Politics in Europe
Module title | Politics in Europe |
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Module code | POL1020 |
Academic year | 2025/6 |
Credits | 15 |
Module staff | Professor Alison Harcourt (Convenor) |
Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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Duration: Weeks | 11 |
Number students taking module (anticipated) | 350 |
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Module description
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module assesses the role of governments and parliaments, political party and electoral systems, media systems and interest group representation. It focuses on the political systems of the UK, France, Germany, Nordic states, Southern Europe and Central and Eastern Europe as representative democracies. The module explains how the process of European integration has transformed political systems, political institutions and public policy, as well as the limitations of Europeanisation.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. understand the nature and evolution of core concepts regarding comparative politics, classification and typology of democratic systems (parliamentary, presidential, direct democracies);
- 2. identify how changing patterns of governance (specifically, the rise of the regulatory state, globalisation, and Europeanisation) are affecting traditional models of governance;
- 3. analyse the role of political parties, interest groups, legislatures, executives, judiciaries, and the media.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. critically analyse primary and secondary political source material;
- 5. construct and present rigorous oral and written argument;
- 6. understand key political theories and models;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. communicate effectively in oral and written work;
- 8. use IT for the retrieval and presentation of information;
Syllabus plan
Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:
- Comparative government and governance in Europe: theoretical and methodological foundations.
- Varieties of political systems in Europe: governments and parliaments
- Representative democracies: political parties and elections
- The role of the media
- Participation and interest groups
- The UK
- Germany
- France
- Southern Europe
- The Nordic model meets Europe
- The challenge of enlargement
- How European integration affects governance in the member states (main hypotheses and mechanisms of Europeanization).
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
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21.5 | 128.5 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
Category | Hours of study time | Description |
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Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 16.5 | 11 x 1.5 hour lectures |
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 5 | 5 x 1 hour tutorials |
Guided Independent study | 68 | Coursework and independent study includes reading, note taking, and sketching answers to essay and seminar questions and essay writing. This study is continuous throughout the course and should take at least six hours a week |
Guided Independent study | 60.5 | Further independent study. |
Formative assessment
Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
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Choice of essay outlines | 150 words | 1 -7 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
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100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
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Essay | 47 | 1,600 words | 1-8 | Written comments |
Essay | 47 | 1,600 words | 1-8 | Written comments |
Attendance | 6 | 11 lectures / 5 tutorials | 1-8 | Oral |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
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Essay | Essay (1,600 words) | 1-8 | August/September reassessment period |
Essay | Essay (1,600 words) | 1-8 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Bale, Tim (2017) European Politics: a Comparative Introduction 4th edition. Basingstoke: Palgave Macmillan.
Cini, Michelle and Nieves Perez-Solorzano Borragan (2025) European Union Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
DeVries, Catherine E. Sara Hobolt, Sven-Oliver Proksch and Jonathan Slapin (2021) Foundations of European Politics: A Comparative Approach. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
Hancock, Donald (2024) Politics in Europe. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
Poguntke, Thomas and Wilhelm Hofmeister (2024) Political Parties and the Crisis of Democracy, Organization, Resilience and Reform. Oxford University Press.
Strøm, Kaare, Müller, Wolfgang C. and Bergman, Torbjörn (2006) Delegation and Accountability in Parliamentary Democracies . Oxford University Press.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – ele.exeter.ac.uk/
Key words search
Politics Europe
Credit value | 15 |
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Module ECTS | 7.5 |
Module pre-requisites | None |
Module co-requisites | None |
NQF level (module) | 4 |
Available as distance learning? | No |
Origin date | 01/10/2011 |
Last revision date | 14/04/2025 |