traditions in Western political thought - from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century - and, in so doing, will encourage you to interrogate how the very idea of modernity is conceptualised and contested. In reading these texts, you will come to understand, and engage in critique of, the modern political concepts - rights, freedom, equality, democracy, civil society, property, revolution, the state, and modernity itself - that continue to animate our civic discussions as well as the intellectual traditions (liberalism, Idealism, Marxism) of the modern period.

This module aims:

• To introduce you to the some of the most important texts and traditions (in Western political thought) through the study of selected texts.
• To enable your understanding of how political arguments fit together to form complex philosophical theories and, by extension, of how ostensibly discrete political viewpoints are actually embedded in a whole network of beliefs.
• To develop your ability to critically assess both theoretical texts and subsequent interpretations of them.
• To encourage you to think critically about individual political ideas as well as about the notion of modernity after the French Revolution.

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HAS3999: Study Abroad

The Study Abroad programme enables you to undertake a year-long study placement at a partner university outside of the UK, as part of your degree programme.

This module serves as the administrative mechanism for recording the Study Abroad assessment results of students within the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS). Students participating in the Study Abroad programme and based in a HASS department (except for the Law School, the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, Modern Languages, and the School of Education) will be registered on this module during their Study Abroad placement year.

The Study Abroad programme widens the range of modules available to you during Stage 3 of your degree programme; enables you to broaden your academic horizons by studying in a different learning culture and (where relevant and appropriate) in languages other than English; and aims to promote resilience, independence, cultural awareness, and communication skills.

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HAS3998: Employment Experience

This module allows you to undertake and to learn from an extended work placement during the third year of a four year “with Employment Experience” programme. You will use one or more work placements to gain skills that equip you to work in the employment market and to improve your knowledge of the work environment. You are encouraged to think about the intercultural competence and the employability skills that you acquire during your year.

To progress to this module, you will have secured a suitable placement for a minimum of 26 weeks.

Having developed the skills necessary to find relevant roles and apply for roles in the graduate labour market, this is an invaluable opportunity to develop work-related skills and experience that will further enhance your success in the graduate labour market and support your future career choices.

During your placement year you will be supported by the Module Convenor and Placement Team.

The module assessment structure provides opportunity and support for you to evaluate your skills and achievements using personal development techniques.  You will also write an Employer Report to showpiece the culmination of your academic and business skills.

This module aims to:

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PHL3040: Philosophy Dissertation

The writing of a philosophy dissertation offers you the opportunity to engage in a research project on a topic of your own choice. Guidance and support include discussions with the module convener, allocation of an expert academic supervisor and participation in small discussion groups of students working on similar topics. The main aim is for you to select a topic and way of working on a philosophical problem that suits you and through which you can show your acquired skills in independent research, philosophical analysis and writing. You may choose to engage with and discuss a specific traditional or current problem, a particular author or book, or write a philosophical essay on a current ethical, social or epistemological problem.

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POL3040: Dissertation

The dissertation module will equip you with a detailed knowledge of one particular topic within the discipline. You will gain an ability to design and carry out independent research - with the support and supervision of a member of academic staff. Each dissertation is a unique research project shaped by your own research interests and ideas, yet also compliant with the standards or rigour and validity of academic research. This means that there is both an art and a skill to writing a dissertation, which makes the process both challenging and rewarding.

This module aims to equip you with necessary knowledge and skills to conduct research on the research question of your choice resulting in a dissertation within one of the areas of politics, including political science, or political theory, or political philosophy, or International Relations. It is taught by using a series of dissertation skills sessions that introduce you how to design, research for and write up your dissertation; by drawing upon one-to-one supervision meetings working with one of the members of staff, and most importantly, based on your independent research.

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