Module: Issues in American Politics

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Issues in American Politics
Module Code	POL1039 (ITS: LG331)
Faculty	Law & Government	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

To develop students’ skills of analysis of primary sources; analysis of readings; oral and written presentation and argument, and ability to critique contemporary debates in the light of historical analysis. To understand why people from other nations come to America, how they made the journey, how they adjusted to American life here, how and why their descendants became ethnics and created ethnic groups and how and why such groups evolved over time. To learn some of the history of three groups as examples of that process, Italian Americans, Asian Americans and Mexican Americans.

Learning Outcomes

1. • analyze primary and secondary sources, write fluently and argue effectively
2. 1D87880D-B33B-0001-29A2-15AC1BC67DF0

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Seminars	20	No Description
Independent Study	105	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20924	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Gary Murphy	Module Teacher	Kenneth McDonagh

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Essay	n/a	60%	Week 1
Formal Examination	End-of-Semester Final Examination	40%	End-of-Semester

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

Overview of Immigration

Case Studies: Irish, Italian, Mexican Americans and Asian Americans Italian Americans

Indicative Reading List

Books:
None

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None