BA Hons Journalism, Media and Communication & Politics and International Relations

This class provides an introduction to the study of politics from a scientific perspective. The course covers how modern states around the world function and interact through from a social science perspective. The course will cover the basic concepts that characterise the essence of political life within and across countries and use these concepts to explore arguments and theories on the functioning of human behaviour. We'll cover key concepts, ranging from the meaning of democracy and authoritarianism, to structures and institutions – including elections and governments – essential to understanding modern politics.

You'll leave the class with the basic tools, concepts and approaches to interpret the political events as a political scientist and the background information to succeed in your journey through political science topics at the University of Strathclyde.

This class investigates the role of actors and political institutions in policymaking processes within states and across political regimes. The class builds on Politics 1A in which the main focus was on concepts and key institutions. This previous knowledge is used to develop a deeper understanding of political actors’ behaviour and the processes through which they influence outcomes. It covers a range of political processes that take place within democratic and non-democratic states and beyond. The class examines a range of outcomes that influence the lives of citizens, including the policies associated with modern welfare states.

You'll leave the class with the ability to read and critically discuss research in political science and the broader social sciences. This class will equip you to evaluate academic findings and debates in the field of comparative politics, to interpret the political events as a political scientist and to build foundational knowledge for undertaking research in political science topics.

An introductory conceptual class on these topics, it will provide a wide overview of the media, journalism and the communication fields. Key contemporary issues in journalism, media and communication will be introduced and discussed. 

A practical introductory class on journalism reporting and writing. Students will learn the basic rules of reporting, interviewing, writing news and features, and editing them. The specifics of each format of writing will be emphasised. Assessments include writing real-life stories on topics chosen by students.

The objective of this class is to introduce you to the academic study of International Relations (IR). The class begins by examining the basic concepts and historical contexts in order to give you a firm grounding in IR. The next part of the course delves into the major theories of IR, which will provide you with conceptual underpinnings into world affairs. The course then examines the structures and processes within IR, covering topics such as the changing nature of war, international security and international institutions.

This class covers the key normative concepts used in political philosophy. This includes justice, equality, democracy, the state, collective action and rights.

You'll study different approaches to these concepts, analysing political practices and applying the concepts to political institutions. The class will reference your knowledge of empirical political science (political institutions, political behaviour), learnt in other politics classes. You'll also consider the application of political philosophy to practical policy making problems.

Social science students are expected to develop core research skills, learn to work in groups, planning and conducting independent research projects. This course ensures that you understand the ideas of applied social research, and thus it prepares you for an employment market that seeks out graduates with research skills beyond narrow subject-specific knowledge.

This course is part of the university’s new initiative in Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development (VIP4SD). VIPs are designed to provide students from second-year through to postgraduate with an opportunity to work with teams of other students on projects related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Undergraduate students may participate in a project for up to three years.

In this VIP we'll examine the linkages between the quality of democratic governance, citizenship, service delivery, and quality of life in developing countries, with a focus on Africa. You'll have the opportunity to investigate important policy-relevant questions using various forms of survey, administrative, national accounts, and spatial data to track progress toward the sustainable development goals and investigate factors that facilitate or hinder sustainable development. The complexity of the research project will differ according to the level of the student.

A practical intermediate class focusing on journalism skills related to news writing. Students explore news reporting and writing in more depth, including how to work with numbers, how to interview and write about vulnerable people and how to conduct research online. Assessments are real-life news stories written on topics assigned by the instructor or chosen by the student.

A theoretical class, which takes an in-depth look at major theories of the field and related methods. The class will prepare students for research by exploring the main methods of studying the media. It will connect these methods to the major theories in journalism, media and communication, which aims to bring a deeper conceptual understanding of the field.  

This class mixes conceptual and practical elements with a focus on digital media. It explores the history of digital media and asks students to think conceptually about it, but also to gain relevant practical skills related to digital journalism & effective communication in the digital age.

This class teaches students a range of quantitative research methods. It will help you better understand the high quantity of statistics published by governments and in the media. Additionally, learning quantitative methods improves your job prospects and equips you better for study in Honours and beyond.

On the basis of the knowledge acquired in this course, students will be able to critically assess the validity and reliability of published research, to develop a research design, and to collect, analyse and present data.

You'll learn about different methods of:

• social science research
• distilling information from academic work
• collecting and analysing data
• the basic design of surveys conducive to quantitative analysis and conducting of qualitative interviews
• • the use of SPSS as an analytical tool used by many businesses and organisation
• the basics of uni-variate and bi-variate statistical analysis

This class provides a comprehensive overview of European politics, identifying the common characteristics of politics and government across the continent, but also the distinguishing features that make countries different. The class combines thematic topics with studies of politics and government in particular countries - France, Germany, Italy, and the countries of eastern and central Europe.

The first section of class examines the emergence and evolution of parties and party systems, focusing on the relationship between parties and society, ideological developments and modernisation processes. Particular attention is given to the emergence of ‘new politics’ and the rise of the far right.  This part of the class concludes with an examination of the different types of electoral system employed in Europe, and the effects they have on politics.

The second section focuses on government; the character of government at the centre, multilevel governance, and parliaments.

This class will provide a comprehensive overview of Chinese politics since 1949, contextualising it within the study of comparative politics, historical inheritance and contemporary Chinese society.

It will give you grounding in the dynamic evolution of the Chinese state and Chinese nationalism, China’s self-identified problems of weakness and underdevelopment, and the difficult political choices faced by political elites. It will also analyse how the country’s Communist legacy offers both opportunities and constraints for the present politics of China. The case of Taiwan is also included as a comparison.

This class introduces students to the basic concepts and theories relating to the study of political institutions, processes, behaviour, and policy in the United States. The first half of the class examines ‘American exceptionalism,’ and its political culture. The second half examines the institutions of the US political system, covering such topics as the constitution, federalism and the branches of the central government. The class will conclude with a survey of public policy in the United States, in several dimensions.

Class topics include:

• the US party system
• political participation and mobilisation
• individual voting behaviour
• public opinion
• nominations and elections
• media
• interest groups
• the question of where power lies

The class seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of Scottish politics contextualising it within UK, European and world politics, historical inheritance and contemporary Scottish society. It examines the practice of Scotland’s governing institutions, the changing nature of democracy in Scotland, the impact of devolution on policy and broader governance as well as Scotland’s constitutional status.

This class looks at the issue of who holds power in local politics in the UK as well as examining changing managerial and democratic practice. It asks fundamental questions about local politics, such as:

• how is local democracy justified?
• who holds power?
• what is the basis of that power?
• what is the role of citizens in localities today?
• what is the role of local governing institutions?
• how are local public services delivered
• how is policy made and delivered?

This class is co-taught with staff from the UK Parliament and the Scottish Parliament. It also involves deliberative sessions with parliamentarians.

The class focuses on how Britain is governed, focusing particularly on how its main institutions and processes – with their own influences, conflict and dynamics – have risen to the multiple challenges of the modern world, ranging from demands for sub-national autonomy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to the opportunities and constraints afforded by Britain’s membership of the European Union.

This course looks at the multi-faceted and ever-changing nature of war, conflict and terrorism, in the context of the end of the Cold War and the September 11 terrorist attacks. It addresses debates within the sub-discipline of Strategic Studies (for example, the study of the use of force) and International Relations more broadly, relevant to the causes of war, the conditions of peace and strategies for dealing with terrorism and conflict.

Economics is not only about the technical allocation of scarce resources among competing needs. Economy policy choices inevitably involve political trade-offs, social concerns and value judgments. In this light, this class looks at the ideational and ethical underpinnings of public policymaking. The focus is on how the clash of economic ideas shapes policy decisions in key areas. It also examines the sources and implications of big shifts in policy paradigms. An effort will be made to make sense of the direction of economics and the rethinking of policy frameworks in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

This course familiarizes you with the historical debates over alternative economic paradigms and policies and their historical and philosophical foundations. Questions such as why some nations are richer than others and what should governments do to overcome economic crises are as pressing today as they were a century ago. Indeed, the question “what is the best economic policy” has been asked and debated over centuries, and, as it turns out, policymakers are still guided by ideas and paradigms that were articulated by men and women centuries ago.

At the end of this course, you'll have a better knowledge about how our economic and financial world was developed.

This course is part of the university’s new initiative in Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development (VIP4SD). VIPs are designed to provide students from second-year through to postgraduate with an opportunity to work with teams of other students on projects related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Undergraduate students may participate in a project for up to three years.

In this VIP we'll examine the linkages between the quality of democratic governance, citizenship, service delivery, and quality of life in developing countries, with a focus on Africa. You'll have the opportunity to investigate important policy-relevant questions using various forms of survey, administrative, national accounts, and spatial data to track progress toward the sustainable development goals and investigate factors that facilitate or hinder sustainable development. The complexity of the research project will differ according to the level of the student.

The primary purpose of this course is to develop your ability to understand and analyse the national security policies of the United States. First, we discuss the different government actors along with non-state actors. Second, we do an in depth examination of the tools and strategies necessary for enacting the policies of the United States. Lastly, we'll take into account post-9/11 U.S. national security and discuss current and potential real world events.

The class is taught over ten weeks, through a combination of twice-weekly lectures and fortnightly tutorials. After examining competing explanations regarding the causes of war, we'll survey the history and characteristics of war and conflict. We'll then discuss a range of strategies on how to prevent and how to manage conflict. Terrorism is examined both empirically and qualitatively in the second part of the class. The final part focuses on civil war.

A practical intermediate class focusing on journalism skills related to feature writing. Students learn about different types of features (e.g. profile, review, news backgrounder, column, travel or sport), in-depth reporting and writing.

Assessments are real-life features on topics chosen by students.  

A theoretical class exploring in depth concepts around popular culture, as related to journalism. The class analyses the construction of the popular, along with those historical, economic and cultural forces involved in deploying the popular to establish hierarchies of judgment and legitimacy.

A conceptual class covering Scots law for journalists. The class explores specific cases of media law in Scotland and how students need to conduct their reporting and writing in a way that respects those boundaries.

A theoretical class on concepts and theories from political communication. The class will explore recent developments in politics, political communication and the media, and will discuss their implications for democracy.

This class gives you a unique opportunity to gain practical, work-based experience and apply your knowledge and understanding of journalism, media, and communication to a real-world context.

Past students have worked in a range of organisations including broadcast and media organisations, charities, NGO's, and publishers.

You'll have support from the careers service to locate a placement that aligns with your professional interests and will receive ongoing support from academic staff throughout your placement.

The aim of this class is to introduce students to the concepts, theories, institutions and processes of regulatory governance. The transnational and international dimension of regulatory governance is also taken into account.

This class aims to investigate the political determinants of peace and prosperity, conflict and poverty. It also deals with the recent literature on conflict, inequality, and globalisation. A special emphasis will be placed on providing an understanding of the contemporary challenges facing developing countries.

This class adopts a comparative approach to the study of political parties and party systems, focusing on Europe and the United States. We discuss the main functions and organisational and ideological characteristics of the different types of parties found in these regions, and the way in which parties adapt to social change.

We look at the relationship between parties and voters from the alternative theoretical perspectives of class voting, partisan identification and rational choice. We also examine party systems and party government.

The class focuses on how we do comparative politics (methodology). We'll consider the comparative method, and how the scientific method can be applied to the study of politics. We consider the problem of only having a relatively small number of cases to compare, and how we select these, as well as the difference between case-study driven, small-n and large-n studies. We also consider the use of ideal types – the importance of finding a language to compare very complex systems.

This class is divided into four main blocks:

• green political theory
• environmental attitudes & behaviour
• environmental movements
• green parties

The focus of this class is the individual voter. Individual characteristics, such as education, socio-economic status, political attitudes and values, or involvement in social and political networks are looked at. However, contextual factors, such as the institutional framework, can also play a role for a wide range of political actions.

This class provides a critical introduction to feminism and its implications for politics. Over the last few decades, feminists have systematically challenged the long-standing view that politics is gender-neutral by uncovering masculinist bias and drawing attention to the neglected experiences, values and arguments of women.

Feminists have also reconstructed key political concepts and practices and expanded the range of issues and ideas understood to be political.

This class explores debates about key concepts in International Relations theory, in the context of what is widely seen as a new era in the analysis and practice of global politics. The class investigates the 'cutting-edge' of IR theory and makes connections with social and political thought more generally.

Students are introduced to the literature and research agendas related to security and conflict studies. Specifically, the course will explore various aspects of civil war, terrorism, international conflict, arms transfers and refugee security.

The impact of faith upon politics is evident in many ways, including:

• the 1979 revolution in Iran
• conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East
• the Catholic Church's contribution to democratisation efforts in Latin America and Eastern Europe
• the role of religious actors in current debates on Islam in the EU

The class introduces students to the systematic study of these phenomena based on a quantitative methods perspective. Qualitative approaches are also considered. As part of the class assessment, students will conduct an empirical case study.

This course is part of the university’s new initiative in Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development (VIP4SD). VIPs are designed to provide students from second-year through to postgraduate with an opportunity to work with teams of other students on projects related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Undergraduate students may participate in a project for up to three years.

In this VIP we'll examine the linkages between the quality of democratic governance, citizenship, service delivery, and quality of life in developing countries, with a focus on Africa. You'll have the opportunity to investigate important policy-relevant questions using various forms of survey, administrative, national accounts, and spatial data to track progress toward the sustainable development goals and investigate factors that facilitate or hinder sustainable development. The complexity of the research project will differ according to the level of the student.

This course examines the worldwide movement away from authoritarian rule and toward democratic government that took place in the last 25 years of the 20th century, and the problem of democratic backsliding that confronts us in the first quarter of the 21st century.

We focus on the following questions:

• what is democracy and how best can we measure it?
• by what sequence and process have countries become democracies?
• how can countries maintain democracy?
• what are the consequences of democracy?
• what is the most likely future of democracy across the globe?

Students who take this course will discover a political process that connects with the content of other Honours level classes on globalization and international relations, comparative politics, political parties, and political behaviour. This course should be of specific interest to students who wish to pursue careers in academia as well as national donor agencies and international organizations specializing in development and trade, development consultancies, or national and international civil society organizations.

This class provides a critical introduction to territorial politics in the UK. Over recent decades the territorial dimension in UK politics has come to the forefront with asymmetrical devolved arrangements in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales; the re-shaping of the UK’s relationship with the EU; the recurrence of ‘The English Question; as well as rising nationalism across the UK raising questions about the purpose and meaning of Britain in contemporary politics. These developments have all challenged and raised new questions about long-standing ideas about ‘parliamentary sovereignty’ and the ‘unitary state’ in the United Kingdom.

In essence, new developments in territorial politics have reconstructed long-standing analysis and political concepts and practices associated with the UK. The class is taught in ten seminars and seeks to examine key developments in UK territorial politics associated with the governance of the UK and its component parts – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This class aims to give an overview of the various theoretical approaches to try and explain political behaviour and to test their validity with reference to empirical studies of a broad range of forms of political action.

The main analytical focus of the class will be on the individual level. What determines whether an individual citizen takes part in the political process in one way or another? Explanations will focus on a range of individual characteristics, such as education, socio-economic status, political attitudes and values, involvement in social and political networks. Contextual factors, however, can also play a part, such as the political opportunity structure for a range of political actions.

Political participation is conceived in terms of a broad range of actions. While we will briefly look at determinants of election turnout, the main focus of the class is on non-electoral forms of political behaviour, such as taking part in demonstrations, joining campaigning groups and political parties. We will also look at violent forms of action, such as riots and terrorism.

In terms of empirical sources, we'll focus centrally on survey data. In a few cases, also qualitative studies may be relevant but most of the work testing various theories of why people become involved in politics will rely on quantitative approaches.

Students can choose to do an individual project on a topic related to journalism, media or communication, which involves original academic or journalistic research under one-on-one supervision with staff. An academic dissertation involves individual scholarly research on a chosen topic. The special project is an extension of feature writing skills and will take those to a new level by requiring students to produce a much longer and more sophisticated portfolio of work.

The class mixes conceptual and practical elements for an in-depth look at the media’s role in society’s health and wellbeing. The class covers topics such as media coverage of disease and disability, chronic versus acute conditions, how the media shape the image of doctors, people with various conditions.

A theoretical class, underpinned by feminist media studies, which explores gender issues in relation to media production, representation and consumption practices – both in relation to mainstream media and ‘alternative’ content and distribution strategies. This class explores how gender intersects with other structural inequalities such as race, class, sexuality, dis/ability and age.

This class explores the implications and futures of digital technology in communication. It incorporates the range of digital communication, from mediated conversation, through social media, to blogging and the production and distribution of video content. The importance of the digital environment for politics and the labour market is also explored.

A seminar class, which capitalises on staff’s relationships with media organisations, NGOs and government bodies in Scotland and brings professionals into the classroom for guest talks and discussions of professional nature. The class will help students with establishing professional connections in the media field and with getting an overview of the media landscape in Scotland.

A conceptual class that builds on journalism practice and explores it from a theoretical perspective. The class explores the accountability systems used by journalists, both external such as IPSO and internal such as methods of self-censorship. Students examine a series of ethical dilemmas emanating from the concepts of truth and trust, taste and offence, privacy and intrusion and respecting people.

This class gives you a unique opportunity to gain practical, work-based experience and apply your knowledge and understanding of journalism, media, and communication to a real-world context.

Past students have worked in a range of organisations including broadcast and media organisations, charities, NGO's, and publishers.

You'll have support from the careers service to locate a placement that aligns with your professional interests and will receive ongoing support from academic staff throughout your placement.

A practical class on current software and online tools that enhance digital storytelling for journalists. It explores the changing nature of journalism in the face of rapidly advancing technological environment and asks a range of questions: how does the rise of information-driven society change journalistic practices? How do technological affordances help develop novel forms of storytelling? Which tools can develop and maintain professional presence on online platforms?  

A theoretical class exploring in depth concepts around popular culture, as related to journalism. The class analyses the construction of the popular, along with those historical, economic and cultural forces involve in deploying the popular to establish hierarchies of judgement and legitimacy.