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IR3018: INTERNATIONAL SECURITY (2015-2016)

Last modified: 25 Mar 2016 11:33


Course Overview

This course explores salient concepts of security and conflict, focusing on contemporary issues and problems.  It examines traditional, state-centred topics ie. interstate and intrastate war, as well as the ‘new security agenda’  involving issues like terrorism, organized crime, environmental security, health security and population trends.  Students will gain knowledge of international security and its role in contemporary International Relations through analysis of conceptual factors and case studies.  In addition, students will develop critical thinking skills, communication skills and analytical skills, including being able to formulate lucid, concise and rigorous accounts of international security affairs.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 3
Term First Term Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus None. Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor Michael Smith

Qualification Prerequisites

None.

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Either International Relations (IR) (Studied) or Politics (PI) (Studied)
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • Programme Level 3

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The course looks at the idea of international security from a wide range of perspectives. It considers the debates over the continuing dominance of military and state-based approaches to security, examining the arguments for the widening of the security agenda. In addition to this conceptual approach, the course looks at specific case-studies of security issues in the modern world in order to illustrate the implications of widening the security agenda.

Further Information & Notes

Available only to students in Politics OR International Relations degrees.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

1st Attempt: 1 three-hour examination (60%) and in-course assessment (40%). Resit: Examination (60%); in-course grades will be carried forward.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Feedback

Written feedback will be provided for continuous assessment work. This will normally be provided within three weeks of the submission date. Oral feedback on class presentations will also be provided where appropriate.

Course Learning Outcomes

None.

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