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Key Debates in Political Science 1 (POLS40024)
HonoursPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This is an Honours reading seminar that examines key theoretical and methodological texts in political science. The subject is designed to provide preparation for writing an Honours thesis while also enabling the consolidation, broadening and enhancement of students’ knowledge of the discipline. Key texts across the sub-disciplines of political science are critically examined in relation to theory, method, current political debates, case studies and empirical scholarship. Alongside its companion subject, Key Debates in Political Science 2, this subject will reflect the breadth of the discipline of political science, with a focus on identifying, distinguishing and relating key sub-disciplines and trans-disciplinary theoretical debates in politics and international studies. This iteration focuses on the foundational question: What is Politics? This sets up a larger debate about the proper subject and scope of political analysis, something examined through several major ways of trying to identify and examine politics. The second half of the subject then examines how these issues play out in one of the core sub-disciplines of political science: political theory. Looking at the difference between liberal, critical and poststructuralist approaches to political theorizing, it illustrates how these foundation issues inform differing approaches to several major debates. Students completing the subject will have a robust understanding of what characterises the contemporary scholarly terrain of the discipline, and where their own research interests are located.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject students should:
- demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the broad set of foundational questions in the discipline of Politics and International Studies
- be able to relate and compare the major approaches to understanding politics
- demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the shape of one of the major sub disciplines of political science: contemporary political theory;
- be able to relate and compare liberal from critical approaches to political theory;
- Understand the various challenges contemporary conditions of pluralism bring through debates around democracy, Feminism, Multiculturalism and Postcolonialism;
- demonstrate an independent approach to knowledge that can identify different methods of inquiry and research in academic scholarship and evaluate their intellectual and ethical merits;
- be able to communicate coherently, concisely and effectively in writing;
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into the Politics and International Studies specialisation (formal) in the BH-ARTS Bachelor of Arts (Degree with Honours), Politics and International Studies specialisation (formal) in the GDA-ARTS Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced)
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Research Essay 1
| Mid semester | 50% |
Research Essay 2
| During the examination period | 50% |
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10 marks per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Clayton Chin Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24 Hours: A 2 hour seminar per week for 12 weeks Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 27 February 2023 to 28 May 2023 Last self-enrol date 10 March 2023 Census date 31 March 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 May 2023 Assessment period ends 23 June 2023 Semester 1 contact information
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
Last updated: 31 January 2024