POLIS 3105 - International Study Tour: Politics

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2016

This course is enables a short study tour for University of Adelaide students led by Adelaide teaching staff. Students will be expected to complete a number of intensively taught preliminary classes at Adelaide before travel overseas. While on location, students will undertake a series of intensive seminars, lectures and site visits. This course is designed to enhance students? understanding and appreciation of the contemporary political systems and cultures of selected foreign countries. Topics may include detailed study of political institutional arrangements, selected case studies of bi-lateral and/or multi-lateral relationships and detailed study of party structures.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code POLIS 3105
    Course International Study Tour: Politics
    Coordinating Unit Politics and International Relations
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact 36 hours intensive over 3 weeks
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites At least 6 units of level 2 undergraduate study
    Incompatible POLIS 2137
    Assessment Research essay 50%, Reflective essay/blog 30%, Annotated bibliography 10%, Seminar participation 10%
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Emeritus Professor Clement Macintyre

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 Demonstrate a close understanding of the political culture and institutions of a foreign
    country
    2 Conduct primary research on selected policy /institutional issues relating to a foreign
    country
    3 Demonstrate skills and competencies in intercultural awareness
    4 Show enhanced critical thinking and skills of analysis
    5 Better understand their Adelaide based disciplinary study by seeing it in an
    international context.
    6 Demonstrate confidence in a foreign environment and a well-developed sense of social
    responsibility through engagement with local communities
    7 Demonstrate high level written and oral communication skills
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Textbook and / or recommended readings as part of pre-departure study.
    Other materials to be determined by precise focus of study. No requirements for
    specialist infrastructure



  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course is designed to run intensively over a three week period (1 week in S1 as pre-departure classes and 2 weeks intensive while overseas during the mid-semester break). The nature of the lecture topics will vary according to the country visited.

    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.



    WORKLOAD TOTAL HOURS
    4 x 3 hour pre-departure seminars 12 hours per semester
    8 x 3 hour in-country based seminars 24 hours per semester
    Site visits 10 hours per semester
    Set readings and preparation for class 50 hours per semester
    Preparation and writing of assignments 60 hours per semester
    TOTAL 156 hours
    Learning Activities Summary
    Seminars, lecture topics and site visits during the two week intensive teaching period while overseas will be designed around specific political issues and events in the country being visited


    Specific Course Requirements
    Students must be free to travel to specified overseas destination during the two non-teaching weeks in semester 1.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    This course will offer students a short term, but intensive engagement with an Adelaide based teacher with expertise in the local area and will enable students to have close interaction with eminent local experts in the discipline field.



  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Due Weighting Learning Outcome
    3000 word essay Summative

    week 12

    50% LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
    Reflective essay / blog Formative and Summative 2 weeks after return to Australia 30% LO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
    750 word Annotated bibliography Formative week 9 10% LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
    Participation
    in seminars
    Formative and Summative teaching weeks 10% LO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
    Assessment Related Requirements
    N/A
    Assessment Detail
    3000 word essay:
    students will be required to write a 3000 word research essay on a topic to be determined - 50% weighting

    Refelective essay / blog: students will be required to write a 1500 (or equivalent) essay reflecting on their learning experience while away from Adelaide or post a similar blog - 30% weighting

    Annotated bibliography: a 750 word annotated bibliography as preparation for the main essay - 10% weighting.

    Participation in seminars: : students engage in interaction in class activities and the cooperative sharing of materials and information - 10% weighting



    Submission
    Submission of blog/ reflective essay within 3 weeks of return to Adelaide. Submission of annotated bibliography by week 10 of semester. Submission of long essay will be required by end of semester. Electronic submission of assignments through the MyUni will be allowed. Discipline cover sheets will be required



    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

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