STV2500 ¨C Politics in the European Union

Course content

In this course, you will learn to analyze decision-making in the European Union. The course consists of three parts: Government, Politics, and Policies. The premise for the course is that although the EU is not a state, it can be analyzed using standard theoretical tools from mainstream political science. The empirical focus is on how the EU is currently operating. We expect you to follow EU current affairs and be able to apply the theoretical tools to interpret contemporary developments. Moreover, you will develop the ability to use relevant data for analyzing politics in the European Union.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

You will

• master central theoretical concepts in institutional rational choice

• know where to find relevant information about the EU institutions, politics in the EU and development in the various policy-areas

• be able to explain the main decision-making processes in the EU

Skills

You will

• be able to apply concepts from institutional rational choice in substantive analysis of EU government, politics, and policies

• learn to obtain and utilize primary and secondary EU data in your own writing

• be able to analyze the consequences of decision-making procedures and the policy positions of actors for policy-outcomes

• be able to employ theoretical tools to analyze current developments in the EU

• be able to structure short academic texts to answer pre-defined research questions.

Competences

You will

• develop the ability to find relevant data on the European Union provided by the Union¡¯s institutions as well as secondary data

• develop your abilty to use data to make an argument

• develop your analytical writing skills

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

This course is not available for single course students.

Recommended previous knowledge

Students should be familiar with the EU institutions and politics in the European Union, at the level of STV1501or similar.

Students should also have basic research design and statistical skills, at the level of STV101 and STV1020 ¨C Politisk analyse 2: °ÄÃŻʹÚÌåÓý,»Ê¹Ú×ãÇò±È·Ösdesign og kvantitative metoder .

As the course draws on general theories and concepts from comparative politics, familiarity with such concepts, e.g. from STV130 will be assumed.

Teaching

Compulsary activities:

• Attend the first seminar and minimum two of the following four seminars.

• Submit four course assignments.

• Obtain a minimum of 50 % score on the weekly multiple choice quiz in Canvas

The course consists of 10 two-hours lectures and 5 two-hours seminars. As the lectures will involve student activities such as group discussions of theoretical concepts and searches for relevant data, and assessment of specific aspects of the weeks¡¯ readings, students should come to class prepared and ready to interact with fellow students and the lecturer.

To assist students in preparing for class, weekly self-test quizzes will be provided.?

Students are required to submit assignments for their formative assessment. Students will receive feedback on how to improve and revise their assignments before submitting the portfolio for a final summative assessment.

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, and does not have to in order to resit the exam. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

Examination

Portfolio examination and an adjusting oral exam.

The portfolio examination will be given one overall grade and consists of 4 written assignments, each 1500 to 2000 words.

To qualify for submitting the portfolio for summative assessment, all parts of portfolio must have been previously submitted for formative assessment and deemed worthy of feedback. In addition, students must obtain a score of at least 50 percent on the pre-class quizzes.

Previous exams and examination guidelines.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• How to use AI as a student
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.