Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

Students must have taken POL1032 that provides introduction to the key concepts in international politics. The knowledge and skills developed in POL1032 are essential for students' ability to apply them to 'real life' cases that they are asked to analyse in this module.

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The aims of this module are:

-To support students in developing and advancing written communication skills that will prepare them for careers in foreign policy and international politics, with the focus on writing for foreign policy makers.
-To provide students with the opportunity to engage in an in-depth examination of an issue in International Relations.
-To provide students with the opportunity to build on and develop the knowledge and understanding that students have gained from other modules in International Relations, and to apply their knowledge and understanding to an analysis of a 'real life' case.
-To allow students who do not wish to undertake a Dissertation to conduct a more limited research exercise.

Outline Of Syllabus

Students will be introduced to key principles of effective written communication in addressing foreign policy makers and will engage with a large range of 'real life' examples of foreign policy papers and policy briefs. Following a series of lectures on several substantive issues in Foreign Policy and International Politics and a series of workshops on policy writing, students will choose one of pre-set policy questions asking them to write a policy brief for foreign policy makers. Each student will have a project advisor.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of the module students should have:
-Gained an enhanced knowledge of a specific topic in International Relations.
-Deepened their understanding of this topic through interpretation of the relevant academic and non-academic literature and analysis of relevant data.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Following satisfactory progress with this module, students should develop:

-advanced writing skills targeting policy audiences;
-advanced skills in analysing, synthesising and critically applying information.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The choice of teaching methods reflects the emphasis of the module on developing knowledge of a specialist area of International Relations and on developing and practicing skills in writing for policy audiences.

Interactive lectures will introduce students to key principles of effective writing for policy audiences, and will cover key concepts of Foreign Policy Analysis. Lectures will also introduce students to several substantive issues in International Relations that students will need to investigate further as part of their guided independent study.

Interactive workshops will introduce students to a range of 'real life' examples of policy briefs written for foreign policy makers and will allow students to discuss them in small groups. Students will them practice developing a plan for their own foreign policy briefs on given topics.

Project supervision sessions will provide students with the opportunity to discuss their progress on their chosen topics for foreign policy briefs with their advisors.

Drop-in surgeries will provide students with the opportunity to ask any questions related to their assignment and receive further guidance.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The policy brief will develop the practical and transferable skills which students will use in the workplace, thus increasing their employability. It will assess students’ research, writing and presentation skills when writing for policy audiences.

The formative assessment is a plan for the above policy brief, allowing students to receive feedback on their work in the middle of the semester and reflect on this feedback while completing their summative assessment.

General Notes

N/A