4 ECTS credits
100 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 8021646INR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (I) Postgraduate - specialised level.
The course looks at the European Union from an international perspective (i.e., the European Union's foreign policy(ies) and its engagement with other international actors). This course’s aim is to offer a broader perspective on the EU’s main areas of interest, while laying the appropriate theoretical foundations for an understanding of how internal competences are externalised around the world.
We will discuss some of the policies by which the EU has come to define itself as a foreign policy actor, analysing the instruments available thereto, as well as the role and limits of the institutions in the process. In the second part of the course (Modules 4 and 5), we will zoom in on and examine the role of the EU in the World (its geographical reach and issues of geopolitics). This includes relations with the Eastern Neighbourhood, EU-Russia relations, EU and North Africa, and in the Middle East.
This course is primarily taught using enquiry-based learning, focusing on independent and research-based learning, using as a starting point the material provided in each of the six modules and the accompanying video lectures. Lectures and readings are provided every two weeks, and they are accompanied by a series of questions or tasks that aim to set the framework for discussion, as well to facilitate a clear understanding of the various assignments that need to be completed.
Module structure:
Module 1: Introducing EU Foreign Policy
Module 2: The Institutional Frame
Module 3: The Functional Scope
Module 4: The Geographical Reach
Module 5: Europe, Geopolitics and Strategy
Module 6: Research Methods for Final Paper
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After completing this module, students should be able to:
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
This module has a series of rolling deadlines (each of which are between 12 and 14 days after the launching of the module). Submissions are completed through an assignment dropbox on Canvas and special provisions can be made for students who are unable to complete particular assignments in time (this is predicated upon the necessity to communicate any delays to the instructor in advance).
A number of four smaller assignments (for modules 1-4) are announced throughout the course and are explained in an overview/assignment video which is a prerequisite to watching the actual content. This is undertaken with a view to providing students with an insight into what the course aims to assess in specific terms.
The completion of each of the tasks in Modules 1-4 counts towards 20% of the final grade. A briefing paper is announced at the beginning of module 5, and this counts for an additional 20% of the final grade. Finally, a research paper on a topic relevant to the course (or one undertaken by the student in close consultation with the instructor) counts for the remaining 60%. The maximum amount is 100 points (or 100%).
Feedback on assignments will be provided on a rolling basis so that students are aware of the course’s academic expectations and conventions in terms of citation and academic honesty (proper citation and avoiding AI-generated content).
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Postgraduate Certificate European Policy Making: Default track