course-details-portlet

POL2014

Specialization in Political Science: Comparative Politics

Choose study year

Assessments and mandatory activities may be changed until September 20th.

Credits 7.5
Level Intermediate course, level II
Course start Spring 2026
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement School exam

About

About the course

Course content

The course builds on POL1000 and offers a more comprehensive treatment of concepts and theories within comparative politics, in addition to a close study of the comparative method. Substantively the course focuses on the conceptualisation of democratic and authoritarian institutions and the causes of transitions between these types of regimes. We examine factors such as economic structure, foreign involvement, civil war and mass protest as drivers of these transitions. Throughout the course we pay close attention to how authors in the field use qualitative and quantative evidence to make inferences about these causes.

Learning outcome

Knowledge - the student shall:

  • understand the fundamentals of the comparative method and the connections between comparison and causal inference
  • know how scholars have conceptualised democratic and authoritarian regimes and how institutions shape political choices related to corruption, repression, and economic growth
  • understand the role of economic structure, mass protest and elites in driving or inhibiting democratisation

Skills - the student shall demonstrate the ability to:

  • understand how to derive testable propositions from existing theory of democratisation
  • use evidence to make appropriately bounded claims and/or constructively critique existing work

Learning methods and activities

4 hours of lectures per week in the first half of the semester.

Further on evaluation

Assessment: 3-hour written exam in week 9.

Required previous knowledge

None

Course materials

Provided at the start of the semester

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
POL2004 7.5 sp Autumn 2011
This course has academic overlap with the course in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Social Studies
  • Social Sciences
  • Political Science

Contact information

Course coordinator

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Sociology and Political Science

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: School exam
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code E Duration 3 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room
The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code E Duration 3 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room
The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.