Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL3077: Global Environmental Politics and Policy

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

This module has two primary aims. The first is to provide an introduction to global environmental politics and policy. You will examine the issues, actors, and institutions that shape global environmental politics, as well as the socioeconomic forces that strengthen or undermine global environmental sustainability. You will also critically evaluate core theoretical frameworks in the field of environmental politics and apply these frameworks to real-world environmental issues.

The second aim is to introduce you to the practices and procedures associated with producing original quantitative research. As part of this module, you will participate in a series of quantitative methods and statistical software tutorials. These tutorials will not only provide you with the necessary tools to complete your final essay, but will give you a set of quantitative skills that are increasingly important for potential employers and graduate school admissions boards.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. describe key global environmental issues, including why such issues arise and why they are considered “policy problems";
2. analyze the key stakeholders, institutions, and political processes that shape global environmental politics;
3. critically evaluate proposed solutions to environmental problems;
Discipline-Specific Skills4. critically assess the primary international and domestic forces that either constrain or facilitate international cooperation on the environment;
5. summarize and critique key approaches to studying environmental politics;
6. apply key approaches to assess current environmental issues;
7. isolate and evaluate the empirical implications of theoretical frameworks;
Personal and Key Skills8. analyze quantitative data using R (a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics), including the analysis of descriptive statistics and basic hypothesis testing;
9. identify the basic steps of conducting empirical research and writing an empirical paper; and
10. demonstrate oral and written communication skills.