Assessment
A range of assessment methods are used to enable students to achieve and demonstrate the learning outcomes. Literacy and critical thinking around psychology and politics is developed and assessed through assignments such as essays, literature reviews, critical reviews of journal papers, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, report writing, political discourse analysis, etc. Indeed, assessments aim to develop skills such as problem solving, research, organisation, planning, and effective communication. Effective and fluent written, oral and visual communication is enhanced further through assessments that use posters and PowerPoint presentations, video and webpage design, whilst the use of group work for assessment enables better team working and the development of leadership skills. Lastly, a number of modules use weblogs, e-portfolios and case studies to develop and assess a range of skills including reflection and independent learning.
Furthermore the course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments. Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade.
Assessment methods include; Essay, Exam, Practical Report File, Reflective Log, Personal Development Plan, Discussion paper, Public Communication, Research Funding Bid, Literature Review, Research Proposal, Presentation (group and individual), Research Project, Poster Presentation, Case Study, Portfolio, Policy Briefing, Extended Essay, Workbook, Political Discourse Analysis.
The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to the mandatory and optional modules taken, but a typical formal summative assessment pattern for each year of the course is:
Year 1
- 2 Essays
- 1 Multiple Choice Exam
- 2 Practical Report Files
- 2 Reflective Logs
- 1 Personal Development Plan
- 1 Discussion paper
Year 2
- 1 Public Communication
- 1 Research Funding Bid
- 1 Essay
- 1 Literature Review
- 1 Practical Report File
- 1 Research Proposal
- 1 Report
- 1 Political Discourse Analysis
Year 3
- 1 Research Project
- 1 Poster Presentation
- 1 Case Study
- 1 Essay
- 1 Political Discourse Analysis
- 1 Policy Briefing
- 1 Extended Essay