Opetussuunnitelmat

Objective

By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:
• Understand the core principles and some of the key themes related to International Relations (IR)
• Discover, compare, and evaluate appropriate journalistic and academic sources related to IR
• Analyse current issues in IR and consider various points of view
• Produce analytical and coherent argumentative texts related to IR
• Develop skills to debate current issues in IR in a logical and coherent manner
• Use the key vocabulary of IR in an appropriate context
• Apply the key concepts of IR to their own academic and professional contexts

Competences:
Critical Thinking Skills
Internationality Skills
Communication Skills
Negotiation Skills
Team Working Skills

Content

The contents of the course include:

• Learning about the core principles of International Relations (IR) and associated topics including: Globalisation, Forming Alliances and Making Strategies, Decision Making, Crisis Management, Theories of War and the Role of International Organisations, and Theories of Trade
• Researching and analysing a chosen topic of IR, then preparing for and delivering a group debate on that topic
• Examining real cases of strategic decision making and crisis management in IR, and producing an evaluative essay on a chosen case study
• Comparing and evaluating different news sources (e.g. BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, YLE) to verify fact and identify media/national bias in the reportage of current affairs, and presenting these findings to the group

Oppimateriaali ja suositeltava kirjallisuus

The textbook for the course is John C. W. Pevehouse and Joshua S. Glodstein, International Relations, 11th edition, ISBN 0-134-40476-9

As a reference for the language of international relations scholarship and practice, we use G. R. Berridge and Alan James, A Dictionary of Diplomacy, 2nd edition, ISBN 1-4039-15369

For some of the theoretical concepts, we will rely on certain entries in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/

Teaching methods

The course is organized as a series of face-to-face classroom or auditorium sessions. According to the availability of the teacher's contacts, sessions with special visiting guests will are organized online on platforms such as Zoom.

The teaching methods include lectures on the more theoretical and historical aspects of international relations as well as student presentations and group work covering case studies and other more specific themes.

Employer connections

You will have the opportunity to exchange with visiting lecturers working in IR scholarship or international diplomacy according to their availability.

Exam schedules

You will have two occasions to take a written sit-in exam, one toward the middle of the semester and another at the end of the semester. This is one of the possible ways of getting credits for the written work part of the course (see the entry on workload below).

The precise dates of the exams will be announced in the course opening information.

International connections

The student groups of this course are typically composed from a highly international crowd. This provides many opportunities to look at the topics discussed from various angles, and exchanges beyond your own language group are encouraged.

Vaihtoehtoiset suoritustavat

You have the right to apply for recognition of your studies if you have prior learning (e.g. university studies completed elsewhere) that can be accredited towards the degree you are currently completing.

The recognition of prior learning is possible in three primary ways: accreditation (replacement or inclusion), recognition of informal learning and studification. More precise info: JAMK Degree Regulations, section 17.

Student workload

Completing this course, you will get 5 ECTS. This corresponds to
135 hours of expected work.
Attendance to the teaching sessions is obligatory (with force majeure exceptions of course) and active participation is an important part of your work.
During the semester, you will give a presentation with a partner. A written work will also be required. This can take the form of a sit-in exam (see above) or a homework we call and assignment. The topics for the assignments will be given throughout the course, following the thematic development of the lectures.


Describe the learning assignments and the time needed for completing them and the student’s other scheduling (e.g. teaching sessions and studying of literature, preparing for lectures, etc.)

Further information

Exchange students: 20 (included in the total capacity)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Further information

Lecturer Tuomas Parsio
tuomas.parsio@gmail.com