BSc Food Science with Foundation

Title:

Foundation Programme: Biology

Code:

BI0BF1

Convenor:

DR Craig Hughes

Summary:

This module will take you on journey from the small to the large.  You’ll start by learning about biological molecules key to life, about cells and the chemical reactions that give them energy and allow them to replicate.  You’ll also learn about the biology of the human body and about natural selection and genetics.  There will be practical classes to introduce you to laboratory work, and to get used to handling and interpreting data, as well as the opportunity to undertake group work.  This module will give you the grounding required for degree programmes.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Oral 10%, Class test 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Mathematics Foundation

Code:

BI0MF1

Convenor:

DR Lindsey Thompson

Summary:

The module will provide students with the basic mathematical knowledge and skills required for a successful transition to degrees related to Chemical and Biological Sciences. Lectures will provide a broad base of fundamental mathematical tools and techniques and practical work will give hands-on experience of application.

Assessment Method:

Exam 60%, Set exercise 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Chemistry

Code:

CH0CHE

Convenor:

DR Silvia Baldanza

Summary:

Study the chemical principles that provide the foundations for many scientific disciplines. Learn how to predict the properties of molecules from their structures and gain an understanding of how and why reactions happen. After studying material in lectures, you will apply your knowledge in the laboratory, developing practical skills in the process.

Assessment Method:

Exam 60%, Practical 20%, Class test 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Foundation in Academic Skills

Code:

IF0RAS

Convenor:

MISS Rachel Rushton

Summary:

This module, delivered at the University of Reading, will provide students with the opportunities to develop the academic skills essential for success both on the Foundation Year and as an undergraduate.  Course content will be delivered through a combination of guided online tasks and practical workshops. Students will be grouped according to their broad disciplines enabling the module to cover generic skills, while allowing for some differentiation in content and assessment tasks.     

Assessment Method:

Assignment 35%, Oral 35%, Portfolio 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Foundation Programme: Biology

Code:

BI0BF1

Convenor:

DR Craig Hughes

Summary:

This module will take you on journey from the small to the large.  You’ll start by learning about biological molecules key to life, about cells and the chemical reactions that give them energy and allow them to replicate.  You’ll also learn about the biology of the human body and about natural selection and genetics.  There will be practical classes to introduce you to laboratory work, and to get used to handling and interpreting data, as well as the opportunity to undertake group work.  This module will give you the grounding required for degree programmes.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Oral 10%, Class test 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Chemistry

Code:

CH0CHE

Convenor:

DR Silvia Baldanza

Summary:

Study the chemical principles that provide the foundations for many scientific disciplines. Learn how to predict the properties of molecules from their structures and gain an understanding of how and why reactions happen. After studying material in lectures, you will apply your knowledge in the laboratory, developing practical skills in the process.

Assessment Method:

Exam 60%, Practical 20%, Class test 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Foundation Programme: Environment, Ecology and Sustainability

Code:

AP0AE1

Convenor:

MS Rebecca Jerrome

Summary:

Develop an overview of the principles and processes underpinning the earth’s natural systems, explore the ways humans interact with the physical and living environment, and formulate a basic understanding of contemporary issues in this area. You will learn through workshops, lectures, seminars, IT practical sessions and develop basic practical field skills. If you are a student on a foundation year programme aiming to pursue further studies in environmental management, animal and zoological sciences, ecology and conservation, biological sciences and agriculture, then this module is particularly relevant for you.

Assessment Method:

Exam 60%, Assignment 20%, Class test 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Foundation Topics in Psychology

Code:

PY0FTP

Convenor:

DR Yue Yue

Summary:

This module provides students with an understanding of some key topics within psychology, which will support their learning during a subsequent psychology degree programme.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 25%, Set exercise 25%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Molecular Studies for the Life Sciences

Code:

CH1FC3

Convenor:

DR Silvia Baldanza

Summary:

Designed specifically for students in the life sciences, this module builds on the key chemical concepts for the molecular sciences, covering core ideas in physical, inorganic and organic chemistry. This module follows on from CH1FC1, but can also be taken as a stand-alone module. 

Assessment Method:

Exam 70%, Class test 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Farm to Fork

Code:

FB1AG2

Convenor:

DR Emma Bennett

Summary:

This module examines the factors affecting food quality from farm to fork and explores this along with other issues such as sustainability within the wider context of global food security. The module covers production methods for animals and plants, interactions with the environment, land use, sustainable food production and postharvest biology. 

Assessment Method:

Assignment 40%, Oral 30%, Class test 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Fundamental Biochemistry in Food and Nutrition

Code:

FB1BFN

Convenor:

DR Anisha Wijeyesekera

Summary:

Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. In this module, you will learn how important these processes are throughout the food system; from the structure and function of major food components, to the impact of dietary derived macro-and micro-nutrients on physiological mechanisms. Your bioanalytical skills will also be developed, in a series of practical laboratory classes. You will build on this fundamental grounding in Biochemistry, in more applied Food Science and Nutrition related topics in Parts 2 and 3.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 30%, Oral 30%, Class test 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Introduction to Food Processing and Engineering

Code:

FB1EP2

Convenor:

DR Colette Catherine Fagan

Summary:

This module serves as an introduction to food processing and the physical properties of food systems.  You will learn to apply quantitative principles relevant to food processing operations, which will be complemented by practical experience in the pilot plant.

Assessment Method:

Report 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Food Microbiology

Code:

FB1MF1

Convenor:

PROF Dimitris Charalampopoulos

Summary:

The module will provide fundamental microbiology broad knowledge and skills, with a focus and more in-depth appreciation on food microbiology and its key topics and application fields.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Introduction to Human Physiology and Nutrition

Code:

FB1PN

Convenor:

PROF Jeremy Spencer

Summary:

Assessment Method:

Practical 40%, Set exercise 60%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Fundamental Concepts in Chemistry 1

Code:

CH1FC1

Convenor:

DR Silvia Baldanza

Summary:

Starting a degree in the life sciences but don’t have an A level or equivalent in chemistry? Then this is the right module for you. Covering key topics in chemistry that all life science students should know, this module will introduce you to atomic structure, bonding, intermolecular forces, simple organic structure and nomenclature, isomerism, acids and bases and the theory of buffers, basic concepts of energy changes in chemical reactions, reaction rates, moles and concentrations. 

Assessment Method:

Exam 70%, Class test 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Introduction to Marketing

Code:

AP1EM1

Convenor:

MR Nick Walker

Summary:

Gain fundamental knowledge of the key concepts of marketing and relate these critically to contemporary practice. Examine traditional approaches to marketing such as strategic marketing, segmentation, targeting and positioning, as well as the marketing mix, and discuss issues arising within marketing theory and practice, which bring into question some of the foundational principles of the discipline. Through lectures, readings, and the analysis of case studies, address the latest thinking within the marketing discipline.

Assessment Method:

Class test 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Introduction to Management

Code:

AP1SB1

Convenor:

PROF Julian Park

Summary:

This module provides a contemporary and comprehensive introduction to management science and its relevance to businesses. Interactive in-class activities and the use of online apps will help you learn techniques for inspiring teamwork in an organisation context, discover the importance of strategic management design for achieving an organisation's goals, and understand the roles of the manager and the responsibilities this carries. You will also have a range of opportunities to gain hands-on practising decision making through case studies. Furthermore, develop your leadership skills to motivate and guide a team towards the achievement of an organisation’s objectives.  

Assessment Method:

Class test 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt & Rome [10 credits]

Code:

AR1EMP10

Convenor:

PROF Roger Matthews

Summary:

This module introduces the archaeology and historical context of the world’s early empires, dating from 2500 BC to AD 395. We focus on the great empires of ancient Mesopotamia (Akkad, Babylonia and Assyria), Egypt, the Persian Achaemenid Empire and the Roman Empire. We will review other imperial entities of the world, including examples from China and the Far East, and the Americas. We will examine special themes relevant to the topic of empires, including ideology, imperial cult, trade, urbanisation, warfare, agriculture and the everyday lives of imperial subjects. You will study the rise and fall of some of the greatest, and the most fearsome, socio-political entities to have existed on our planet.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death [10 credit]

Code:

AR1FOR10

Convenor:

DR Gundula Müldner

Summary:

This module investigates the archaeological methods employed in the scientific study of the dead, both from modern crime scenes and within older archaeological contexts. Through a series of case studies, you will explore the role of forensic archaeologists and anthropologists (working within the context of the ethics, law and politics) behind the examination of human remains.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Revolutions and Transitions: The Human Journey from 6 Million Years Ago to the Present Day

Code:

AR1RAT1

Convenor:

PROF Steve Mithen

Summary:

This module investigates the development of human society from a long-term and global perspective. It traces the human journey from our earliest ancestors of c. 6 million years ago to the present day. The module considers the key revolutions and transitions that have affected human thought, behaviour and society, focussing on the evidence from material culture. Key themes include: human evolution, the development of complex societies, the inventions of metallurgy and writing, the industrial and agricultural revolutions, and globalisation. The module is taught by a combination of online lectures and face-to-face seminars and lectures.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Contemporary world cultures: an introduction to social anthropology [10 credits]

Code:

AR1SOC10

Convenor:

DR Alanna Cant

Summary:

This module provides a general introduction to social anthropology, the study of human societies and cultures. It will introduce you to major themes in the discipline of anthropology through focused study on topics that may include: kinship and marriage, gender and sexuality, the roles of religion, ritual and witchcraft in modern life, the concepts of ethnicity and race, and contemporary hunting and gathering societies. The module will also consider how anthropology can help us understand key issues in today’s world, such as ethnicity, race and decolonisation, and the role that work and consumption play in forming identities. Teaching is focused on real-world case studies from different cultures and regions around the globe, including the research expertise of the lecturer(s). 

Assessment Method:

Set exercise 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Introduction to Environmental Science

Code:

GV1B1

Convenor:

DR Hazel McGoff

Summary:

The module provides an overview of the scope of Environmental Science, and introduces the scientific processes that control and affect our environment.

Assessment Method:

Exam 60%, Assignment 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

The Science of Climate Change

Code:

MT1CC

Convenor:

PROF Nigel Arnell

Summary:

This module provides an introduction to the science of climate change, aimed at students who do not necessarily have a scientific background.

Assessment Method:

Exam 70%, Assignment 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

What the font? Making and using typefaces

Code:

TY1WTF

Convenor:

DR Rob Banham

Summary:

You are surrounded by fonts. Social media, text messages, email, branding, advertising, websites, books, magazines … Human (and machine) communication relies extensively on fonts, but what do you really know about them? How and why are new fonts created? And is it ever OK to use comic sans?! This module will introduce you to the world of typeface design, exploring the history, theory, and practice of making and using fonts and giving you the opportunity to design a typeface of your own. No background in design is required.

Assessment Method:

Set exercise 50%, Project 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Composition, Properties and Analysis of Foods

Code:

FB2C30

Convenor:

PROF Richard Frazier

Summary:

This module focuses on the key chemical components of foods and their impact on food quality during food processing and storage, and in the context of their roles in important food commodities. 

During the Autumn term, students will begin by learning the chemical properties and functional roles of the major biochemical macronutrient components of foods (proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) within the context of food quality.  They will also be introduced to the use of permitted food additives in foods and will address controversies and the scientific evidence that establishes the safety of permitted food additives. 

During the Spring term, the module will shift its focus to the role of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids in selected food commodities, to understand how these components underpin the value of food commodities.  Students will also learn about and apply laboratory methods for the chemical analysis of food components.

In the final stage of the module, students will work in groups to undertake an extended laboratory investigation that will develop their skills of enquiry. 

Assessment Method:

Exam 40%, Assignment 15%, Report 45%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Food Processing

Code:

FB2EFP

Convenor:

DR Colette Catherine Fagan

Summary:

This module is an introduction to the industrial manufacture of foods including theoretical and practical consideration of the major traditional, emerging and novel unit operations and processes used by the food industry; the effect of these operations on food product properties; and the impact of food processing plants in the environment, with a critical evaluation of possible solutions for this issue. Students will we working in the Food Processing Centre as part of the practical sessions, which offer them the opportunity to work with pilot plant equipment in a real-life working environment. 

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Report 30%, Class test 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Food Quality and Sensory Science

Code:

FB2FQS

Convenor:

DR Stella Lignou

Summary:

Learn about food quality and how it can be assessed and controlled. . On this module, you will learn about the concept of quality and its components with a particular focus on the sensory science elements, and what are the legislative and business requirements for food quality management. You will be exposed to a variety of objective (analytical) sensory tests and you will develop your practical skills within analytical sensory testing. National and international quality management standards and systems (including an introduction to HACCP) and the role of legislation in providing consumer protection will be covered under the food quality management component.

Assessment Method:

Exam 40%, Assignment 20%, Set exercise 10%, Class test 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Microbiology of food spoilage and preservation

Code:

FB2MF1

Convenor:

DR Kimon-Andreas Karatzas

Summary:

This module seeks to provide students with an understanding of the sources of microbial contamination of food and the factors that determine which types of microbes grow and cause spoilage in foods during storage. The basis of the different preservation methods that prevent or retard microbial growth will be examined.

Assessment Method:

Exam 70%, Assignment 15%, Report 15%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Microbiological Hazards in Foods

Code:

FB2MF2

Convenor:

DR Marie Lewis

Summary:

Ten credit module on the nature and importance of food borne illnesses and microbiological hazards in the food industry, comprising a mixture of lectures and tutorials.

Assessment Method:

Exam 70%, Oral 10%, Set exercise 10%, Report 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Nutritional Science

Code:

FB2NS

Convenor:

PROF Julie Lovegrove

Summary:

You will learn about different nutrients in the diet, how they are used in the body and the consequences of nutrient imbalance on human health as well as learn about dietary recommendations, nutritional assessment and nutrition research methods.

Assessment Method:

Exam 40%, Assignment 30%, Report 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Industrial Training Preparation

Code:

FB2PYA

Convenor:

MRS Justine Norris

Summary:

This module provides you with information on placement opportunities for your year in industry and supports you in the application process. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Process Engineering Principles

Code:

FB2EPR

Convenor:

PROF Keshavan Niranjan

Summary:

This module will provide you with the opportunity to learn about the principles governing quantitative analysis in food and bio processing.  You will learn how to examine the methods used to estimate material and energy requirements, flows, heat and mass transfer, and the extent of chemical, biochemical and microbial transformations occurring around unit process operations and around complete processes.  You will also learn about upstream processes and down-stream separation and purification techniques employed in food and bioprocessing.

Assessment Method:

Exam 40%, Report 20%, Class test 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Issues in Food Choice

Code:

FB2IFC

Convenor:

PROF Lisa Methven

Summary:

To provide an understanding of the socio-economic factors (social class, age, gender, family, ethnicity, culture, religion, income) that influence food choice in individuals and populations.

• To gain an insight into the political and societal factors that influence food availability and impact on food choice and behaviour.
• To gain an understanding of the role of nature and nurture in the development of eating behaviours.
• To consider models of food choice at different stages of the life course, with a focus on food choices in infancy and in ageing.
• To consider the ethical consequences of our food choices, in relation to health, sustainability international development and animal welfare

Assessment Method:

Exam 70%, Oral 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Sports and Exercise Nutrition

Code:

FB2SEN

Convenor:

PROF Jeremy Spencer

Summary:

This module has been developed in response to the growing recognition of the importance of nutrition to both, performance for the elite athlete, and also, for the optimisation of the health benefits associated with leisurely exercise. A burgeoning sports industry promotes nutrition practices, chiefly through personal trainers, although these practitioners are often poorly qualified and may be guilty of promoting poor practices. The market for ergogenic aids is booming with new products continually appearing, often with little in the way of an evidence base to justify their use. There is therefore, an evident need for well trained professionals to advise on issues related to sports and exercise nutrition.

Assessment Method:

Practical 30%, Portfolio 70%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Food Retail Marketing

Code:

AP2EM6

Convenor:

DR Giuseppe Nocella

Summary:

This module examines the development of food retailing in the UK during the past century in order to understand the role food retailers play within supply chains and how food retailers respond to contemporary issues of our society. In this module you will learn about the nature and dynamics of food retailers in their competitive environment and about strategies that major businesses employ to achieve their marketing objectives.  

Assessment Method:

Assignment 70%, Oral 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Analysis

Code:

AR2F17

Convenor:

PROF Mary Lewis

Summary:

Through lectures, activities, videos and reading students will be able to understand the theory behind certain forensic and archaeological practices, when and why they are used, and shown the process by which these are undertaken.

Assessment Method:

Report 70%, Class test 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Ancient Epic

Code:

CL2AE

Convenor:

DR Christa Gray

Summary:

This module offers an introduction to Greek and Latin epic, centring around close study of the Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid, but including discussion of other early Greek hexameter poems such as Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and the Epic Cycle. It may also cover Hellenistic epic, for example Apollonius Rhodius, or other Roman epics like Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Greek History: Persian Wars to Alexander

Code:

CL2CGH

Convenor:

PROF Emma Aston

Summary:

Greek History 479-323 BC, from the end of the Persian Wars, through the Peloponnesian War and the fall of Sparta, to the rise of Macedon and the meteoric career of Alexander the Great.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Ancient Drama

Code:

CL2DR

Convenor:

PROF David Carter

Summary:

This module examines the ancient genre of drama, with respect to its content, themes and style, and the context of performance culture which surrounded it.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Roman History: From Republic to Empire

Code:

CL2RO

Convenor:

DR Andreas Gavrielatos

Summary:

This Roman history module covers the period from the second triumvirate in the last years of the Republic to the reigns of the emperors.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Wildlife Documentary: Ecology and Representation

Code:

FT2WD

Convenor:

DR Adam O'Brien

Summary:

This module gives you the opportunity to study wildlife documentaries and filmmaking addressing ecological issues. You will engage with the relevant critical vocabulary and contextual knowledge to explore how meaning is created and constructed. Case studies may include David Attenborough’s landmark BBC series, nature documentaries such as March of the Penguins and climate change films such as An Inconvenient Truth. There may be a Q&A with a guest speaker from the creative industries.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 60%, Oral 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Corporate Social Responsibility Consultancy

Code:

GV2CSR

Convenor:

MR Jim Ormond

Summary:

This module introduces students to critical analyses of corporate social responsibility and environmental governance. The module encourages students to play the role of sustainability consultants, drawing on the module convenor’s extensive experience in this area. As such, students will gain employability and professional development skills alongside the more intellectual content of the module.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Intercultural Competence and Communication

Code:

IL2GICC

Convenor:

MRS Daniela Standen

Summary:

In this module students develop the skills and understanding needed for communicating effectively in a multi-cultural global environment including the university and the workplace.  Intercultural competence and communication will be considered from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including Language Eucation, Film, and Curriculum.  During the course of the module you will tackle questions such as: How do you work successfully in multicultural Teams? Are nationality and identity the same thing? Why do stereotypes exist?

Students will demonstrate their learning, through reflections and critical evaluation of a real-world situation.

The module will be delivered at the University of Reading Whiteknights campus

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Modern Britain: Society, History and Politics

Code:

IL2GMB

Convenor:

DR Lucy Watson

Summary:

This module aims to provide an introduction to key aspects of modern British society, politics and history, identifying past and present issues.

Topics explored include the historical and political landscape of Post war Britain, British identities, patterns of inequality, education, religion, and Britain’s relationship with Europe.

In the Summer term students will work independently to identify and research a specific topic from the range taught in Term 1, to develop critical understanding of the underlying concepts and principles and apply these to different contexts.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Introduction to English Language Teaching

Code:

LS2LAT

Convenor:

MRS Suzanne Portch

Summary:

The course aims to provide an overview of key aspects of language teaching methodology and practice. 

Assessment Method:

Portfolio 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Language and New Media

Code:

LS2LNM

Convenor:

PROF Rodney Jones

Summary:

In this module, students will explore the ways digital media are changing the way people use language. Students will be introduced to a range of theories from sociolinguistics, media studies and discourse analysis and will learn to apply these theories to analysing authentic texts and interactions. Among the topics covered in the module are genres and registers of mediated communication, social networking and online identity, multimodal and multimedia communication, mobile communication and wearable computers, and online tracking and surveillance.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 25%, Oral 25%, Portfolio 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Science, perversion, and dream in global fantastic literature

Code:

ML2GF

Convenor:

DR Alice Christensen

Summary:

This module will explore a number of key literary texts that engage the Fantastic mode of literary representation. The module aims to promote critical awareness of the ways in which French, Hispanic, Italian and German literary traditions adapted and transformed the Fantastic narrative so that it spoke to a number of specific issues such as the advances in science and technology, the changing roles of women, the pressures of modernisation, the impact of psychoanalysis, and fears related to changes brought about by colonisation, the political structure of the Nation-state, and the economy. Texts will be read in the original language if the student is taking that language to degree level, and in English translation if not.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Society, Thought, and Art in Modern Europe

Code:

ML2STA

Convenor:

DR Veronica Heath

Summary:

This module aims to provide students with a systematic historical and cross-national understanding of the key ideas, institutions and symbols that have come to constitute and represent modernity, in its original cradle in Europe and the rest of the world. The module examines the birth of modern men and women in Europe in the late eighteenth century, in the fulcrum of the Enlightenment and Romanticism, and the broad intellectual, cultural, economic, political and social conditions which have been shaping and re-shaping them since. The module further shows a) the contributions of different European nations to a common European reaction to and re-evaluation of tradition and innovation and b) the diffusion of modernity (Westernisation) from Europe to Asia and Africa and its role in the creation of a global world. Finally, it shows how art has played a leading role in the transformations of modernity - not only recording it but also constituting one of its central components.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 80%, Class test 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Founder Dilemmas

Code:

MM2101

Convenor:

PROF Norbert Morawetz

Summary:

This is a dynamic and experiential module aiming to give students a strong understanding of key dilemmas likely to be faced by first time entrepreneurs. The module develops student's entrepreneurial skill and confidence to put plans into action. Students gain understanding of the practice of entrepreneurship as informed by theory, role play and guest lectures. This will include exposure to the experience of successful entrepreneurs. Students are given a solid understanding of the realities of business start-up.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

The Science of Climate Change

Code:

MT2CC

Convenor:

PROF Nigel Arnell

Summary:

This module provides an introduction to the science of climate change, aimed at students who do not necessarily have a scientific background.

Assessment Method:

Exam 70%, Assignment 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

American Government and Politics

Code:

PO2AMG

Convenor:

DR Graham O'Dwyer

Summary:

This module examines the historical, ideological and constitutional frameworks of American Government and Politics. It analyses the relationship between ideas and values (such as liberty and individualism) and the ways in which these condition the expression of the American political system; it looks at intermediate institutions that connect the public to the federal government (such as elections, the media, and interest groups); it explores the central institutions in Washington (such as the Presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court), and assesses important policy areas (such as gun control).

Assessment Method:

Assignment 70%, Report 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Modern International Relations

Code:

PO2MIR

Convenor:

DR Joseph O' Mahoney

Summary:

This module provides an advanced analysis of some theoretical approaches to international politics, including models of interstate bargaining, international order, and collective action.  Students will also learn about some of the most important  global issues, including the causes of war, globalisation, US hegemony, international cooperation to combat climate chaos, nuclear weapons, cyberwar, and terrorism. 

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 45%, Set exercise 5%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Politics of the Welfare State

Code:

PO2PWS

Convenor:

DR Christoph Arndt

Summary:

The course is an introduction to the politics of welfare states in the developed economies of OECD countries with a particular focus on Western Europe. It focuses on the interaction between political and economic factors in explaining the emergence and evolution of welfare states and their various forms across countries. Students learn the major theoretical approaches in the study of the welfare state and apply them to contemporary debates about the welfare state as well as the politics of welfare state reform.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 40%, Oral 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Political Thinking

Code:

PO2THI

Convenor:

DR Alice Baderin

Summary:

Module in applied political theory. The course investigates the ethical issues that lie behind some important contemporary policy debates. 

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Ethical Argument 1: Philosophy and How to Live

Code:

PP2EA1

Convenor:

DR Luke Elson

Summary:

This module introduces students to longstanding methods, issues and arguments in moral philosophy.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 90%, Oral 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Global Philosophy 1

Code:

PP2GP1

Convenor:

MISS Michela Bariselli

Summary:

This module introduces some key thinkers and issues in global philosophy, the philosophy of gender and race, the ethics of resistance and the epistemology of terrorism. Some of the claims we will examine include: Gender is an illusion, male and female ‘sex’ attributes are social constructions!  Race categories are racist, they should be abolished! Persons are ‘processes’; self and identity are conceptual fictions!  Self-immolation is an ethical form of political protest! Gandhi and Islamist suicide bombing share an ethics of sacrificial dying! Debt is founded on violence! We should undertake dying with full awareness, by meditative fasting!

We will engage in philosophical conversations with (i) contemporary feminist and race theorists such as Judith Butler, Sally Haslanger and Naomi Zack on performativist,  constructionist and essentialist approaches to gender and race; (ii) Buddhist philosophers on the metaphysics of self and identity; (iii) Buddhist, Gandhian and Islamic ethics of sacrificial dying and political resistance; (iv) interdisciplinary perspectives on the nature and origins of debt and money; (v) Jaina conceptions of meditative dying, suicide and euthanasia; (vi) the epistemology of terrorism and Islamic approaches to non-violence.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 90%, Oral 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Hume, Kant, and Wittgenstein 1

Code:

PP2HKW1

Convenor:

DR Sev.J. Schroeder

Summary:

This module introduces students to the ideas of three great philosophers: David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and Ludwig Wittgenstein, focussing especially on their respective conceptions of philosophy.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 90%, Oral 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Ignorance, Doubt, and Relativism 1

Code:

PP2IDR1

Convenor:

DR Jumbly Grindrod

Summary:

This module introduces students to a core area of philosophy – epistemology (the theory of knowledge), makes them familiar with key stances on the extent and nature of human knowledge (modal theories, reliabilist theories, virtue theories etc.), and requires them to evaluate such stances and find their place on the epistemological map. They will also be introduced to the social aspect of epistemology, by considering what role knowledge plays within a society, how we gain knowledge from others, and how we may be harmed specifically as knowers.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 90%, Oral 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Meaning and the Mind 1

Code:

PP2MM1

Convenor:

DR Jumbly Grindrod

Summary:

This module introduces students to core philosophical issues about meaning and the mind, and to central connections between these issues. How could there be minds in a physical world? Are states of consciousness physical states? How do our thoughts and words come to represent the world around us? These questions are intimately related. The capacity to represent the world is a central, problematic feature of the mind. Moreover, to assess what minds are, we must pay careful attention to what our words for mental states mean, and to how they come to mean what they do. We will investigate these questions by reading and discussing recent work in the philosophy of mind and language, by authors such as David Chalmers, Hilary Putnam and John Searle, as well as classic texts by authors such as Gottlob Frege and Princess Elizabeth of Bohemia.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 90%, Oral 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Oppression, Inequality, and the Enemies of Democracy 1

Code:

PP2OID1

Convenor:

DR Charlotte Newey

Summary:

In this wide-ranging module, with an emphasis on contemporary political philosophy, we will explore some of the most important concerns for society. We will ask questions such as: Do existing accounts of justice need to be amended to acknowledge, explicitly, the concerns arising from race, gender, and disability? How should political philosophy respond to intersecting oppressions? What aspects of modern life threaten democracy? What is the best method by which to develop theories of justice? Is justice a local or global concern? How should we balance loyalty to our own state with concerns for global justice?

Assessment Method:

Assignment 90%, Oral 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Advanced Food Chemistry

Code:

FB3AFC

Convenor:

DR Maria Oruna-Concha

Summary:

This 20 credit module will further develop your knowledge of food chemistry relating to the quality and safety of foods.

The module focuses on:

• The chemical changes in food caused during processing and storage that develop both desirable and undesirable flavour, colour and structure/texture.
• Allergens and the presence and development of toxicants in foods during processing and storage, and the implications for food safety.

Content will be delivered through taught lectures, case studies, hands on practical’s using state of the art analytical techniques for the study of food flavour and self-directed learning. 

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Oral 20%, Report 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Advanced Food Quality, Safety and Sensory

Code:

FB3AFQ

Convenor:

MRS Justine Norris

Summary:

This module provides advanced elements of food quality, safety and sensory science. This will include measurement, assessment and control measures beyond those covered in the introductory module (FB2FQS).  Within sensory science we will discuss (a): an advanced insight into taste and olfaction through receptors to perception (b) descriptive and quantitative sensory methods (c) dynamic sensory methods and d) recent advances in sensory methods. In issues linked to food quality and safety topics will include further aspects of quality management systems including HACCP, statistical methods in food quality assurance and more detailed consideration of selected aspects of legislation Thus, preparing students for potential future roles in food quality assurance by developing their knowledge and skills of food quality and safety management practices.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 15%, Report 30%, Class test 55%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Food Product Development

Code:

FB3FPD

Convenor:

DR Maria Oruna-Concha

Summary:

This 20 credit module focuses on the design, development and evaluation of novel food products. It integrates knowledge and skills as it prepares the students for the global workplace., On completion of this module, you will be able to provide detailed consideration of the stages/processes in new food product development.

Content will be delivered by leading experts through case-studies, group project work and hands-on practical work in our food processing plant.

Assessment Method:

Practical 10%, Oral 45%, Report 45%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Research Project

Code:

FB3PFB

Convenor:

PROF Gunter Kuhnle

Summary:

This module is designed to provide a research experience to the student by completing either a laboratory-based or a theoretical research project. Students will receive guidance on fundamental research methods prior the start of their project.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 20%, Oral 20%, Report 60%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Consumer Attitudes to Food Quality

Code:

FB3GSA

Convenor:

PROF Lisa Methven

Summary:

This module concerns consumer perception of foods, the role this perception has within consumer food choice and explores links between consumer perception and quantified sensory attributes of foods.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 50%, Oral 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Lifestyle, Nutrigenetics and Personalised Nutrition

Code:

FB3LNP

Convenor:

DR Vimal Karani

Summary:

The module deals with human nutrition during the life cycle in health and disease and links this to nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics, epigenetics and personalised nutrition. Throughout the module you will study a selection of current issues in nutrition which impinge on lifestyle (diet and physical activity), health, genetic susceptibility and disease and matters relevant to the interface between human nutrition and food science.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Lifestyle, Nutrigenetics and Personalised Nutrition

Code:

FB3LNPA

Convenor:

DR Vimal Karani

Summary:

The module deals with human nutrition during the life cycle in health and disease and links this to nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics, epigenetics and personalised nutrition. Throughout the module you will study a selection of current issues in nutrition which impinge on lifestyle (diet and physical activity), health, genetic susceptibility and disease and matters relevant to the interface between human nutrition and food science.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Nutrition in Health and Disease

Code:

FB3NDH

Convenor:

PROF Julie Lovegrove

Summary:

• To cover issues relating to human nutrition during the life cycle (including pregnancy, lactation, childhood, adolescents and elderly) in health and disease
• To inform students of the subject matter relevant to the interface between human nutrition and food science
• To acquaint students with a balanced account of current issues in nutrition which impinge on diet, health and disease
• To provide the student with an understanding of topical issues in nutritional sciences which have made major advancements over the last decade including the areas of diet and cognition, cardiovascular disease, cancer, bone health, metabolic diseases (obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes), allergy/intolerance, gastrointestinal disease (irritable bowel syndrome) and the impact of prebiotics and probiotics on gut microbiome.
• Train student in appropriate techniques for assessing and giving diet and healthy living advise 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Sustainable Food Processing

Code:

FB3SFP

Convenor:

DR Afroditi Chatzifragkou

Summary:

The module integrates the main aspects of food processing: from how individual unit operations and processes are integrated during commercial food manufacture, through process economics and project management, to the environmental aspects of processing.

The module encompasses two learning exercises: lectures and tutorials. This combination allows to develop the module as a guided self-learning exercise; it is designed to encourage students to think laterally across different modules and subject areas in order to develop the student’s understanding of real-life commercial food manufacture.

Assessment Method:

Exam 40%, Assignment 40%, Set exercise 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Intercultural Communications

Code:

LS3IC

Convenor:

DR Erhan Aslan

Summary:

In this module, students will explore how people of different discourse systems or groups communicate with one another in various face-to-face and digitally-mediated contexts. Specifically, students will gain an understanding of how assumptions and values that have been constructed or adopted within a specific culture group influence the ways in which people successfully communicate with each other as well as experience miscommunication. Students will become familiar with a variety of topics in intercultural communication as they engage in hands-on analyses of intercultural encounters.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 50%, Set exercise 10%, Project 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Criminology

Code:

LW3CRY

Convenor:

PROFESSOR Jo Phoenix

Summary:

Criminology is a lecture-led module examining the nature of crime as a social phenomenon, theoretical explanations of criminal behaviour, and official responses to crime. The module will incorporate tutorial classes and a piece of assessed coursework.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Identity and Conflict in Modern Europe

Code:

ML3IC

Convenor:

DR Athena Leoussi

Summary:

This module focuses on identity and conflict in modern Europe. By examining race, gender, warfare, revolution and immigration, it explores the evolution of modern conceptions of the self, of what it is to be human. The module further examines a) the ways in which  modern identities have been pursued and realised in different European contexts, for example, through social movements and national and international legislation; b) the conflicts which new and modern visions of the self have generated and in which they have been shaped; and c) cultural expressions of identity and conflict in paintings, sculptures, monuments and films.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 30%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Language and Power

Code:

ML3LP

Convenor:

PROF Federico Faloppa

Summary:

This module aims to familiarise students with the linguistic means by which a whole range of persuasive texts can be analysed. We will also be considering the use of language as a powerful tool in itself. We will investigate a range of genres, discourse types, and theoretical approaches, and we will look at textual, pragmatic, and rhetorical features to better understand power relations and how texts (and their content) can be manipulated. We will then understand, and apply techniques to reveal a text’s underlying ideological stance and bias. 

Assessment Method:

Oral 25%, Project 75%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Feminism and Political Theory

Code:

PO3FPT

Convenor:

DR Maxime Lepoutre

Summary:

This module explores the contributions of feminism to contemporary political theory. It begins by examining theoretical controversies surrounding the definition, subject matter, and aims of feminism. It then brings these theoretical insights to bear on a range of pressing issues in feminist politics, such as abortion, surrogacy, pornography, marriage and sexist language.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Gender and Politics

Code:

PO3GAP

Convenor:

DR Rose De Geus

Summary:

Why do women remain under-represented in politics? Are voters sexist? And do women make for better political leaders? These are examples of the types of questions that we will consider in this module. Over the course of ten two-hour seminars we will explore how gender shapes politics. Throughout this we will also consider how gender intersects with other identities of race, ethnicity and sexuality. In the module we will look at many real-world examples and students are encouraged to bring their own examples for discussion. The module also exposes students to a variety of different research methods that are used in the field of gender and politics. The course is taught through ten two-hour seminars which require active participation and preparatory work from students. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

International Political Economy

Code:

PO3IPE

Convenor:

DR Jonathan Golub

Summary:

The course is an introduction to International Political Economy (IPE), which focuses on the interaction between states and markets at the domestic and international levels. It covers the major theoretical approaches to IPE and applies them to study international trade, development, financial crises, and economic sanctions. It also considers the relationship between globalisation and the welfare state as well as the environment.

Assessment Method:

Exam 40%, Assignment 40%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

US Foreign and Defence Policy since 1950

Code:

PO3USF

Convenor:

DR Graham O'Dwyer

Summary:

American foreign policy matters. As the most powerful, wealthiest, and influential state in the contemporary international system what Washington thinks and does is important to understand. But how did the US come to be in such a dominant position? This module explores this question and a set of integrated ones that flow from this concerning the American foreign policy tradition, the growth of presidential power in foreign policy making since 1945, and a number of case studies that explore key events and policies across time. By exploring historical and contemporary cases, since the Vietnam War, students will analyse how foreign policy decisions are made, look at who influences them, and how this has evolved overtime. Drawing on primary and secondary sources students will gain an understanding of crucial events such as the Vietnam War, nuclear diplomacy during the Cold War, US-Mexico-Colombia relations and the War on Drug, and the response to 9/11. Finally, the course will explore salient challenges faced by US foreign policymakers today.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 50%, Report 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.