Programme Specifications

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Economics

The relevant QAA benchmark statement for Politics and International Relations can be found here: https://www.qaa.ac.uk/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements/subject-benchmark-statement-politics-and-international-relations

September 2023

September 2023

The specific aims of this scheme are:

• To stimulate students intellectually through the study of economics and to lead them to appreciate its application to a range of problems and its relevance across a range of contexts, particularly in the areas that are also in the domain of international relations, such as international trade, negotiation on international treaties and agreements, conflict resolution, the role of global institutions.

• To provide a firm foundation of knowledge about the workings of economic systems and to develop the relevant skills for the constructive use of that knowledge to tackle problems of economic policy, including those of policies that tackle global problems such as climate change and international conflicts.

• To provide students with analytical skills and an ability to develop simplifying frameworks for studying the real world. They should be able to appreciate what would be appropriate levels of abstraction in order to study a range of economic issues, including those involving international relations.

• To develop in students an ability to interpret real world economic events and critically assess a range of types of evidence.

• To generate in students an appreciation of the economic dimension of a wide range of social, political and environmental issues.

Joint programmes allow students to develop an in-depth knowledge of both Politics and another subject, taking half of their modules in each discipline/Department. With regards to the Politics component, students gain a firm grounding in the core principles and concepts of Politics, as well as exploring key sub-fields of their choice within a spectrum of modules on global politics. All modules in the Department of International Politics are taught by research-active staff who thrive on the opportunity to engage students with their work (published, and in progress). The programme aims to produce students with the necessary skills to analyse and reflect on the subject matter of the degree scheme as well as acquire a broad range of transferable skill. The department is keenly aware of the inter-relationships that exist between academic subjects and the value society places upon students who have been able to master the requirements of two academic subjects. These programmes allow students to combine subjects in innovative and effective ways ensuring throughout that they receive a disciplined academic training that broadens their intellectual horizon. These programmes enable students to enter a variety of rewarding careers.

The learning outcomes of this programme are designed to meet the expectations of the latest QAA benchmarking statement for Economics. The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas.

The learning outcomes of this programme are designed to meet the expectations of the Benchmarking Statement for Politics and International Relations. The structure and the delivery of the degree scheme recognizes the need to achieve an appropriate balance between the acquisition of subject specific knowledge, and the development of discipline specific and generic skills. Integrating these two components is a central feature of the learning outcomes. The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge, understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• A1 A thorough understanding of basic economic theories and models covering microeconomic issues of decision and choice, the production and exchange of goods, the pricing and use of inputs, the interdependency of markets, the relationships between principals and agents, and economic welfare; as well as the macroeconomic issues of employment, national income, the balance of payments, the distribution of income, inflation, growth and business cycles, money and finance.

• A2 Understanding of relevant mathematical and statistical techniques.

• A3 Appreciation of the history and development of economic ideas and the differing methods of analysis that have been and are used by economists.

• A3 Ability to apply core economic theory and reasoning to a variety of applied topics. Understanding and awareness of how basic economic theory can be used to design, guide and interpret commercial, economic, social and environmental, policy.

• A4 Ability to discuss, analyse and evaluate government policy and to assess the performance of the UK and other economies and of the global economy

• A5 Understanding of verbal, graphical, mathematical and econometric representation of economic ideas and analysis, including the relationship between them.

• A6 Ability to use appropriate techniques to enable manipulation, treatment and interpretation of the relevant statistical data.

• A7 Knowledge and appreciation of the nature, sources and uses of economic data, both quantitative and qualitative.

Students should also be able to demonstrate mastery of the following key concepts:

• Opportunity cost - a problem solver or decision-maker must routinely ask 'what would have to be given up if...', where the answer does not always involve a simply calculated financial cost. It is often the case that actions are proposed that fail to recognise forgone alternatives. Opportunity cost allows the economist to think about the costs in terms of all resources. There are many examples of economic policies which enhance efficiency yet reduce equity and vice-versa, or where gains in one time period involve costs in other time periods. All of these examples encourage an appreciation of inevitable trade-offs.

• Incentives - economists are trained to recognise and evaluate the incentives implied by particular rules, and how to establish sets of rules that actually lead people to react in ways that give rise to some intended outcome. The ability to think logically about these issues is essential in the effective design of both policy and strategy

• Equilibrium, disequilibrium and stability - these are concepts that economists make heavy use of and the typical graduate will have seen these deployed in economic argument with great regularity. The concept of equilibriumis a state where no participant has any incentive to change behaviour. The ability to recognise disequilibria and appreciate their stability properties, and to think coherently about reactions to this, are essential ingredients of good decision-making

• Strategic thinking - economists learn the importance of strategic thinking, and the roles of opportunities, strategies, outcomes, information and motivation in the analysis of strategic actions, including conflict, bargaining and negotiation

• Expectations and unanticipated events - economists learn that behaviour partly depends on experience and partly on peoples' perceptions of what is expected to happen. Thus behaviour may change when unanticipated events occur. Effective decision-making requires the skill of reacting in a context where people's behaviour is based on expectations that may be confounded by subsequent surprises. Students in economics will have been exposed to these issues and this will enhance their potential effectiveness as decision-makers

• The relevance of marginal considerations - economists are trained to recognise that important decisions often relate to small variations in key variables and parameters. An action is worth undertaking if the additional benefit that accrues is greater than the additional cost incurred. The typical student in economics will be fully aware of the importance of the margin relative to the average

• The possible gains from voluntary exchange - economists study and measure the net gains that people, institutions and countries can obtain from economic interaction in the form of specialisation, employment, exchange and trade. The identification and measurement of gains relative to costs and the barriers to maximising net gains are important in devising appropriate policies to optimise the use of scarce resources with respect to various individual, institutional, political, social and environmental objectives

• Systems and dynamics - many economic decisions or events can start a complex chain of events. Economists gain an understanding of the interrelationships between economic phenomena and how effects can accumulate or die away. The ability to see beyond the direct or short-term effects is a crucial insight that economists can bring to analysing the effects of both deliberate decisions and external shocks.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods used to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated

Lectures, tutorials, seminars, help classes and problem based scenarios, group work, presentations and computer practicals. Dissemination of individual module outlines complete with reading lists, assessment methods and assignment instructions. Contact with module co-ordinators and lecturers. Feedback on assignments. University e-learning facility (blackboard)

Assessment

• Coursework – essay, report planning, preparatory research, writing and feedback.

• Examination - seen, unseen and open book.

• Project work - case studies, presentations and group work

A knowledge and understanding of:

• 1. The evolution of the international system from Westphalia to the present day

• 2. Key debates in the history of International Politics as a discipline

• 3. The core theories and concepts in the field

• 4. The main structures and processes in world politics, including knowledge of regional dynamics, regimes and institutions

• 5. The key actors in international politics

• 6. The key dynamics, processes and problems facing contemporary Global Politics.

• 7. How these approaches help us to explain and understand events in the world

Teaching/learning and assessment methods:

Acquisition of 1-7 is through lectures, seminars, assessed coursework, exams and independent research. Students also learn through participation in discipline-specific student societies and public lectures as well as through other public resources such as newsprint media, TV, radio and the internet. Throughout, students are encouraged to undertake independent reading to supplement, consolidate and broaden individual knowledge and understanding of the subject. Knowledge and understanding (1-7) is tested through a combination of unseen and pre-seen written examinations (1-7), essays (1-7), dissertation (1-7, depending upon topic) and may, depending on option choices, include seminar presentations, reports, literature searches, book or film reviews, e-portfolios, learning logs or blogs. Students also learn through self-reflection when completing their entries to the Careers Development Programme.

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• B1 Cognitive skills of critical thinking, analysis and synthesis. This includes the capability to identify assumptions, evaluate statements in terms of evidence, to detect false logic or reasoning, to define terms adequately and to generalise appropriately.

• B2 Effective problem solving and decision making.

• B3 Using appropriate qualitative and quantitative skills, including data analysis, interpretation and extrapolation and use of models/frameworks of business problems and phenomena.

• B4 Identifying, formulating and solving business problems, demonstrating the ability to create, evaluate and assess a range of options together with the capacity to apply ideas and knowledge to a range of situations.

Learning and Teaching

Lectures, tutorials, seminars and problem-based scenarios, group work, presentations and computer practicals. Dissemination of individual module outlines complete with reading lists, assessment methods and assignment instructions. Contact with module co-ordinators and lecturers. Feedback on assignments. University e-learning facility (Blackboard).

Assessment Strategies and Methods

• Coursework - planning, preparatory research, writing and feedback.

• Examination - seen, unseen.

• Project work - case studies, presentations and group work

10.2.2 Professional practical skills / Discipline Specific Skills

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• C1 Knowledge and understanding of the workings of economic systems

• C2 An ability to develop simplifying frameworks for studying the real world, and identify appropriate levels of abstraction in order to study a range of economic issues.

• C3 An ability to interpret real world economic events and critically assess a range of types of evidence.

• C4 An appreciation of the economic dimension of business decisions and wider social, political and environmental issues.

Learning and Teaching

Lectures, tutorials, seminars and problem based scenarios, group work, presentations and computer practicals. Dissemination of individual module outlines complete with reading lists, assessment methods and assignment instructions. Contact with module co-ordinators and lecturers. Feedback on assignments. University e-learning facility (Blackboard).

Assessment Strategies and Methods

• Coursework - planning, preparatory research, writing and feedback.

• Examination - unseen.

• Project work - case studies, presentations and group work

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills:

• 1. Identify, describe and evaluate different approaches

• 2. Identify and research issues

• 3. Apply concepts, theories and ideas to concrete cases

• 4. Identify, investigate and formulate solutions to intellectual problems

• 5. Critically reason, analyse and interpret data and ideas

• 6. Demonstrate and exercise independence of mind

• 7. Reflect on experience of learning and adjust intellectual strategies accordingly

• 8. The ability to apply acquired knowledge to solving hypothetical or actual problems

• 9. The ability to distinguish relevance and irrelevance

• 10. Recognition that problems often have more than one solution

Teaching and learning methods and assessment:

While lectures introduce students to topics and ideas, the development of intellectual skills takes place when students engage with the topic themselves and interact with others in the intellectual learning community both during discussions (in seminars, where tutors seek to guide and develop intellectual skills, and wider public debate), and in the process of reading and writing notes, essays or examinations. Reflection and self assessment are also integral to the learning of intellectual skills. Tutors form impressions of, and assess, a student's ability and progress through contact with students in seminars and in the assessment of written work. Intellectual skills (1-10) are assessed primarily in essay and examination performance, plus the other methods of assessment set out above. The published assessment criteria reflect these intellectual skills that in turn are mirrored in the feedback to students. Students can assess their own performance by gauging their rate of progress in comparison to that of their peers, and in the light of tutor's comments. Students are free to discuss the informal development and assessment of such skills during staff office hours. Personal learning (7) is not formally assessed but relative success is reflected in a student's ability to improve over time. Personal learning is also enhanced through engagement with the Careers Development Programme process.

10.2.2 Professional Practical Skills:

• 1. Seek, extract and effectively annotate information from a range of sources

• 2. Prioritise and organise information and deploy it as evidence in argument

• 3. Plan, undertake and complete written work (to strict deadlines) suitable for different audiences or tasks

• 4. Identify and retrieve relevant and up to date information

• 5. Collate information and arguments at short notice to answer specific questions

• 6. Express informed opinions through written work and discussion.

• 7. Listen and respond appropriately to the opinions of others

• 8. Formulate questions and explore links between divergent topics

• 9. Learn from experience

Teaching and learning methods and assessment:

All core modules, and in particular those taught at Part One, contain elements which directly address the development of practical skills (1-8). The process of writing essays, reports and presentations etc (1-6) and preparing for examinations (1-6, 9) allows the student to hone skills through practice, guided by feedback from tutors. Discussion in seminars or engagement with debate in public fora leads students to improve their intellectual communication skills (2, 5-9). Students also learn and improve such skills through personal reflection on their learning experience and purposeful adaptation of their learning methods; a process reflected upon in all modules. Personal learning is also enhanced through engagement with the Careers Development Programme process.

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• D1 Problem solving skills

• D2 Research skills

• D3 Communication skills D4 Improving own learning and performance

• D5 Team work skills

• D6 Information technology skills

• D7 Quantitative skills

• D8 Personal development and career planning

Learning and Teaching

Lectures, tutorials, seminars and problem based scenarios, group work, presentations and computer practicals. Dissemination of individual module outlines complete with reading lists, assessment methods and assignment instructions. Contact with module co-ordinators and lecturers. Feedback on assignments. University e-learning facility (Blackboard).

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Coursework - planning, preparatory research, writing and feedback.

Examination - unseen.

Project work - case studies, presentations and group work

On completion of the programme the student will be able to take responsibility for themselves and their work. They will be able to:

• Work independently

• Work in a team

• Respect the views and beliefs of others

• Listen

• Communicate orally

• Communicate in writing

• Communicate electronically

• Word-process

• Use the Web

• Manage time and work to deadlines

• Research issues

• Solve problems

• Adapt to change

• Develop career awareness