Partner Details

Beaconhouse Group

Awards

Target Award

Award Description:Bachelor of Arts with Honours - BAH
Alternative Exit
Alternative Exit
Alternative Exit

Programme Offerings

Part-Time

F2F-BHG-SEP

Educational Aims of the Course

To understand the world we live in today, and to develop opinions and determine how we want to engage with the world, this programme provides students with a thorough understanding of international relations. Alongside this knowledge of the world, this programme develops the necessary transferable skills essential to succeeding in the work place. The programme supports these aims through a grounding of the subject alongside an in-depth research project and engagement with practitioners. The distinctive features of the programme are: Its core emphasis on the ability to reflect critically on the international system, the methods used by International Relations scholars and the subject’s function in society. The close relationship between research and teaching. Staff research outputs and analysis employed for learning and teaching, and students have direct experience of the work conducted at the frontiers of International Relations. Its commitment to internationalisation, in terms of the broad geographical and thematic range of modules. Within this context the aims of the programme are: To offer a balanced and coherent programme of study to students from varied backgrounds choosing International Relations and Politics. To provide students with a range of concepts, theories and methods used in the field of International Relations and Politics. To encourage critical engagement with the concepts, theories and methods in order to support the student’s own political development. To provide an intellectually challenging programme that develops knowledge and critical insight into the origins, evolution and contemporary dynamics of the international system, and the challenges to it. To support the student’s development of subject-specific and transferable skills within a practical and critical environment that progressively encourages increased responsibility for autonomous learning. To encourage students to engage with the development of employability skills.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

The programme follows a three-stage progression through L4, L5 and L6. Via core modules at L4, students will be introduced to a variety of conceptual, theoretical and methodological issues. They aim, through a varied assessment matrix, to develop the key skills and practices necessary for them to advance at Levels 5 and 6. Including, for example, developing the ability to understand a range of appropriate concepts, theories and methods used in the field of International Relations and Politics, work independently and in a group, understand how to use sources and critically analyse them, and be able to understand relevant texts. Level 5 is a bridge between Level 4 and Level 6 as it builds on the subject-specific, intellectual and transferable skills developed in the first year and prepares students for their final year. In line with the QAA subject benchmark statement for Politics and International Relations (February 2015),students will further develop understanding of the various concepts, theories and methods used alongside real world events and issues by offering a broad range of modules. Level 6 is the culmination of the International Relations and Politics degree at which point students, building upon their independent learning and research skills developed at Levels 4 and 5 take increasingly more responsibility for their learning. Driven by the research knowledge and output of the academics, the optional modules in Level 6 enable students to develop a high degree of specialisation in their chosen topics. Students at Level 6 also utilise the research and independent learner skills developed in Levels 4 and 5 to pursue an original and independent research project in International Relations and Politics in a yearlong module. In acknowledging that Politics and International Relations ‘reach[es] out to other subjects such as anthropology, cultural studies, economics, sociology, geography, history, languages, law, literature, international development, philosophy, marketing and media’, this undergraduate programme has co-validated a number of modules from other disciplines, in particular History, Sociology, Law and Criminology (QAA Politics and International Relations benchmark statement 2015, p. 7). The programme has an integrated teaching, learning and assessment strategy. The assessment strategy is underpinned by appropriate learning and teaching strategies which are relevant and provide a structured set of learning opportunities enabling achievement, of individual module, and programme level, learning outcomes. Please see Curriculum Map for specific details. Critical awareness is achieved through interactive lectures, workshops, case studies, presentations by experts, student presentations, fieldtrips, seminar and group discussions, and individual reading and research. A blended learning approach will be adopted on the programme with resources to support learning provided via the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment). International Relations and Politics students will be encouraged to engage in both primary and secondary research, and through the networking events and field trips talk to practitioners and experts about their experiences and research. Active learning in a constantly changing world provides an opportunity for reflection and critical literacy. Lectures will act as a guide to the area of study and will focus on conceptual frameworks, areas or case studies. In workshops and seminars students will be expected to work both collegially and independently. These small group settings are intended to be interactive and group activities will be a significant part of student-led and defined discussion. Students will be provided with opportunities to strengthen their presentation skills and communicate within an academic community in a professional manner. They will be supported throughout the programme to formulate ideas and responses to past and current debates and research so that they can develop an advanced understanding

Opportunities for work related learning

All LJMU undergraduate programs are required to incorporate into a L4 module an assessment item of the submission of a personal Self Awareness Statement; this is administered through the Being Politically Engaged module. Students have the opportunity to choose from work-based/related/transferrable skills modules at L5 and L6, while the programme’s PDP system provides opportunities for students to reflect on and document their achievements inside and outside of university and think about future career paths.

Programme Structure

Programme Structure Description

Students must take 120 credits of International Relations and Politics modules at each level of the programme (Levels, 4, 5 and 6). Each level of programme will normally be completed in one academic year. There are two module types: core and optional. Modules are all of 20 credits, apart from … For more content click the Read More button below.

Structure

Entry Requirements

A levels
Alternative qualifications considered
BTECs
International Baccalaureate
Other international requirements

HECoS Code(s)

(CAH15-03) politics
(CAH15-03) politics