Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL3265: Maritime Power and Security in Global Politics

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

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 Seapower – concepts / theory
  • The key maritime thinkers
  • Seapower in history – Bronze age to Age of sail
  • Seapower in history – Age of sail to 1914
  • Seapower in history – Total War and Cold War
  • Contemporary seapower – the UK
  • Contemporary seapower – the USA
  • Contemporary seapower – China
  • Contemporary seapower – Russia
  • Contemporary seapower – the EU
  • Contemporary seapower – Latin America
  • Contemporary seapower – Africa
  • The future of ‘traditional seapower’
  • The future of ‘non-traditional’ seapower – role of non-state actors, ngo’s, terrorism and  seapower

Learning and Teaching

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

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
442560

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

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activity4422 x 2-hour seminars
Guided independent study 100Private study - reading and preparing for seminars
Guided independent study 156Preparation for assignments – including researching and collating relevant sources; planning the structure and argument; writing up the essay

Online Resources

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

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 assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Term 1 Book Review 500 words1-11Oral
Term 1 Essay plan500 words1-11Oral
Term 2 Essay plan500 words1-11Oral
Term 2 Portfolio plan500 words1-12Oral

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.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

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

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Term 1 Essay342000 words1-11Written
Term 2 Essay332000 words1-11Written
Term 2 Portfolio of applied writing332000 words1-12Written

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 assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Term 1 EssayEssay (2000 words)1-11August/September re- assessment period
Term 2 EssayEssay (2000 words)1-11August/September re- assessment period
Term 2 Portfolio of applied writingPortfolio of applied writing (2000 words)1-12August/September re- assessment period