Summary of content

Students aiming to become professional journalists need a sound and systematic understanding of the local, regional, national and supranational political systems that impact upon UK citizens if they are to report political events accurately. This module is relevant to journalists who will work primarily in the news and current affairs field and also to those interested in other parts of the profession who can benefit from contextualising their specific interests against a political backdrop. The module merges political science and journalistic perspectives to provide an understanding of the context, processes and policy outcomes of multi level governance in the UK. Students will be introduced as journalists to the structural and institutional landscapes of government at the supra-national (EU) UK (Westminster) devolved governments, assemblies and executives and local authority levels. As part of this, the increasing relevance of quasi and non governmental organisations to today's public sector is explored, as is the form and functions of the National Health Service. Finally, specific policies and public sector services will be contextualised and evaluated across the various levels of governance.

Module structure

Assessment methods