Course Details in 2025/26 Session

Module Title	LI POLSIS Year Abroad
School	Government
Department	Political Sci & Intern'tl Stud
Module Code	08 39345
Module Lead	Julie Gilson
Level	Intermediate Level
Credits	120
Semester	Full Term
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Year Abroad-1200 hours Total: 1200 hours
Exclusions
Description	The Year Abroad module is designed as part of the 4-year International Studies with Languages BA programme. The general aims of the module are therefore as follows: Give students the opportunity to live in a foreign society and culture; Provide the opportunity to advance their target language proficiency; Acquire the ability to study authors of interest in their original language (where applicable); Provide the opportunity to experience academic life in general, and Political Science/International Relations in particular, as it is practised in another country; Enhance students¿ organisation and communication skills; Enhance students¿ employability through proven ability to succeed in a foreign setting; Provide an extra opportunity for students to study in more depth topics of particular interest to them. Realising these aims requires enough flexibility to take into account differences among host universities and differences in the situation of the participating students. For this reason, the precise course of study is agreed at the beginning of the year within the constraints set out in the section on delivery above. Usually, students will be expected to take credits at the host university. The guiding principle is that students should attend a range of courses comparable to the workload in an academic year at the University of Birmingham; that is academic and language study equivalent to 1200 hours. Studying alongside native students will be a demanding and rewarding task: it requires adaptation to different modes of organisation, teaching and assessment, different styles of Political Science/International Relations and proficiency in a foreign language and disciplinary terminology in that language. It will also provide opportunities to experience different customs and lifestyles as well as social life in the host country. In addition to taking modules at the host institution students will have to complete a 3000 word project essay on an IR/Political Science question of their choice which should reflect their academic experiences during the International Study Year and which must be agreed with POLSIS (through the International Students Tutor).
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module the student will be able to.: Students will have added to the Political Science/International Relations knowledge and skills they already possesses by studying these disciplines at their host university. Students will have obtained organisational and communication skills as appropriate to their host university. Students will have displayed independent researching skills through setting themselves, and answering, a question appropriate to their discipline.
Assessment
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Minimum requirements for progression to the final year: The student must submit to POLSIS, to arrive by post before the start of the Autumn term at Birmingham: Evidence of registration for, and attendance at, agreed modules. 2 Copies of the 3000 word essay and translation.
Other
Reading List