AIP208 - Government and Politics of the United States
Unit details
| Year: | 2021 unit information |
|---|---|
| Important Update: | Unit delivery will continue to be provided in line with the most current COVIDSafe health guidelines. This may include a mix of on-campus and online activities. To find out how you are impacted, please check your unit sites for announcements and updates. Unit sites open one week prior to the start of each Trimester/Semester. Thank you for your flexibility and commitment to studying with Deakin in 2021. Last updated: 4 June 2021 |
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Zim Nwokora |
| Cohort rule: | Nil |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
| Scheduled learning activities - campus: | 1 x 2-hour class per week |
| Scheduled learning activities - cloud: | 1 x 2-hour class per week (recordings provided) |
Content
This unit aims to provide students with a broad and rigorous introduction to government and politics in the United States. The unit will draw on three approaches to this subject matter. First, students will be introduced to influential theories developed by political scientists to explain observations about American politics. Second, students will be introduced to historical material to illustrate change and continuity in the operations of American government and politics. Third, students will be encouraged to read contemporary commentary (usually by journalists) about American politics. An important purpose of the unit, however, is to enable students to think critically about such commentary, drawing on their theoretical and historical knowledge. The course will be structured around the study of key American political institutions and policy areas, and devote significant attention to the turbulent struggles for power in American politics.
| ULO | These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Review and analyse major theoretical, conceptual, and policy debates about the American political system | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Effectively communicate the findings and analyses of research on American politics, while deploying political concepts, theories and technical knowledge in different written formats | GLO2: Communication |
| ULO3 | Analyse and critically evaluate different interpretations of American politics | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO4 | Generate and evaluate solutions to complex problems of about American government and politics | GLO5: Problem solving |
These Unit Learning Outcomes are applicable for all teaching periods throughout the year
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 - Report | 1500 words or equivalent | 40% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 2 - Essay | 2500 words or equivalent | 60% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning Resource
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: AIP208 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
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