BA International Relations(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)

Year 3

(Award available for year: Bachelor of Arts)

Learning outcomes

At the end of L3 you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the core concepts and processes of International Relations, as well as demonstrate competency with specialist theories and literatures relevant to specific areas of study.
2. Appreciate and critically evaluate the appropriateness of different theoretical approaches used to understand the processes and dynamics of International Relations.
3. Evaluate and critique the roles and practices of various International Relations actors, such as states, multi-state entities (such as the UN), NGOs, peoples, nations, and other non-state actors.
4. Evaluate and choose between generic and subject specific intellectual tools to evaluate empirical material and case studies examples from the International Relations.
5. Critically appraise a range of research techniques used by different development actors to produce and assess data and information, and apply relevant research skills for assignments.

Skills Learning Outcomes
At the end of L3 you will be able to:

1. Plan and execute a self-guided piece of research.
2. Communicate complex information, ideas, problems, and solutions in a variety of ways to a variety of audiences.
3. Marshal an argument and communicate it clearly and persuasively.
4. Work with others in a collaborative way and have well developed strategies for overcoming the challenges of such collaboration.
5. Evaluate your own achievement and that of others. In addition, you will be able to evaluate and act upon the feedback of others.
6. Use a range of digital technologies to find, retrieve and process data, and to produce outputs such as presentations, summaries, reports, and discussions. In addition, you will understand the role that these technologies play in contemporary forms of communication.

Competence Standards
1. Identifies and evaluates relevant knowledge, theories, debates, in the study of International Relations and can explain their own viewpoint.
2. Makes and justifies decisions about choice of materials, components, and methods in International Relations and can identify and reflect on their own positionality.
3. Plays a role in the field by learning from and communicating knowledge and opinions about International Relations with others.

Assessment

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include: (1) demonstrating the knowledge and application of standard themes, concepts, and theories relating to International Development; and (2) demonstrating emerging abilities, skills and competencies in a variety formats. These formats may include: essays, reports, learning logs, blogs, literature reviews, presentations, policy briefs, poster-presentations, and podcasts. At L3 you will be required to write a self-guided piece of research in the form of a dissertation. Assessment will be both formative and summative, and will be supported with feedback.