ENG4517 – The British Constitution
Course description
Course content
This course looks at the historical development of the British political system from the time of the Glorious Revolution in 1689 to the present.
Emphasis is placed on the gradual development of the system of "Crown-in-Parliament" over the course of the eighteenth century, and the subsequent challenges to, and reforms of, this system in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Central topics which are covered are:
- the emergence of a radical challenge to the political system from the 1760s onwards
- the subsequent three great reform acts of the nineteenth Century
- devolution, constitutional reform and the effect of Britain’s EU-membership in the twentieth century
Learning outcome
After completing this course, you:
- understand the nature of the British political system, and the notion of an evolving British Constitution,
- can analyse the present challenges to the British Constitution, and the changes which have been carried out in the past.
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.
Students enrolled in other Master`s Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with ENG2517 – The British Constitution (discontinued).
Teaching
Seminar, two hours per week for 10 weeks, 20 hours in all.
Obligatory activity:
- Students are expected to attend all teaching. The quality of the teaching depends on active participation in all seminars. If you are not able to attend, you must give notice to the seminar teacher no later than the same day as the absence.
- Students must hand in a first draft of the paper during the semester. Feedback will be given. In addition to this, students will prepare one oral group presentation for the rest of the class.
All obligatory activities must be approved in the same semester.
Examination
The final grade is set on the basis of a written term paper (7 standard pages à 2,300 characters, 60% of the grade) and a short take-home exam (2 hours, 40% of the grade).
It is required to pass both parts of the exam individually, and you have to take both parts in the same semester.
Examination support material
During the written exam: English-English dictionary.
Macmillan Dictionary will be offered in the digital examination system Inspera.
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.
Resit an examination
For those who want to retake their exam: Since this exam includes a term paper, you must follow the classes and write a new paper in order to qualify. Admission depends on capacity.
If it`s just the written exam you have missed because of illness, it is possible to apply for a postponed exam. Please contact the exam consultant for more information.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- 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.