Course information 2014-15

FP0004 Foundation Course: Politics

This is the foundation course on which subsequent, university level Political Science
courses are based. This course provides an introduction to the discipline, its theories
and key empirical issue areas that are the focus of political thought.

Prerequisites Learning outcomes

None apply.
Aims and objectives
The majors aims of this course are to:
provide an introduction to the discipline
of Political Science, its key theories, areas
of study, and empirical issues at the focus
of political inquiry.
Introduce students to the methodological
approaches used in political research,
deepening their understanding of the field
and the ways in which scholars analyse
contemporary political issues.
provide the analytical foundations
required to address issues in
contemporary politics, including:
o how and why different forms of
government exist;
o what key state institutions are;
o the process of democratisation;
o how people are represented in
governments
o the role of political cleavage; and the
impact of non-state actors in political
action.
At the end of the course and having
completed the essential reading and
activities, students should be able to:
Identify and explain key concepts and
theoretical approaches to the study of
politics
Apply concepts and approaches to the
analysis of the nation-state and
governance mechanisms
Contrast different types of government
and representation that exist in the
world today
Essential reading
Readings are drawn from the following
textbook:
Heywood, A. (2013) Politics 4th ed.
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Additional complementary material can
found on the VLE, which contains a range of
sources and other material including media
texts, short scholarly excerpts and articles.

Assessment
This course is assessed by a two-hour unseen
written examination.

Students should consult the Programme Specification and Regulations for the International Foundation Programme that are
reviewed annually. All course information, including the syllabus are subject to confirmation in the Regulations. Notice is also given
in the Regulations of any courses which are being phased out and students are advised to check course availability annually.

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 Syllabus
This is a description of the material to be examined, as published in the Regulations. On registration,
students will receive a detailed subject guide which provides a framework for covering the topics in the
syllabus and directions to the essential reading.

Unit One: Introducing Politics and Political Thought

This unit introduces the study of politics and the main streams of political thought. It outlines the
different ways that politics can be defined and challenges students to think about the different ways
that politics can be studied. Key schools of political thought are introduced.
Section 1: What is politics?
Section 2: Studying politics
Section 3: Political Thought I
Section 4: Political Thought II

Unit Two: States, Nations and Regimes

This unit provides students with the tools to recognise both the large-scale trends which led to the
global rise of the nation-state, as well as how different political patterns of rule have evolved.
Section 1: States and Regimes
Section 2: Nations and Nationalism
Section 3: Democratic Regimes
Section 4: Authoritarian Regimes

Unit Three: Representation and Government

This unit explains how government in modern democracies is based on the principle of representation.
Section 1: Representation and political parties
Section 2: Elections
Section 3: Assemblies
Section 4: Political executives

Unit 4: Economy and Society

This unit explores the ways in which society and economy interact with the state.
Section 1: Political Participation and Movements
Section 2: States and Markets
Section 3: Multilevel governance and Sub-national Politics
Section 4: Globalization

Unit 5: Public Policy and Administration

This unit provides students with an understanding of the main institutions and organisations that
intervene in the policy-making process.
Section 1: Bureaucracy
Section 2: Public Policy
Section 3: Armed forces
Section 4: Interest groups

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