Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The aims in this module are to enable students:
1.       Gain a detailed knowledge of how the Westminster Parliament works in both theory and practice
2.       Scrutinise the capacity of Westminster to fulfill five key democratic functions of parliament: representation, recruitment and maintenance of a government, scrutiny of the executive, legislation, and debate
3.       Critically analyse the relationship between government and parliament

Outline Of Syllabus

Parliamentary Studies aims to provide students with a detailed knowledge of how the Westminster Parliament works in both theory and practice. The overarching and coordinating theme of the module will be to scrutinise the capacity of Westminster to fulfill five key democratic functions of parliament: representation, recruitment and maintenance of a government, scrutiny of the executive, legislation, and debate. It therefore focuses on how the Houses of Parliament operates. It provides students with a sense of why cultures, traditions and informal relationships matter as well as formal procedures. Indicative topics may include:

•       The Functions of Parliament
•       The role and reform of Select Committees
•       Parties and Parliament
•       Representation and Parliament
•       Debate and deliberation in Parliament
•       The role and reform of the House of Lords
•       Public Engagement with Parliament
•       Parliament and the Media
•       The Good Parliament
•       Parliament and the UK's External Relations

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of this module the student will be able to:
1.       Integrate theoretical and practical knowledge about parliament.
2.       Apply conceptual tools to understand, evaluate and critically analyse, in-depth, the functions of parliament and the features of parliament that promote this function in practice.
3.       Demonstrate a critical understanding of the limitations of parliament to promoting these functions

Intended Skill Outcomes

Develop their critical-analytical ability and planning and organisational skills. Demonstrate appropriate communicative and transferable skills including making effective use of library and electronic resources to acquire relevant information, engaging in seminar discussion, and provision of written, reasoned and co-ordinated arguments.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Student contact will primarily take place through a series of lectures and seminar classes, supported by engagement through the module’s virtual learning environment. The lectures introduce students to the key themes, focusing on the academic and theoretical framing of the theme. Each lecture would be followed by a one hour seminar where the seminars allow for participation by students in clarifying and exploring key ideas and issues. These help to develop critical-analytical and oral communication skills. Further materials will be available via the modules VLE, where there will be a further opportunity for a virtual and more flexible discussion of the module themes. Additonal assessment guidance is provided through recorded module talks. Finally there will be a virtual visit to parliament to hear talks from, and question, parliamentary staff, MPs and Lords.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The parliamentary report and exam will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate skills in research, critical analysis, writing, referencing and working autonomously. In the course of selecting, researching, and writing up a report and exam answers students will learn about the theory and substance of parliament, finding secondary sources, properly citing them, and developing research skills. The report will assess learning on a particular aspect of parliament. The exam will assess learning on broader understanding of parliament.

General Notes

N/A