Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL2086: Strategy and Psychology in Foreign Policy

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

This module will aim to:

To introduce you to basic concepts in political psychology.
Expose you to different decision-making models in foreign policy.
Introduce you to rational choice theory and help you understand how to apply it to topics that are currently important in international relations.
Provide you with an understanding of the psychological opportunities and barriers faced by key decision-makers, as well as how employing a rational choice framework can help governments design effective policies.
Provide you a dynamic learning environment in which to develop and test ideas interactively.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of psychological factors in foreign policy and international relations and basic concepts from rational choice theory. 2. Apply concepts from political psychology and rational choice theory to current international strategic problems.
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Analyse empirical and theoretical material. 4. Examine how political psychology and rational choice theory change the way in which current international and foreign policy problems are conceptualized (and thus how we need to resolve them).
Personal and Key Skills	5. Self-organization under time pressure. 6. Think critically.

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

Introduction to key psychological concepts in foreign policy and international relations,
decision-making models,
decision-making in times of crisis,
the importance of psychological traits such as authoritarianism and social dominance orientation,
introduction to rational choice theory,
strategies for political leaders across different regime types,
the role of public opinion and leader motivations in coercive foreign policies.

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	128	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity	22	11 x 2 hour seminars

Guided Independent Study	25	Reading texts for class
Guided Independent Study	18	Preparing class presentation in pairs
Guided Independent Study	45	Essay preparation and writing
Guided Independent Study	40	Preparation for and completion of examination

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

Other materials and resources will be identified by the module convener in lectures and/or via ELE.