POL2001 Institutions and Governance

POL	2001	78126	2, 2008	EXT	Institutions and Governance	1.00	Toowoomba
Subject	Cat-nbr	Class	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOBUS
Academic org:	FOB008
Student contribution band:	1
ASCED code:	090101

Staffing
Other requisites
Synopsis
Objectives
Topics
Texts
Reference materials
Student workload
Assessment details
Important assessment information
Assessment notes
Production date
PDF version

STAFFING

Examiner: Phil Griffiths
Moderator: Cassandra Star

OTHER REQUISITES

Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to USQConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at <http://www.usq.edu.au/business/aboutfob.htm>.

SYNOPSIS

This course introduces students to basic political and economic institutions of government. It uses a comparative methodological framework to explore the concept of different national institutional configurations, using examples from Australia, Asia and Europe. As part of its examination of political and economic institutions, the course will assess the effect of recent international trends on the ability of state institutions to fulfil their prescribed role. It will also introduce students to international economic and political institutions and evaluate their effectiveness.

OBJECTIVES

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. The assessment item/s that may be used to assess student achievement of an objective is/are shown in parentheses after each objective. On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

identify institutions (Assignment 1, Examination)
comprehend the role of institutions in governance (Assignment 2, Examination)
identify, comprehend and evaluate different institutional configurations and their relationship to governance (Assignment 1, Assignment 2, Examination)
appreciate and evaluate the relationship of political economy and institutions to effective governance (Assignment 1, Assignment 2, Examination)
understand, evaluate and critique different institutional configurations in terms of effectiveness (Assignment 1, Assignment 2, Examination)
understand, evaluate and critique current trends in institutional change (Assignment 1, Assignment 2, Examination)
demonstrate the ability to research a body of literature and to present a clear, cohesive and comprehensive overview that highlights an understanding and mastery of the debates involved (Assignment 1)
demonstrate continued development of excellent academic research and critical thinking skills (Assignment 1, Assignment 2)
demonstrate continued development of excellent academic writing and synthesis skills (Assignment 1, Assignment 2).

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	Understanding institutions and their role in governance	8.00
2.	Comparing institutions	8.00
3.	The state and institutions	20.00
4.	Political economy and institutional configurations	32.00
5.	International institutions and political economy	16.00
6.	Trends in institutions and institutional change	8.00
7.	Challenges to institutional effectiveness	8.00

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Summers, J & Smith, B 2006, Communication skills handbook: how to succeed in written and oral communication, 2nd edn, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Cohn, TH 2008, Global political economy: theory and practice, 4th edn, Pearson Longman, New York.

Feng, Y 2003, Democracy, governance and economic performance: theory and evidence, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Frieden, JA & Lake, DA (eds) 2000, International political economy: perspectives on global power and wealth, 4th edn, Routledge, London.

Jackson, RJ & Jackson, D 2003, An introduction to political science: comparative and world politics, 4th edn, Prentice Hall, Toronto, Canada.

Spero, JE & Hart, JA 2003, The politics of international economic relations, 6th edn, Thomson/Wadsworth, Belmont, California.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessment	81.00
Directed Study	39.00
Private Study	40.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description	Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date	Notes
ASSIGNMENT 1	100.00	20.00	27 Aug 2008
ASSIGNMENT 2	100.00	40.00	10 Oct 2008
2 HOUR EXAMINATION	100.00	40.00	END S2	(see note 1)

NOTES

1.: The examination is scheduled to be held in the end-of-semester examination period. Students will be advised of the official examination date after the timetable has been finalised. Although assessment expectations differ between streams, students may attempt examination questions from either stream.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Attendance requirements:
If you are an international student in Australia, you are advised to attend all classes at your campus. For all other students, there are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks. (Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course.)
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval of the examiner, then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded.
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
Examination information:
This is a closed examination. Candidates are allowed to bring only writing and drawing instruments into the examination room.
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.
University Regulations:
Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6 Assessment, and 5.10 Student Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene university regulations. These regulations can be found at <http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm>. Students should also read the Faculty of Business Policies and Procedures which can be found at <http://www.usq.edu.au/business/aboutfob.htm>.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

1.	Assignments: (i) The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the examiner. (ii) Students must retain a copy of each assignment submitted for assessment. This must be produced within 24 hours if required by the examiner. (iii) In accordance with university policy, the examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances. (iv) The examiner will normally only accept assignments which are electronically submitted through the USQ Study Desk for this course. Students who are unable to meet this submission requirement should contact the examiner of the course to negotiate alternative arrangements. (v) In the event that a due date for an assignment falls on a local public holiday in their area, such as a show holiday, the due date for the assignment will be the next day. Students are to note on the assignment cover the date of the public holiday for the examiner's convenience.
2.	Course weightings: Course weightings of topics should not be interpreted as applying to the number of marks to questions testing those topics in an examination paper.
3.	Referencing in assignments: Students must demonstrate effective essay writing techniques, including correct in-text referencing and bibliographical details, using the Harvard system. Assignments must comply with the guidelines set out in the 'Communication skills handbook: how to succeed in written and oral communication'.
4.	Deferred work: Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or to sit for an examination at the scheduled time may apply to defer an assessment in a course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded: IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination); IDM (Incomplete Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up).

This version produced 30 Jul 2008.