Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL2086: Strategy and Psychology in Foreign Policy

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

Module Aims

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.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

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.

Learning and Teaching

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

Online Resources

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

Other Learning Resources

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

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
In Class Mid-Term exam	45 minutes	1-6	Verbal

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
40	60	0

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay	40	1,500 words	1-6	Written
Written exam	60	1.5 hours exam	1-6	Mark and short comments

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Essay	Essay (1,500 words)	1-6	August/September re-assessment period
Written exam	Written exam (1.5 hours exam)	1-6	August/September re-assessment period