Curricular Unit:Code:
Portuguese Constitution and the European Union827CPUE
Year:Level:Course:Credits:
1UndergraduateCivil Engineering3 ects
Learning Period:Language of Instruction:Total Hours:
Portuguese/English39
Learning Outcomes of the Curricular Unit:
- Ability to understand and implement the information provided in the classroom;
- To use information provided in the classroom to a proper understanding of European and national politics;
- Critical assessment skills (of European and national political issues);
- Interpersonal and inter-group communication skills.
- Self-oriented research and development skills.
Syllabus:
I – Genesis and evolution of the European Union
II – The political institutions: European Union and Portugal
1. Organization of the political system: in Portugal
2. Organization of the political system: in the European Union
III – The member states and the decision process of the European Union
1. The decision-making process
2. The law of the European Union
3. Integration of the EU law in the national juridical systems
IV – The communitarian policies: general issues
Demonstration of the Syllabus Coherence with the Curricular Unit's Objectives:
Unit I – The theoretical issues of the genesis and the process of European integration should encourage students to understand the contemporary political phenomena, as well as to promote critical reading on these issues.
Unit II – The presentation of the classical model of national political institutions versus the model of European integration aims to provide an understanding of national and EU institutional models and the link between the two, as well as, to promote a critical reading of the European economic integration process, within the institutional perspective.
Unit III – The presentation of the decision making process in the European Union and a brief discussion on EU law the general aim is to provide an understanding of the EU decision-making mechanisms and of basic information about EU law.
Unit IV – A brief summary on EU policies should sensitize students to the practical importance of political action community, illustrating it with examples of policies in key areas.
Teaching Methodologies (Including Evaluation):
Teaching methodology will include theoretical lecturing, research, reading and discussion of specific references, as well as thematic debating and critical reflection. Assessment will be continuous and based on two written tests.
Demonstration of the Coherence between the Teaching Methodologies and the Learning Outcomes:
Unit 1- Theoretical exposition of contents in the scientific area; Presentation and handling of lecture handbook; group debate. To integrate methods, concepts, theories and knowledge in the scientific area; To develop interactive competences within classes; Units II, III, IV - Theoretical exposition of contents in the scientific area. To demonstrate oral and written communication skills of expert assessment contents; To select methods of information management; To integrate methods, concepts, theories and knowledge in the scientific area;
Reading:
CARDOSO, Carla Pinto, RAMOS, Cláudia, LEITE, Isabel Costa, CARDOSO, João Casqueira, VILA MAIOR, Paulo (2017), A União Europeia: Historia, Instituições e Políticas, Porto, Edições Universidade Fernando Pessoa.
Constituição da República Portuguesa, 2005.
Tratado de Lisboa, 2007.
WALLACE, W., WALLACE, H. e POLLACK, M. (2005) – Policy-Making in the European Union. 5ª ed. Oxford: Oxford U.P.
ZILLER, Jacques (2010). O Tratado de Lisboa, Alfragide, Texto Editores.