Institutions and Policies of the European Union (PO9996)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : SPS-P-IPEU

The course examines the structure, workings, and major domains of policy activity of the European Union. The functions and powers of Union institutions and bodies and their processes of policy-making and of decision-making are analysed. Finally, the course assesses the EU's development as a political system, and explores issues surrounding the Union's pending enlargement. Students will have opportunities to attain an advanced understanding of EU integration and the operations of the EU as a political system and gain familiarity with the standard concepts, theories and methods deployed in understanding and explaining EU integration. This course is assessed on the basis of coursework (one 2500-word essay) and an examination (2500 words).

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate (School of Social and Political Studies), (School of Social and Political Studies, Schedule J)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course students should be able to:
* Show a good basic knowledge of the major features of European
integration: the EU institutions, policy making and major policies;
* Understand the major theoretical approaches to integration and
be able to apply these to understand European integration and the varied
insights that these approaches provide;
* Demonstrate a capacity to appraise some of the major aspects of
integration critically;
* Show a basic knowledge of the very different national responses
to integration.