Module Descriptors

Parliamentary Studies aims to provide students with a detailed knowledge of how the Westminster Parliament works in both theory and practice. The overarching and coordinating theme of the module will be to scrutinise the capacity of Westminster to fulfil five key democratic functions of parliament: representation, recruitment and maintenance of a government, scrutiny of the executive, legislation, and debate. Where relevant and fruitful Westminster will be analysed in comparative perspective, particularly with the Scottish Parliament. Nevertheless, Westminster will be remain the overriding focus of the module. 

It therefore focuses on how the Houses of Parliament operates and covers themes such as:  structure of Parliament; legislative process; the role and reform of Select Committees; debate and deliberation in parliament; the civil service; E-Governance and E-Democracy; scrutiny at Parliament; the work and role of the House of Lords; the ongoing debate regarding reform of the House of Lords; Parliament and devolution; and Parliament and Europe. It provides students with a sense of why cultures, traditions and informal relationships matter as well as formal procedures. 

Delivery of Parliamentary Studies is based on a partnership between the Houses of Parliament who provide practical and vocational teaching about the work, processes and business of Parliament from practitioners from within Parliament, such as clerks and parliamentary officials with expertise and experience on the topic. Under terms of the partnership, the maximum number of students enrolled is 20 students.  Further teaching will also be provided by Members of Parliament, Civil Servants and relevant civil society organisations.

On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:

L1. Integrate theoretical and practical knowledge about Parliament.

L2. Apply conceptual tools to understand, evaluate and critically analyse, in-depth, the functions of parliament and the features of parliament that promote this function in practice.

L3. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the limitations of a feature of parliament to promoting a key function and demonstrate some originality and creativity by providing practical recommendations to address this failing.

L4. Demonstrate appropriate communicative and transferable skills including making effective use of library and electronic resources to acquire relevant information, engaging in seminar discussion, and provision of written, reasoned and co-ordinated arguments.

Demonstrate a specific and integrated knowledge of the key issues in the students chosen topic area;

Demonstrate a critical understanding of a selection of the key areas of the students topic area;

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding relationship between parliament in theory and practice.

Interpreting and explaining complex Parliamentary and democratic theories;

Applying some complex conceptual tools to understand certain key themes in the study of Parliament;

Retrieving, interpreting, analysing and manipulating primary and secondary information from a variety of sources including electronic sources.

Critical evaluation and synthesis of key ideas and concepts in relation to a Parliamentary studies;

Critically identify and analyse conceptual problems relating to the study and understanding of Parliament in theory and practice;

Drawing on information from a variety of sources, including academic research publications, to make original, and distinct, insights on this subject matter.

Communicating effectively and appropriately in speech and writing;

Interpreting complex primary materials;

Making effective use of information retrieval systems and use information technology applications to present documents in an appropriate form.

Working effectively, together with peers in groups and external Professionals, taking a leadership role where appropriate;

Systematically identifying and addressing their own learning needs both in current and in new areas, making use of research in primary political theory, and empirical research, source materials as appropriate.

The following materials form essential underpinning for the module content and ultimately for the learning outcomes:

In line with the Academic Engagement Procedure, Students are defined as academically engaged if they are regularly engaged with timetabled teaching sessions, course-related learning resources including those in the Library and on the relevant learning platform, and complete assessments and submit these on time. Please refer to the Academic Engagement Procedure at the following link: Academic engagement procedure

Where a module has Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body requirements these will be listed here:
All fulltime students (part-time and distant learning students should check with their programme leader for any queries) are required to attend all scheduled classes and participate with all delivered elements of the module as part of their engagement with their programme of study. Consideration will be given to students who have protection under the appropriate equality law. Please refer to UWS Regulations, Chapter 1, 1.64 – 1.67, available at the following link: http://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/rights-and-regulations/regulatory-framework/

1.07

1. More than one assessment method can be used to assess individual learning outcomes.
2. Schools are responsible for determining student contact hours. Please refer to University Policy on contact hours (extract contained within section 10 of the Module Descriptor guidance note).
   This will normally be variable across Schools, dependent on Programmes &/or Professional requirements.