Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

Students must have passed these two core modules in order to proceed to Dissertation.

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

To demonstrate relevant research skills to carry out original research in a chosen area of international security; To acquire knowledge in a specialized topic, possibly outside of the scope of the taught modules; To carry out an advanced piece of independent research in a legal or legally relevant topic; to undertake interdisciplinary research appropriate for the award of an MScL qualification.

Outline Of Syllabus

The International Security Dissertation is the dissertation component of the MScL programme, and is intended to be an interdisciplinary research project integrating elements of GPS and Law research methodologies, perspectives and/or frameworks in the analysis of a discrete security topic. It is conducted on the basis of a student’s independent research undertaken during Semester 3 under the supervision of a main supervisor from one School, with input from a co-supervisor from the other School. In order to proceed to this project, students will be required to have successfully passed the two other core components of the programme.

The topic of the dissertation should be approved by the Degree Programme Director.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge pertaining to:
- A specific example of an international security problem, challenge or puzzle;
- Interdisciplinary understandings of that security phenomenon, in a way that is able to integrate elements from distinct disciplinary perspectives;
- A Masters level familiarity, awareness and understanding of the key literature pertaining to that topic of study

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of the module students should be able to demonstrate:

Cognitive skills – having completed the module, students will be able to demonstrate these subject
specific skills:

- The ability to interpret and apply theories and concepts relating to international security
- The ability to interpret, analyse and apply laws or regulations to international security issues
- The ability to critically reflect on the nature of ‘international security’ in an interdisciplinary way
- The ability to analyse and synthesise arguments from a range of materials and disciplinary perspectives relevant to their chosen study

Key transferable skills – having completed the module, students will be able to:

- Demonstrate the ability to think about problems from an interdisciplinary perspective
- Demonstrate critical reasoning skills
- Demonstrate skills in collecting, handling, evaluating and applying information
- Demonstrate the ability to carry out independent research and identify relevant primary and secondary materials of relevance to the subject of study
- The ability to manage an independent research project

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The dissertation is intended to give students the opportunity to conduct a substantial and largely independent project of postgraduate research. The level of supervision is therefore designed to ensure that students are given sufficient guidance to avoid fundamental errors of judgment, and that they can put into practice the skills of organising their work, discovering and evaluating relevant materials, and presenting their findings in a structured and analytical manner. The dissertation also gives students the opportunity to acquire a body of specialised knowledge in their chosen topic.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The dissertation is intended to test the ability of students to conduct a substantial independent project of postgraduate research. It allows them to demonstrate their skills in organising their work, discovering and evaluating relevant materials, and presenting their findings in a structured and analytical manner. It also allows them to demonstrate that they have acquired specialised knowledge in their area of research. The proposal also prepares the students to begin to develop the skills described here, particularly their ability to find information using effective research techniques.

General Notes

N/A