PL21015: Parliamentary studies
[Page last updated: 15 October 2020]
 Academic Year: | 2020/1 |
| Owning Department/School: | Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies |
| Credits: | 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits] |
| Notional Study Hours: | 120 |
| Level: | Intermediate (FHEQ level 5) |
| Period: |
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| Assessment Summary: | ES 67%, OT 33% |
| Assessment Detail: |
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| Supplementary Assessment: |
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| Requisites: | Before taking this module you must take PL10417 |
| Description: | Aims: This is a unique unit taught in collaboration with staff from The Houses of Parliament. Westminster has been referred to as 'the Mother of all parliaments' and seen as a beacon of democratic politics worldwide. But is this still the case in the 21st century? At heart, this unit will provide students with an assessment of the ways in which Parliament works in modern Britain, both in theory and practice. Parliamentary staff who work for select committees, on legislative development, and in other areas of the institituton will lead four sessions, with a fifth session comprising a guided visit to Parliament itself. Other sessions will be led by academics expert in this area. Students will be given unique exposure to the reality of what it is like to work in Parliament and the unit will leave them well-placed to discuss all aspects of British parliamentary politics. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the unit students will be able to: * describe the origins and formal functions of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords; * critically assess the ability of the contemporary Parliament to fulfill these functions; * understand the role of political parties as the managers of Parliament; * assess the ways in which Parliament represents different sections of the UK population; * understand how devolution has affected the role of Parliament in modern British politics; * discuss parliamentary reform in the context of political disengagement and political fragmentation Skills: Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, teamwork and the planning/conduct/reporting of research are developed and assessed in this unit. Content: The unit will cover the following topics: * the legislative process * the role of select committees * parliament and Europe * the role and reform of the House of Lords * Who are our MPs? * Parliament and gender * The role of an MP * Devolution and Parliament * Parliamentary reform and public opinion * A visit to the Houses of Parliament. |
| Programme availability: |
PL21015 is Optional on the following programmes:Department of Economics
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