Module: Principles of Comparative Politics

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Principles of Comparative Politics
Module Code	POL1025 (ITS: LG148)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Law & Government
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

The module provides an overview of some of the key theoretical frameworks, concepts, and analytical methods of this field of study. We study democratic political systems with a view to understanding and explaining their differences and similarities with respect to their political institutions, the behaviour of their key political actors, and their policy-making processes and performance. The module examines the building blocks of the comparative approach. We describe, explain and examine the consequences of different political institutions, with a focus on established democracies, including constitutions, the state, executive-legislative relations, electoral systems, and policy-making process.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe and assess the study of comparative politics in a systematic, social-scientific way
2. Examine key issues in the comparative politics of industrialized democracies
3. Identify and test interesting research questions in comparative politics

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	22	No Description
Class Presentation	11	No Description
Independent Study	92	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20915	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Eoin O'Malley	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
In Class Test	MCQ test that tests the knowledge of the comparative politics literature and key questions.	50%	n/a
Extended Essay / Dissertation	Research paper testing a hypothesis using the comparative method	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Reading List

Books:

William Roberts Clark,Matt Golder: 2017, Principles of Comparative Politics, CQ Press, 9781506318127

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None