Programme Specification for the 2021/2 academic year

BA (Hons) Philosophy and Politics with Study Abroad

1. Programme Details

Programme name	BA (Hons) Philosophy and Politics with Study Abroad	Programme code	UFA4HPSHPS35
Study mode(s)	Full Time	Academic year	2021/2
Campus(es)	Streatham (Exeter)	Programme start date	09/2012
NQF Level	6 (Honours)

2. Description of the Programme

This programme allows you to apply analytical-philosophical skills to the study of political events and theories. Philosophy and politics overlap considerably when it comes to discussing concepts of ‘state’, ‘democracy’ and ‘public good’, and yet both disciplines have their own methodologies and styles. This programme will enable you to become familiar with the best known approaches and appreciate their complementary nature.

Studying Philosophy will give you the opportunity to discuss long-standing questions about the nature of knowledge (how do we know what we know?), science (does science provide us with a special kind of knowledge?), reality (does the world out there really exist?), ethics (how should we act?), art and beauty (who decides what counts as beautiful?), the mind-body relationship (how can the brain produce the mind?), the meaning of life (why is there something rather than nothing?) and more.

From the beginning you will be encouraged to develop your own views on all these topics, and to assess other philosophers’ take on them. Studying philosophy will teach you to think rigorously, to defend your views in a clear and consistent way, to understand the why and what-for of different points of view, and ultimately to develop a sharp, analytical and open mind.

During your degree you will develop a sound knowledge of the four principal areas of study in Politics: political thought, international relations, comparative government, and public policy. You’ll also gain a wider understanding of the world by focusing on both the theoretical and practical problems of politics through a combination of core compulsory modules and options covering topics as diverse as environmental politics, security, foreign policy, American politics, globalisation and political campaigns.

You may also have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience relating to Politics e.g. with an MP or at Westminster, through the Exeter Politics Internship Programme.

3. Educational Aims of the Programme

1. To produce graduates from the programme who are useful, productive and questioning members of society.
2. To produce graduates who are grounded in the main themes of Philosophy through a combination of modules which develop a deep understanding of some pervasive and problematic features of the world and of ourselves.
3. To produce graduates who are grounded in the main themes of Politics through a combination of modules which develop a deep understanding of how societies, institutions and practices of all kinds came into being, how they are currently organised, and how they might change in the future.
4. To develop students competence in the specific skills required in Politics and in Philosophy, and in core academic and personal and key skills.
5. To offer a wide range of choice within the programme of study, insofar as this choice is consistent with the coherence and intellectual rigour of the degree.

The programme aims:

4. Programme Structure

The combined honours programme is studied over four years. The first two years, and the final year, are university-based; the third is spent at a university abroad. Study is undertaken in four stages, one for each year of study. The programme is divided into units called modules. Modules have a credit rating of either 15 or 30 credits; 15-credit modules last for one term and 30-credit ones usually for two. Each stage comprises 120 credits.

If students wish to undertake their study abroad in a University which does not teach in English, they must normally take 30 credits from the Foreign Language Centre at Stages 1 and 2 in the appropriate language. In doing this they would be deemed to have exercised their rights under the University’s modularity provisions.

Credits at Stage 1 must be successfully completed in order to proceed to Stage 2, but marks gained at this stage play no further part in the final assessment. Procedures for the final assessment of the degree programme can be found at: https://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/socialsciences/student/undergraduate/collegehandbook/assessmentandfeedback/

5. Programme Modules

The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.

The full list of modules in Philosophy (with module descriptions) is available at
http://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/socialsciences/moduledescriptions/

The Philosophy and Politics degree programme is made up of compulsory (core) and optional modules, which are worth 15 or 30 credits each. Full-time undergraduate students need to complete modules worth a total of 120 credits each year.

Depending on your programme you can take up to 30 credits each year in another subject, for instance a language or business module, to develop career-related skills or just widen your intellectual horizons.

The third year is spent studying abroad.

Please note that modules offered are subject to change, depending on staff availability, timetabling, and demand.

Stage 1

The first year gives you a foundational knowledge of philosophical and political theory and concepts. You will also gain important analytical techniques that will be useful across a range of subjects and research tasks.

For Philosophy - 3 of these 4 modules must be taken

Compulsory Modules

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
PHL1002A	Knowledge and Reality 1	15	No
PHL1002B	Knowledge and Reality 2	15	No
PHL1005A	Evidence and Argument 1	15	No
PHL1006	Introduction to Philosophical Analysis	15	No
POL1025	Classical Political Thought [Politics]	15	No
POL1026	Early Modern Political Thought [Politics]	15	No

Optional Modules

Politics Streatham

Politics

View option modules here.

Philosophy (up to 15 credits)

View option modules here

Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability

Total Credits for Stage 1	1

Stage 2

In the second year you will advance your grasp of philosophical and political knowledge and methods through a set of compulsory modules. Optional modules enable you to develop specialist knowledge on a range of topics.

For Philosophy - 2 of the 7 core modules must be taken

Compulsory Modules

Philosophy (at least 45 credits of "core" modules)

View option modules here

Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
POL2059	Political Thought of Modernity	15	No

Optional Modules

Politics Streatham

Politics

View option modules here.

Philosophy

View option modules here

Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability

Total Credits for Stage 2

Stage 3

Students will spend the third year of their studies in a partner university [on an Erasmus/Socrates exchange or other approved programme of study]. The year abroad comprises 120 credits and assessment is based on the credits gained at the partner institution.

Compulsory Modules

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
SSI3999	Year Abroad	120	No

Total Credits for Stage 3	120

Stage 4

The centre-point of the final year is the dissertation. This provides you with the opportunity to explore an area of interest and to demonstrate what you have learned over the previous years of your degree. You will also take up to three other specialist modules to create a programme of work fully reflecting your interests.

Compulsory Modules

Code	Module	Credits	Non-condonable?
PHL3040	Philosophy Dissertation [Option 1]	30	No
POL3040	Dissertation [Option 2]	30	No

Optional Modules

Politics

View optional modules here.

Philosophy

View optional modules here.

Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability

Total Credits for Stage 4	120

6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods

Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to:	Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be...
	...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class):	...and evidenced by the following assessment methods:
1. PHILOSOPHY: Show familiarity with philosophical ideas about the nature of society and the social sciences 2. Reflect upon the conditions of human social life. 3. Show familiarity with the history of modern Philosophy (Philosophy benchmark 18.1). 4. Evaluate different interpretations of political issues and events (Politics benchmark 3.2(1)(a)). 5. Demonstrate familiarity with basic concepts in epistemology, metaphysics, philosophies of mind and nature (Philosophy benchmark 18.2). 6. Analyse concepts in ethics (Philosophy benchmark 18.3).) 7. Analyse and criticise substantial works by important historical and contemporary moral and political philosophers (Philosophy benchmarks 18.2 & 18.3). 8. Engage in logical and conceptual analysis and reasoning about abstract matters (Philosophy benchmarks 23.ii, 23.iv, 23.vi). 9. Demonstrate understanding (at increasing depth, according to level) of issues (increasingly complex, according to level) arising from the subject matter of the elective modules taken. 10. POLITICS: Understand the nature and significance of politics as a human activity (Politics benchmark 3.2(1)(a)).	Philosophy In explicit terms, A1 and A2 are developed through lectures, seminars and essay work on Social Philosophy; A3 and A4 through similar methods and strategies on PHL1002A; A5 and A6 through similar methods in Ethics and Morality; and A7 through practical exercises in PHL1005A. However, depending on the student’s chosen portfolio of modules, they will be developed, with increasing intensity as s/he progresses through the Stages, on the elective modules as well. A8 is developed through the optional modules taken. The level of competence expected of students intensifies at each stage of the programme. Politics A1 and A4 are developed across all programme stages, moving from broad areas of politics in Stage 1 to progressively more specialised aspects at Stages 2 to 3; A2 is developed through the political theory modules students are required to take in each of the three years; A3 is present in some form in all Politics modules and the specific way it is developed will depend on the choice of Politics options in the three years, which fall roughly into the categories of International Relations, British and Comparative Politics, Public Policy, and State and Society.	The assessment of these skills is through a combination of the following: Term-time essays 1-10 Oral presentations, 1-10 Examinations (and, where applicable, Research Methods Project, Dissertation work). 1-10 The criteria of assessment pay full recognition to the importance of the various skills outlined.

Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to:	Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be...
	...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class):	...and evidenced by the following assessment methods:
11. Draw thematic comparisons between material from different sources (Philosophy benchmark 6.1.3). 12. Show awareness of contrasting approaches to research (Philosophy benchmark 6.1.1). 13. Understand and demonstrate the different uses of qualitative and quantitative data, and evaluate their relative advantages and disadvantages (Philosophy benchmark 6.2.3). 14. Show awareness of the basic philosophical questions arising from academic research. 15. Think and write broadly about large themes 16. Use library and the world-wide web to find appropriate and relevant information. 17. Develop and deploy argument, grounded in theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence (Philosophy benchmark 6.2.4). 18. Identify problems of reliability and bias in, and more generally evaluate, empirical evidence (Philosophy benchmark 6.2.3). 19. Collate data from a range of sources (Philosophy benchmark 6.2.2, see also Politics benchmark 3.2(1)(b)). 20. Produce accurate reference to sources in written work.. 21. Answer questions concisely and persuasively in written work (Philosophy benchmark 6.3.6). Present work and answer questions orally. 22. Collate data from a range of sources (Phil. 6.2.2). 23. Deploy complex terminology in a comprehensible manner (Philosophy benchmark 6.3.6). 24. Focus on and comprehend complex texts. 25. Manage their own learning self-critically (Politics benchmark 3.2(1)(b)). 26. Work at an advanced level, both orally and in writing, in a foreign language.	These skills are developed throughout the degree programme, but the emphasis becomes more complex as students move from stage to stage. They are developed through lectures and seminars, written work, and oral work (both presentation and class discussion). 25 is developed through peer and self assessment of assignments, staff feedback on formative assignments, and student self-appraisal, which are used in various Politics modules.	These skills are assessed through term-time essays, assessed presentations, and examinations. 25 is not assessed (there is no requirement to do so in the Politics benchmark statement). 26 is developed through language tuition at Stages 1 and 2 and in the year abroad.

Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to:	Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be...
	...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class):	...and evidenced by the following assessment methods:
27. Undertake independent study and ability to work to deadlines. 28. Word process and access the world-wide web 29. Digest, select and organise material for written work and oral presentations, and write to varying word lengths. 30. Evaluate own work 31. Sit timed, unseen examinations of a challenging nature. 32. Participate in oral discussions; present and evaluate complex arguments and ideas orally; digest, select and organise material for oral presentations 33. Formulate and express ideas at different levels of abstraction 34. Work with others as part of a team on challenging material. 35. Interact effectively with peers and staff. 36. Undertake group work, including the presentation and discussion of material in groups 37. Plan the execution of demanding work over a very long time scale. 38. Advance linguistic competence independently	27 is an essential part of the successful completion of the programme. 28 is developed through the requirement that all written work be word-processed, and through the requirement on students to use the WWW to access texts and other teaching materials. 29 is developed through essay and presentation work throughout the programme. 30 is encouraged and developed throughout, and is aided by the student Self-Appraisal system which takes place in the inter-semester week of Spring Term. 31 is developed through practice: at all stages, students are partly assessed by timed, unseen examinations. 32 is developed through seminars, which form part of all modules. 33 is developed throughout the Philosophy side of the programme. The skills in 34, 35 and 36 are developed to some extent in all modules, through interaction in seminars and in discussion with tutors about essay work, and in response to criticism both collective and individual. 37 is developed through the Dissertation at Stage 3, which has a single end of year deadline. 38 is developed through language tuition at Stages 1 and 2 and in the year abroad.	The skills in 27, 28 and 29 are assessed in all modules. 29 is covered by the fact that students write essays, which are formatively and summatively assessed, of differing lengths and in the Dissertation. 30 Is assessed implicitly throughout, and is aided by the student Self-Appraisal exercise conducted in the inter-semester week in Spring Term. 35 Timed examinations are used in all modules except dissertation. 32 is a continuous part of formative assessment. 33 Forms a basic tenet of examination throughout the Philosophy side of the programme. 34, 35 and 36 are part of formative assessment on all modules. 37 is covered by the Dissertation (in either subject). 31 is assessed through oral and written work on the Exeter-based language modules and the modules taken in the year abroad.

7. Programme Regulations

University Regulations on the number of credits to be taken and at what level for each stage of the programme can be found in the Credit and Qualifications Framework.

Progression

Condonement is the process that allows you to be awarded credit (and so progress to the next stage or, in the final stage, receive an award), despite failing to achieve a pass mark at a first attempt. You are not entitled to reassessment in condoned credit. Regulations on condonement can be found in the Handbook for Assessment, Progression and Awarding for Taught Programmes.

Assessment and Awards

For undergraduate degrees assessment at stage one does not contribute to the summative classification of the award. Details of the weightings for each year of all programme lengths can be found in the Handbook for Assessment, Progression and Awarding for Taught Programmes.

Classification

Full details of assessment regulations for undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes and the classification of awards can be found in the Handbook for Assessment, Progression and Awarding for Taught Programmes.

You can also read details of Generic Marking Criteria.

8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning

Personal and Academic Tutoring

It is University policy that all Colleges should have in place a system of academic and personal tutors. The role of academic tutors is to support you with individual modules; the role of personal tutors is to provide you with advice and support fo the duration of your programme, and this support extends to providing you with details of how to obtain support and guidance on personal difficulties such as accommodation, financial difficulties and sickness. You can also make an appointment to see individual teaching staff.

Information on the College Personal Tutoring system, library provision, ELE resources and access to College support services can be found on the College webpages for current students.

Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC)

SSLCs enable students and staff to jointly participate in the management and review of the teaching and learning provision.

9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning

Learning Resources

The University Library maintains its principal collections in the main library buildings on the Streatham and St Luke's campuses, together with a number of specialist collections in certain Colleges. The total Library collection comprises over a million volumes and 3000 current periodical subscriptions.

IT Services

A wide range of IT services are provided throughout the Exeter campuses, including open-access computer rooms, some of which are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Helpdesks are maintained on the Streatham and St Luke's campuses, while most study bedrooms in halls and flats are linked to the University's campus network.

Student Support Services

The University provides many support services including health and wellbeing, multifaith chaplaincy, family support, the Students' Guild and international student support.

10. Admissions Criteria

All applications are considered individually on merit. The University is committed to an equal opportunities policy with respect to gender, age, race, sexual orientation and/or disability when dealing with applications. It is also committed to widening access to higher education to students from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience.

Candidates for undergraduate programmes must satisfy the undergraduate admissions requirements of the University of Exeter.

11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards

Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.

The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.

12. Indicators of Quality and Standards

Certain programmes are subject to accreditation and/or review by professional and statutory regulatory bodies (PSRBs).

13. Methods for Evaluating and Improving Quality and Standards

The University and its constituent Colleges draw on a range of data to review the quality of education provision. The College documents the performance in each of its tuaght programmes, against a range of criteria on an annual basis through the Annual Student Experience Review (ASER).

Subject areas are reviewed every five years through a College Academic Audit scheme that includes external contributions.

14. Awarding Institution

University of Exeter

15. Lead College / Teaching Institution

College of Social Sciences and International Studies (CSSIS)

16. Partner College / Institution

Partner College(s)

Not applicable to this programme

Partner Institution

Not applicable to this programme.

17. Programme Accredited / Validated by

18. Final Award

BA (Hons) Philosophy and Politics with Study Abroad

19. UCAS Code

VL5F

20. NQF Level of Final Award

6 (Honours)

21. Credit

CATS credits	480	ECTS credits	240

22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group

[Honours] Philosophy
[Honours] Politics and international relations

23. Dates

Origin Date	01/10/2000	Date of last revision	29/08/2018