Undergraduate Handbook 2026-2027
Module ECON2301: Political Economy
Department: Economics
ECON2301: Political Economy
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 2 | 20 | Available in 2026/2027 | None. | Durham |
Tied To
- L130: Economics
- L131: Economics with Placement Year
- L132: Economics with Study Abroad
- L133: Economics with Management
- L134: Economics with Management with Placement Year
- L135: Economics with Management with Study Abroad
- LL01: Economics and Politics with Study Abroad
- LL02: Economics and Politics with Placement Year
- LL12: Economics and Politics
- VL52: Philosophy, Politics and Economics
- VLL6: Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Placement Year
- VLLA: Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Study Abroad
Pre-requisites
- Principles of Economics (ECON1011)
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combinations
- None
Aims
- To develop students' awareness and understanding of the contribution which economic analysis can make to discussions of political economy
- To provide an understanding of theories and methods used in topics surrounding political economy
- To provide students with a good grounding for undertaking a dissertation in political economy
Content
- The content will be topics in political economy of contemporary interest such as:
- Political systems
- Voting
- Discrimination
- Populism
- Segregation and polarisation
- Corruption
- Politician’s behaviour
- Redistribution
- Migration
- Culture
- Media
- Economic justice
- Gender Inequality
- Institutions
- Taxation
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- Knowledge and understanding of the economic theories and methods used in political economy
Subject-specific Skills
- The application of economic theories to topics surrounding political economy
- Learn how to examine and critique relevant research papers
Key Skills
- Critical and analytical thinking
- Problem solving
- Written communication
- Own learning
- Library skills
- Information retrieval
- Written communication - summative assessment is a written examination
- Planning and Organisation and time management - students plan their work to meet set deadlines
- Adaptability - students perform under the pressure of written examinations
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Teaching is by lectures and tutorials. Learning takes place through attendance at lectures, preparation for and participation in tutorials classes, and private study. Seminar questions give students the opportunity to apply the theoretical analysis presented in lectures.
- Formative assessment to help prepare for the exam. Summative assessment is by means of an in-person examination to test students' knowledge and understanding of the subject-matter worth 100% of the module mark.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 | 1 per week | 1 hour | 20 | |
| Revision Classes | 2 | 1 per week | 1 hour | 2 | |
| Tutorials | 8 | 4 in term 1, 4 in term 2 | 1 hour | 8 | Yes |
| Preparation and Reading | 170 | ||||
| Total | 200 | ||||
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 100% | On Campus Written Examination | 2 hours | 100% |
Formative Assessment
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.