Module manager: Dr Christine Harlen
Email: c.harlen@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Do you wonder why Americans seem to consider themselves different from other people?- Do you find it puzzling that the U.S. takes so long to select its president?- Do you wonder why U.S. politics seems so different from British politics? The module starts with the origins of U.S. political culture and the constitution, and then looks at how the President, members of the legislature and Supreme Court are selected and wield their power. The role of the political parties, media and interest groups and their role in the divisiveness of U.S. politics is also examined. Finally, the module looks at how the various elements of U.S. domestic politics help determine U.S. foreign policy.
On completion of this module, students:
- should be able to explain the workings of the political institutions of the United States of America and their social, theoretical and historical contexts;
- will be able to appraise concepts and theories about US politics;
- will learn to communicate ideas more accurately and use academic styles and conventions.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Explain the workings of the political institutions of the United States of America and their social, theoretical and historical contexts
2. Appraise concepts and theories about U.S. politics
3. Appreciate the links between U.S. domestic politics and U.S. foreign policy
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Communicate and present ideas and knowledge on US politics
2. Retrieve, organise, and produce complex summaries of information
3. Assemble complex arguments and assessments and be able to evaluate and criticise the arguments of others.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 180 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
A formal formative assessment opportunity will be provided for each summative assessment task, which is specifically pedagogically aligned to that task. As part of this, each student will receive feedback designed to support the development of knowledge and skills that will be later assessed in the summative task.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Individual presentation | 25 |
| Coursework | . | 75 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 28/02/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team