Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2026-2027
Module ECON2301: Political Economy
Department: Economics
ECON2301: Political Economy
| Type | Tied | Level | 2 | Credits | 20 | Availability | Available in 2026/2027 | Module Cap | None. | Location | Durham |
|---|
| Tied to | L130 |
|---|---|
| Tied to | L131 |
| Tied to | L132 |
| Tied to | L133 |
| Tied to | L134 |
| Tied to | L135 |
| Tied to | LL12 |
| Tied to | LL02 |
| Tied to | LL01 |
| Tied to | VL52 |
| Tied to | VLL6 |
| Tied to | VLLA |
Prerequisites
- Principles of Economics (ECON1011)
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combination of Modules
- 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: Examination | Component Weighting: 100% | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Element | Length / duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
| 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.