Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC1003: British Government and Politics

This module descriptor refers to the 2016/7 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Overview

NQF Level	4
Credits	15	ECTS Value	7.5
Term(s) and duration	This module ran during term 1 (11 weeks)
Academic staff	Professor Daniel Stevens (Lecturer)
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
Available via distance learning	No

The British political system has changed dramatically. To take just one example the civil service has changed more dramatically over the last 30 years than in the previous 125. But we have also seen changes to the committee system in the House of Commons and to the composition of the House of Lords; devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; an elected mayor of London; the introduction of electoral systems other than first-past-the-post for some elections; a referendum on the parliamentary voting system; and an expanded European Union in crisis.

All of these changes are overlaid by a new politics of the permanent campaign and direct action and, most recently, by the worst economic crisis in generations. You will examine all of these changes from the traditional Westminster model and their implications for British politics.

No prior knowledge skills or experience are required to take this module and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students. This module is not recommended for interdisciplinary pathways.

Module created	01/10/2007	Last revised	09/05/2016