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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2013/2014 -
- ARCHIVE as at 1 September 2013 for reference only
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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Social and Political Science : School (School of Social and Political Studies)

Undergraduate Course: Scotland: Society and Politics (vs1) (SSPS10013)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Social and Political Science CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Course typeStandard AvailabilityPart-year visiting students only
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) Credits20
Home subject areaSchool (School of Social and Political Studies) Other subject areaNone
Course website None Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThis is an honours level variant of the second year course Scotland: Society and Politics and is only available to visiting students. (All other students may undertake the parallel course code SSPS08005)

This course allows Visiting students to focus on the society and polity around them, and to fully share class time with University of Edinburgh students. It includes an opportunity to conduct a modest research project with the support of a tutor. It draws on the wealth of scholars researching aspects of Scottish society and politics within the School of Social and Political Science and the wider university. There are two lectures a week (a total of 20 lectures) and weekly group tutorials from week 2 to week 11. The first six tutorials guide the student through his or her research project and attendance is very important. The remaining tutorials focus on exam revision. The bulk of the assessment is divided between an exam and a research project report on an aspect of Scottish society or politics. 10% is allocated to tutorial participation.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites"This is an honours level variant of the second year course Scotland: Society and Politics and is only available to visiting students. (All other students may undertake the parallel course code SSPS08005)
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus?Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Through taking this course students will gain:
A critically informed overview of contemporary Scottish society, politics, and social policy, locating Scotland historically and within a global context.
An ability to apply the skills and knowledge acquired in social science disciplines to the society and polity around them.
Critical understanding of and engagement with selected social, cultural and political issues in contemporary Scotland.
Assessment Information
45% of the assessment is based on a research essay of 3,500 words, 45% is based on a take-home exam of two 1,500 word essays and 10% is based on tutorial participation. In order to pass Scotland: Society & Politics students must normally achieve an overall mark of at least 40% in both the research essay and the final exam.

The research essay is based on a hands-on data gathering mini-project which students conduct over 5 weeks of the course with the support of a tutor.
The take-home exam consists of two 1,500 word essays written in a three week period. Students will be given six essay questions, one from each course theme and be told that one of the topics is prohibited because it is the subject of their research essay. The submission sheet will require them to declare which course theme their research essay addressed and the penalty for failing to honestly observe this restriction will be a fail on one essay.
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus The course centres on the following six overlapping themes. Elements of each runs throughout the course but some lectures focus more explicitly on one theme.
1. Inequalities and Opportunities
2. Representations of Scotland
3. Governance and Party Politics
4. Policy in Devolved Scotland
5. Nationalism & Identity
6. Scotland and its Others
Indicative Lecture List (note this will vary from year to year)
The 'Death' and Re-invention of Scotland (Ewen Cameron, History)
What is Scottish Society? (David McCrone, Institute of Governance )
Who's Scottish: issues of identity (Ross Bond/Michael Rosie, Sociology)
Which Scotland? inequalities and divisions (Lynn Jamieson, Sociology)
Public administration, public policy in Scotland (Richard Parry, Social Policy)
Governing Scotland After Devolution (Nicola McEwen, Politics & IR)
Parties and Elections (Nicola McEwen, Politics & IR)
Whose Scotland? issues of land (Lynn Jamieson, Sociology)
Whose Scotland? Migration & belonging (Kim Masson)
Scotland's Diaspora in historical Context (Alexander Murdoch, History)
Scotland in the UK and Europe (Nicola McEwen, Politics & IR)
Crime and Criminal Justice in Scotland (Lesley McAra, Law School)
Social Policy in Scotland (Richard Parry, Social Policy)
The Case of the Children's Panel (Mark Smith, Social Work)
Civil Society in a Scottish Context (Alison Elliot, Scottish Council for Voluntary Service)
Language (Wilson McLeod, School of Scottish Studies)
Highlands and heritage (Michael Rosie, Sociology)
Scotland's Future (Alice Brown, Scotland's first Ombudsman and David McCrone)
Questions and Answer session (Michael Rosie/ Lynn Jamieson, Richard Parry)
Transferable skills Not entered
Reading list Not entered
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsScotland, society, politics, policy
Contacts
Course organiserDr Michael Rosie
Tel: (0131 6)51 1651
Email: M.J.Rosie@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Karen Dargo
Tel: (0131 6)51 1306
Email: Karen.Dargo@ed.ac.uk
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