BA (Hons) Politics, Philosophy and Economics

This module introduces a series of philosophical debates that have evolved over time.

Introduces students to economic ideas and their relevance to business decisions.

Theory is an important tool in understanding why and how we act, whether it be as an individual or a group. This module encourages us to think about the different ways in which we have attempted to understand the relationship between the human, state and society. All too often our understanding of these theories are driven by Western political thought. Whilst an essential component, this module will also explore non-Western thoughts on this relationship in an attempt to gain a greater understanding of humans and the world in which we live.

This module looks at the three disciplines combined to gain a greater understanding of a range of topics. It creates a multidisciplinary space for interdisciplinary work to occur.

In order to understand how the state engages with other actors at the international level it is essential to understand how the state functions. It is driven both by theory and practical examples. In this module you will examine the various political models and how they operate in practice. How does China, for example, operate in the space between authoritarian rule and democracy? Does China's political model offer stability and an example for other states to follow? Can a state lose its democratic identity as well as gain one? These are all the kinds of questions that arise when comparing different political systems, states and societies with each other.

By providing you with an understanding on how you can engage with the world, this module helps encourage your political development. It is not the purpose of the module to tell you what to believe in but it is responsible for showing you how you can advocate your political positions. This module brings in activists, experts and scholars to discuss how they are involved in politics in order to give you a grounding of the different ways in which you can engage with your own politics.

Students will explore, from the perspective of the non-analyst, how organisations make use of statistical data and information in order to inform decision-making. They will be introduced to basic concepts of contemporary data analysis using appropriate data visualisation techniques, to illustrate and articulate how modern companies are using business intelligence to solve old problems in new ways. It will introduce students to the novel approaches that are revolutionising the way business management is done (Big Data, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence).

This module interrogates how the three disciplines working together can give a greater understanding of contemporary issues in societies.

This module provides you with the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of a particular topic related to Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and enables you to develop the necessary research skills for the work place and prepares you for your Level 6 research project module. The requests for the reports will come from external actors.

This module provides you with the knowledge and skills to understand key issues in international trade.

Provides an introduction to international finance.

This module examines ethics from multiple philosophical perspectives and applies them to real examples that occur in the world in an effort to conceptualise what is happening.

This module enables you to focus on a particular region of the world based on what is of particular interest in the year of delivery, and contingent on the research expertise of the instructor.

The aim is to provide students with an extended period of work experience at an approved partner that will complement their programme of study at LJMU. This will give students the opportunity to develop professional skills relevant to their programme of study as well as the attitude and behaviours necessary for employment in a diverse and changing environment. This extended placement forms a key part of a sandwich degree. All placements need to be assessed and approved prior to commencement in line with the LJMU Placement Learning Code of Practice.  The Code of Practice requires students to conduct themselves in a professional and responsible manner during the placement - failure to do so may lead to the placement being terminated prematurely.  Placements are normally for one calendar year on a full-time basis. Split placements of a shorter duration may be permissible. There is an expectation that a minimum of 1200 hours will be spent in the workplace.

This module enables you to explore politics and popular culture as a sub-field that articulates the ways in which politics is understood through popular culture. It demonstrates how theory as a means of making sense of the world impacts upon the everyday. It provides you with an opportunity to take ownership over your learning process through student-led seminars, guided by preceding interactive lectures.

Students can choose to teach either in Politics, Philosophy or Economics at A-Level. Numbers on this module are strictly capped at 5 per secondary or further educational institution we are working with. Alongside selecting this module in OMS, students wishing to follow this course will also have to make a direct application for consideration to the host institution. That application will take the form of a letter/personal statement outlining their suitability for this role and their commitment to teaching as a profession. 

Initial shortlisting will be undertaken by the LJMU IRP team taking account of the following criteria:

1. Record of attendance through Level-4 to be at least 75% across semester
2. Academic performance at Level-4: successful applicants will have achieved a minimum overall level mean mark of at least 60%.
3. A clearly articulated appreciation of the nature of teaching and a commitment to this vocation.
4. Where possible, evidence of teaching experience either as a classroom assistant, or equivalent, or teaching observation.
   
   All DBS checks will be completed with the host institution.

This module enables you to explore the roles and relations of international organisations through a thematic approach. This will allow you to engage with key organisations focussing on broader themes of international politics, such as aid and development, health, security and the environment. This approach will allow you to engage with core debates and explore the roles of a multitude of organisations.

This module will introduce you to the structures and practical functioning of British politics and government. You will take a contemporary focus of British politics, examining the elements of continuity, change and crisis. This will allow you to explore political processes in the UK, both formal institutions of the state and alternative political processes. In doing so, you will analyse the relevance of the Westminster model of governance and set British politics within a comparative context

This module deepens students' understanding of Scandinavian history, society, and politics. They engage in key debates, study various political systems, and explore Nordic culture through media and literature. The syllabus covers topics like the Welfare Model, colonialism, modernization, and contemporary political issues, offering a well-rounded perspective on the region's past and present.

Weekly lectures will provide background and contextual setting against which students will consider a range of primary source material in seminars. The seminars will provide a structured framework where sources will be dissected by students and used to stimulate discussion and debate.

After completing the module, you should be able to:

• Use approaches within social and critical theory to explore modern and contemporary experiences and phenomena.
• Assess and respond to competing perspectives within critical theory.
• Explain the emergence of key strands of modern critical theory within historical and epistemic context.

This module aims to bring together the critical study of terrorism and critical approaches to the study of race and empire. This module will critically examine contemporary counter-terrorism practices and their historical origins in colonial contexts. As such, this module will provide students with the necessary theoretical tools to understand how contemporary discourses on ‘terrorism’ open up wider questions of power, coloniality and empire. Students will further be provided with the tools to apply decolonial approaches to contemporary issues in world politics. In particular, this module will be important for students who are keen on pursuing a career within research, policy-making, NGO work, and organisations concerned with security, development and peace-building, counter-terrorism, and counter-insurgency, as well as race, gender, and decoloniality.

The dissertation is an independent research project. Working under the direct supervision of a research-active member of staff, you will produce an extended piece of original independent research which will draw upon the latest developments in your field and demonstrate your in-depth knowledge. It will further enhance key transferable skills developed from Level 5 such as project management, effective research skills, effective communication, critical analysis and high-level evaluation of data, as well as professional time-management.

In the first semester students will take workshops focused on research skills, including interview techniques. In the second semester, they will participate in the MOD or Department of Transport hacking programme, respond to the question set, interview government personnel, and present and write-up their findings. Their advisor will support them in delivering this part of the module.
There is a cap on having no more than two groups enrolled, with a maximum of 5 students per group. 
It is important to note that LJMU will be responsible for providing the advisor for the academic delivery/research skills sessions, for academic supervision of the project and for assessment of the module.

Recognise and critically evaluate the global challenges we face and the role of business and organizations in addressing them.

Provides students with an ability to relate macroeconomic and microeconomic theory to the design and analysis of public policy. To assess the contribution of economics to a range of contemporary policy debates in both the public and private sectors.

This module is designed with the understanding that our extant historical knowledge (which is implicitly Eurocentric) needs to be globalised. It means the non-western world should be better weighted and given due attention rather than seen as a passive receiver of western impacts. It emphasises a lot on the historically situated forces in the making of non-western world of ideas and, more importantly, their connections and complex relationships.

This module looks at the philosophical questions on justice and uses cases to explore them.

This module queries the role and content of public policy from a philosophical perspective. 

This module will help you to understand the different forms of organised political violence. During the module you will engage in traditional and critical theories of international security to understand the role of states and nonstate actors in organised political violence.

Within this module you will explore the contested concepts and practices of security in the twenty-first century. You will engage with existing debates in the fields of international relations, security studies and critical security studies. Alongside this, you will also be introduced to the socio-spatial implications of contemporary security governance. Exploring the impact of external security developments on urban places and environments such as cities, built environments and crowded spaces.

This module will introduce you to the comparative study of nationalism and secession. You will explore the historical and contemporary relevance of nationalism and secession. Whilst understanding the contestation involved in studying such topics. Throughout the module, you will be required to apply theoretical knowledge to empirical examples, whilst comparing and analysing various case studies from around the world.

This module is designed to familiarise students with debates surrounding the international politics of development. We live in an international system deeply divided in terms of national income and access to basic human welfare. This module aims to explore the politics behind why certain regions are rich and others poor. It does so by narrowing its focus onto a specific region of the world and examines the historical and contemporary factors shaping its economic development (or underdevelopment). In this module, students will examine key theories of development from the fields of international politics, political economy and development studies and the points of contention between them. It will then apply these empirically to explore different themes and case studies related to the development trajectory of a specific region of the world.

This module highlights the relationships between politicians and the media and the role of the media as a primary space for political agenda setting. The module will look at the political structures in Britain, including what devolution has meant for people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It will encourage you to engage closely with the political economy of the news media in Britain and the role that it plays in political communication. It will address the historically often jingoistic and patriotic nature of the English-based national news media and how that led to the grotesque caricatures of other nationalities and identities from the 19th century onwards. This ultimately led to the Euro-sceptic tradition in British newspapers which developed from the 1980s, just a decade after Britain had entered Europe, to the heated media and public debates leading up to Britain’s exit from the European Union following the Brexit referendum of 2016.