POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION Programme Title:
International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies
Awarding Body:
Staffordshire University
Teaching Institution:
Staffordshire University
Final Awards:
MA International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies
Intermediate Awards:
PG Dip/PG Cert International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies
Mode of Study:
P/T DL
QAA Subject Benchmarks:
N/A
JACS Code:
L250
Professional/Statutory Body: N/A Entry Year:
2016/17
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EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE COURSE The MA in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies is part of a programme of four courses offering MAs in International Relations with area studies. The other three specialisms available are: Central Asian Studies, South Asian Studies and Russian Studies. The aims of the MA International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies are: To provide a rigorous academic education in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies.
To provide a combination of compulsory International Relations modules that equip you with: [a] advanced knowledge of International Relations and [b] core theoretical skills
To provide specialist Middle Eastern Studies modules that enables you to study your selected course from a variety of perspectives and to develop your own interests in the area.
To provide an opportunity for you to learn, or to improve your skills in, a relevant Middle Eastern language [Arabic, Persian, or Hebrew].
To enhance key vocational and research related skills.
To ensure the intellectual quality and currency of the curriculum through the promotion of research and scholarly activity.
To provide you with an opportunity to develop a range of the key skills necessary for the successful management of your continuous career and professional development, life-long learning and further post-graduate study.
To provide access to postgraduate Higher Education for all students who can benefit from the courses.
To provide opportunities for you to develop your full potential by providing a high quality DL educational environment for teaching and learning.
To underpin your learning opportunities by providing high quality pastoral care as well as academic support and guidance.
What is distinctive about this course? The MA in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies is distinctive in that it will cross traditional subject boundaries and create a whole new subject field at Masters level. In the UK, these boundaries have only been crossed in terms of research and traditional taught degrees, but not in a distance learning format. This course will be the first in the UK that provides the combination of a traditional International Relations degree in an established discipline with Middle Eastern Studies in an innovative distance learning format.
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The course is based on our current and well-subscribed DL MA modules in International Relations [including International Relations in the Modern Era and International Security] and you will join with students from related courses in the preparation for the dissertation module before you are allocated to your supervisor. You will also have the option to benefit from learning or improving your regional language skills through the Rosetta Stone language courses in Arabic, Persian or Hebrew. The cost for a two-year subscription to a Rosetta Stone language is no higher than £196 for 2016 [except Mandarin: £220]; full details will be available on the website
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COURSE OUTCOMES What will this programme teach me to do? At the end of your studies you should be able to: Postgraduate Certificate Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of developments in International Relations theory as a series of intellectual debates in the context of changing twentieth and twenty-first century events. [Knowledge and Understanding; Learning] Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of historical and current political dynamics in the Middle East. [Knowledge and Understanding; Learning] Demonstrate the independent learning abilities required to advance knowledge and understanding of key theoretical and methodological texts, debates and orientations about the changing nature of International Relations as well as the historical and current political dynamics in the Middle East. Develop new skills of political science reasoning and competence in the use of theoretical concepts and research methods. [Analysis; Learning; Enquiry and Reflection; Problem Solving] Engage in debate and critical analysis through awareness and evaluation of the range of methodological and epistemological issues and debates, and scholarship in the field of study and apply research skills with awareness of methodological problems using secondary sources. [Analysis; Application; Enquiry; Problem Solving; Reflection] Demonstrate a level of communicative skill appropriate for the Masters level utilising standard academic conventions. [Communication] Postgraduate Diploma Demonstrate a critical understanding of a range contemporary theoretical perspectives in International Relations as a discipline. [Knowledge and Understanding; Learning; Enquiry; Analysis; Communication; Application] Engage in critical enquiry through a comprehensive understanding and critical evaluation of theoretical and methodological approaches from International Relations and to use conceptual tools to apply them to Middle East politics and international relations. [Knowledge and Understanding, Problem Solving, Reflection] Demonstrate the ability to distinguish between the different theoretical and methodological approaches from International Relations and Middle Eastern studies. [Analysis] Demonstrate reflection and the qualities and transferable skills necessary to understand the historical events, political processes and actors that influence current dynamics in the Middle East. [Knowledge and Understanding; Analysis; Reflection] Demonstrate the ability to locate practical research problems against focused exercises and sustained research tasks. [Knowledge and Understanding; Learning; Enquiry; Application; Reflection] Demonstrate proficiency in undertaking and communicating • the technical-academic skills of research, preparation, planning, writing and presentation • the intellectual-academic skills of argument and debate, analysis, theorising and
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critical self-awareness • the social-academic skills of self-confidence, professionalism and communication [Learning, Enquiry, Communication] Masters Demonstrate the ability to theoretically contextualise developments in Middle Eastern politics, security and international relations, and situate them against the background of changing global events and, where appropriate, propose new insights. [Knowledge and Understanding, Problem Solving, Reflection] Demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and theory are used to study International Relations and the Middle East. [Enquiry; Analysis; Application] Demonstrate reflection and the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment by exercising initiative and personal responsibility, self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and acting autonomously in planning and implementing dissertation research at Masters level. [Learning, Enquiry and Application] Recognise and select appropriate strategies to communicate the dissertation research findings and to explore potential sources of publication and use a wide range of appropriate technologically orientated frameworks of visual and written sources in your own learning mechanisms and presentational delivery of your work. [Communication, Enquiry, Learning and Application] Demonstrate higher order skills in the selection and use of theoretical approaches and research methodologies to critically engage with key debates and to apply these to the analysis of a range of representative examples of issues in International Relations, as well as Middle East politics and international relations, and the responses of national and international state and non-state actors to them. [Knowledge and Understanding, Reflection and Problem Solving]
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COURSE STRUCTURE, MODULES AND CREDITS MA in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies SEPTEMBER ENTRY [PART TIME] YEAR 1
YEAR 2
YEAR 3
Teaching Block 1 [Sept - Jan]
Teaching Block 2 [Jan - June]
CORE HIPO70017 International Relations in the Modern Era
CORE HIPO70034 Political Economy and Security in the Middle East
[30]
[30]
CORE HIPO70033 Iran: History, Culture and Political Economy
CORE HIPO70388 International Security
[30]
[30]
CORE HIPO70032 Dissertation MA International Relations and Regional Specialisms [60]
JANUARY ENTRY [PART TIME] YEAR 1
YEAR 2
YEAR 3
Teaching Block 2 [Jan – June]
Teaching Block 1 [Sept – Jan]
CORE HIPO70034 Political Economy and Security in the Middle East
CORE HIPO70017 International Relations in the Modern Era
[30]
[30]
CORE HIPO70388 International Security
CORE HIPO70033 Iran: History, Culture and Political Economy
[30]
[30]
CORE HIPO70032 Dissertation MA International Relations and Regional Specialisms
[60] Potential Awards: Postgraduate Certificate [60 credits] – International Relations in the Modern Era & Political Economy and Security in the Middle East Postgraduate Diploma [120 credits] – comprises PG Cert plus International Security and Iran: History, Culture and Political Economy Master of Arts [180 credits] – comprises PG Dip plus the Postgraduate Dissertation Progression: In order to progress from one stage of an award to another [i.e. PgC to PgD, PgD to Masters], you must normally complete all modules at the current stage.
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HOW WILL I BE TAUGHT AND ASSESSED? Teaching and Learning The programme was developed and will be taught by a multi-disciplinary group of academics from History/Politics and Sociology. The academic team has wide experience of innovative approaches to curriculum development, teaching, learning and assessment, as well as particular long-standing expertise in the relevant fields of this MA programme. The team is concurrently responsible for Masters programmes in International Relations; Intelligence; Modern History; Terrorism; and International Diplomacy. Team members have for a number of years also taught short-courses on Russian Politics and Security; Security and Crisis in Central Asia; India-Pakistan; and Iran. All teaching and learning self-instructional material is delivered via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment [VLE], known as Blackboard. Here you will have permanent access to online lectures or podcasts, as well as carefully prepared online activities for you to complete as individuals or as part of a learning group. The modules typically consist of weekly online lectures, learning activities containing information, directed reading, viewing and listening [through hyperlinked web-based documents] and tasks. Other media may also be employed to support and enhance your learning. The VLE will also be used as a discussion forum for you to engage in regular debates with your fellow students and the teaching team, providing not only a source of stimulation for your learning but also online support. Regular interaction between you and other members of your cohort and with tutors during each module is also encouraged through discussion forums and email interchange. Formative, constructive feedback from your tutors will be regularly provided throughout the module, usually via Blackboard, as well as summative feedback at the end of the module. Your tutors will also provide advice on request about assignment or regulatory issues. You will also experience team teaching which is an important part of this distinctive delivery style, giving you the opportunity to experience a range of approaches and academic specialisms, as well as a range of tutors with whom you are welcome to communicate. Assessment This course operates within the general framework for the University Modular Master`s Programme [for further details see University Regulations]. All assessment on the programme consists of coursework and there are no examinations. Assessment can take a range of forms including essays, book reviews, online presentations, and research reports for the four taught modules, and of course, a final dissertation. The assessments will vary between modules and full information will be provided in Module Handbooks. At the level of the weekly study units there are online interactional tasks which may involve problem solving, short weekly responses to questions, evaluations of documents, critical analyses and comparisons and these provide an opportunity for formative feedback. Specific details about the format required for each module are again provided in the Module Handbooks.
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For online, distance-learning programmes, the modules adhere to a 10% assessment rule, whereby 10% of the marks you are awarded for each module will arise from your online contributions to tasks and/or discussion forums. The 10% rule is there for a purpose: it will serve as an indicator to you, and your tutors, of how well you are progressing on the module. There are also more formal assessments towards the end of each module. You can expect to have individual discussion and support for each of these pieces of work. The assessment workload has been devised to ensure that the distribution of work across the course is appropriate, equitable and balanced. The weighting for the assessments is clearly indicated in the course handbook and each of your module handbooks. The essay and the portfolio are the main forms of formal assessment for this programme, and are modelled on the style of the published academic paper as this is the main method of professional academic communication/debate. All written work should therefore follow correct academic conventions of referencing and citation. It should also have a clear structure that clearly presents coherent analysis or a clear line of argument which directly focuses on the question under review. Assessed work and essay titles for each module are designed to reflect the learning objectives and planned skill enhancements of that module, as included in the module descriptor. Most modules require at least two pieces of work allowing formative feedback from the first to inform preparation for the second. The online presentation, where used, allows opportunity to present your ideas and arguments to peers, inviting feedback and discussion. The Dissertation is assessed on the basis of a range of criteria [see the separate Dissertation Guidance handbook]. The Dissertation itself is the result of sustained research on your part and is considered to be the defining element of the Masters’ level. Feedback on Assessment This key aspect of your learning will operate within a framework comprised of three elements: The online return of work to you within a normal maximum of 20 working days from submission Provision of written commentary consisting of [a] annotated engagement with your text and b] summary of overall strengths and weaknesses. The opportunity to receive further informal feedback from tutors when work is returned. As well as feedback from your tutors on your performance in individual modules, the Faculty will also monitor your overall progression and achievement in relation to assessment. This will occur at the Assessment and Course Boards in the second and third semesters. Finally, quality assurance of marking will be ensured by doublemarking procedures by another member of the teaching team, and moderation by External Examiners.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Entry Requirements [including IELTS score] The normal language requirement is Cambridge English and International English Language Testing Service [IELTS] examinations passed at WLTS 6.5 or other equivalent. For this online, distance-learning programme, applicants must have regular access to a computer with working internet access. What qualifications would I need to join this programme? The entry requirements for the course are normally: 1. A 2.2 or above of a United Kingdom institution of higher education or international equivalent. or 2. A Postgraduate Diploma or Post-experience Diploma recognised as being equivalent to an Honours Degree. or 3. In addition, we would also consider applicants who have considerable relevant experience and a record of academic achievement. For the Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate awards a maximum of 75% of the total credits for the course may be set against accredited prior learning/experience. Disability Statement Staffordshire University operates a policy of inclusive teaching and learning to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. There will be consideration of your requirements and alternative arrangements will be made to allow you to complete the programme where possible. Details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/study/disabled/index.jsp Recognition of Prior Learning Students who have completed relevant short-course modules will be exempt from the equivalent modules on the award structures through the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.
Further information about the course can be found in the relevant Student Handbook and on the University Website. This includes information about optional modules, student support, and academic regulations. ====================================
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