Unit information: European Security in 2022/23

Unit name	European Security
Unit code	POLIM0019
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Ana E Juncos Garcia
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	None
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one
School/department	School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Unit Information

The aim of this unit is to give students an in-depth understanding of one of the most dynamic areas of European integration: foreign and security policies. The unit will seek to establish a critical appreciation of current debates about European foreign policy cooperation; the transformation of European foreign and security policies; and the impact of EU policies on national foreign and security policies and vice versa. The unit will familiarise students with key concepts and main theoretical approaches to the study of European foreign policy. The unit will also provide an empirically informed understanding of the transformation of European armed forces and of Europe’s role in peacebuilding, conflict management and democracy promotion. In addition, the unit will take a closer look at transatlantic relations and the role of Europe in an increasing multipolar world.

Your learning on this unit

Upon completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. develop an understanding of the key debates and contemporary challenges surrounding European foreign and security policies.
2. critically evaluate different theories and conceptual approaches to cooperation in foreign and security matters in Europe.
3. recognise the impact of EU policies on national foreign and security policies and vice versa.
4. integrate theoretical and empirical materials.
5. develop critical discussion skills, particularly through seminar participation, group work and seminar presentations.
6. make articulate, concise, persuasive and well-paced presentations in small groups.
7. write in a scholarly way about European foreign policy.

How you will learn

The unit will be taught through blended learning methods, including a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities

How you will be assessed

Formative assessment (weighting 0%): completion of weekly tasks. Please see more information on the unit's Blackboard for each week. It provides formative assessment of learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Summative assessment will consist of an essay of 4,000 words (100%).

The summative assessment will match the unit's learning outcomes as follows:

1. The essay will assess students' grasp of the key substantive issues covered by this unit (learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3).
2. Students will be expected to demonstrate a broad knowledge of European foreign policy and to relate these issues to relevant concepts and academic theories (Learning outcome 4).
3. The summative essay will also help students develop their critical discussion skills (Learning outcome 5).
4. Finally, the essay will assess students' ability to engage with substantive issues in an articulate, persuasive and critical manner in written form (Learning outcome 7).

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. POLIM0019).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.