POLS441-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025

Principles and Practice of International Relations and Diplomacy

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 22 June 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 2 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 11 May 2025

Description

This course offers a blend of theoretical and practical insight into international relations and diplomacy. The first part of the course will provide foundational knowledge of the principles, theories and historical dimensions of foreign policy and diplomacy. The second part of the course will be composed of a series of intensive professional seminars, providing students with detailed practical insights into complex and difficult cases in international relations and diplomacy through the experiences of those involved in them.

This course provides an advanced introduction to the principles and practice of international relations and diplomacy and a series of case-oriented professional seminars to provide insights into the practical world of diplomacy and foreign affairs.  In the first part of the course, students will examine key theoretical and historical works on international relations and diplomacy that are relevant to the contemporary study of international politics. In the second part of the course, students will participate in a series of professional seminars delivered by current and former diplomats on a range of key issues in contemporary international relations and diplomacy.

Course Aims:

This course aims to provide students, whether they have a background in the study of international relations or not, with an understanding of the dominant theories of international relations and their relation to the history and theory of diplomatic practice.  In doing so, many of the fundamental divides in international relations theory will be made clearer to students alongside a greater knowledge of a variety of historical examples.  On the practical side, the course aims to develop the ability of students to conduct independent research, make clear and coherent presentations, and write longer research essays.  Students will also be encouraged to develop their own critical questions over the conduct and limits of international relations.

Learning Outcomes

  • On completion of this course students will have:
  • a consolidated understanding of the key principles of international relations theory;
  • a deeper appreciation of the complexities of the theory and practice of diplomacy and knowledge of how contemporary diplomatic issues are connected to a long history in international relations practice;
  • further experience in historical and theoretical research, analysis and essay writing;
  • an understanding of how to ask the right critical questions when approaching difficult debates and complex theories in international relations;
  • an understanding of the complexity of real-life cases in international diplomacy;
  • an ability to present their ideas confidently in a formal setting;
  • an understanding of the pathways into a career in international relations and diplomacy.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.

Restrictions

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 11:00 - 14:00 A7
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun

Course Coordinator

Jeremy Moses

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Reading engagement 20% 200-300 words per week, Mondays, 10am, weeks 2-6
Final exam 25% 1 long answer
Attendance and Participation 15% Attendance and contribution to discussion from week 2-12
Research essay 02 Jun 2023 40% 3500 - 4000 words

Textbooks / Resources

There is no required textbook for this course. The Course Reader, which includes all the set readings, is available via Learn.

Learn:
The POLS441 page on Learn will be used for the following:
1. Posting of course materials, including course outline, course reader and slideshows from lectures.
2. Posting of additional material including extra reading, news streams and audio and video links if relevant.
3. Discussion forums will be available for asking and answering questions concerning lectures, assessments and current events.
4. Major essays will be submitted to Turnitin via Learn.
5. Assessment grades will be posted to Learn once marking is complete.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $2,413.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .

All POLS441 Occurrences

  • POLS441-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025