THEORIES OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - 2025/6

Module Overview

The module explores a range of theoretical approaches to study of International Relations thus introducing students to different ways current trends in the international system. The module will follow a historiographical approach thus starting with the “classical debates in IR theories, then moving on to mainstream debates and concluding with critical approaches.

Module provider

Politics & International Relations

Module Leader

GILLESPIE Ciaran (Politics IR)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

General Synopsis:

The module explores a range of theoretical approaches to the study of international relations. The module begins by introducing mainstream debates in IR theories, before moving on to evaluate the contribution of critical approaches, including their influence on three (critical) subdisciplines.

Content:

• Introduction (Week 1)


• Mainstream Approaches (Weeks 2-6)


• Alternative Debates (Weeks 7-9)


• Critical Subdisciplines (Weeks 10-11)

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate

• Assessments will come in the form of two essays (1x2000 and 1x3000), which will be based on a variety of set questions that facilitate a broad engagement with any of the relevant theory perspectives and global challenges to which they relate.


• Essays are used for assessment due to the broad scope of topics covered. Students are expected to demonstrate a deep understanding of the relevant literature, and evidence of critical analytical engagement with subject matter.


• Good performance will require a substantive piece of analytical writing that demonstrates independent research and professional communication. Through this, students will develop key professional skills in digital research and communication that are a requirement for employability development.


• Students will be instructed on best strategy for writing such an essay as many are new to theory based assessments.

Module aims

• Enable students to describe, analyse and understand key issues of historical and contemporary significance, such as conflict, climate change, globalisation and human rights
• Evaluate the development of International Relations as a discipline through the analysis of theoretical paradigms
• Foster global cultural intelligence and reflection on key themes of sustainability and respect for diversity (of positions, people and cultures).
• Evaluate the contributions of each theoretical approach to our understanding of contemporary trends in Internal Relations

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Introduce and develop student knowledge of both traditional and non-traditional IR theories


• The course is taught along a ‘spectrum of criticality’, moving from classical IR theories and concepts within the liberal and realist traditions in the first sessions, towards more critical and post-modern reflections in the middle and final sections


• Students will be given an opportunity to cover a wider range of highly differentiated, oppositional theoretical outlooks that will challenge them to reflect on how we construct an evidential basis for the explanatory power of IR perspectives.

• Classes are two hour blocks, split between lecture and seminar. The format can shift between the two several times over the course of the teaching block, facilitating an interactive teaching environment


• Simulations, debates and policy analysis form key components of seminar activity, giving opportunities for practical application of concepts derived from literature.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: POLM013

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.