module specification

This is an option which enables students to both gain experience working for an organisation in the field of international relations and to engage in a piece of research relevant to that organisation's work. The module aims to help students understand how organisations try to influence international events and/or how organisations in one country seek to influence internal developments in another country. By having or acquiring a placement with a relevant organisation, students will be able to enhance their understanding of the practice of an organisation seeking to shape some aspect of international or transnational relations. Students should note that although staff can assist in the search for a work placement, we cannot guarantee a suitable placement.

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The module aims to help students understand how organisations try to influence international events and/or how organisations in one country seek to influence internal developments in another country. By having or acquiring a placement with a relevant organisation, students will be able to enhance their understanding of the practice of an organisation seeking to shape some aspect of international or transnational relations.

The placement may be a minimum of 6 weeks. The student must be assured of real access to the facilities and staff of the organisation in order to be able to understand its goals and activities. While the research work for the report does not have to be research actually commissioned by the organisation, the relevant authority within the organisation should give approval for the research topic chosen. During the course of the placement the student will have tutorials with the module convenor to help the student carry through the project effectively.

Workshops designed to instruct students on how to convert their work experience into a 5000-word project.

This module has a WebLearn site which incorporates a number of blended learning features. These include:

o Using WebLearn as a repository for the module’s material. These include the module booklet, weekly handouts, details of important articles and other sources.
o Details of topic related websites, links to key media sources as well as library guides and other library related links

In addition to this, however, the site has developed a number of tutorials, namely:

o Research tutorials on how to use online bibliographic databases such as the Academic Search Premier, Jstor, IngentaConnect and Nexis UK.
o Tutorials on how to avoid plagiarism. In order to facilitate this objective – the site also includes specific Referencing Software to encourage good academic and research practice amongst the students.
o The Module Leader has also been working towards recording key lectures and placing these on the WebLearn site.
o Increasingly students are relying on dubious websites to access material for their coursework. A tutorial designed to encourage students to discriminate between sites has been placed on the WebLearn site in the hope that it will lead to higher quality research material.

The Module Leader for GIP013C is also in discussion with the Blended Learning Working Group to incorporate SafeAssign into the module. It is hoped that this software will enable students to self-police and ensure that they hand in work which is completely their own. 

PDP opportunities are provided within GIP028C
 

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Grasp and assess the strategy and tactics of an organisation practically engaged in some aspect of international or transnational relations.
• Understand the research needs of such an organisation and meet some aspect of those research needs.

4-5000 word Work Placement Project

• Christine Fanthome, Work Placements: A Survival Guide for Students, (Palgrave Study Guides). 2004.
• Ian Herbert and Andrew Rothwell, Managing your placement: A Skills Based Approach, 2004.
• Brennan, J. and Little, B. (1996) A review of work based learning in higher education. Sheffield: Department for Education and Employment.
• Stella Cottrell, The Study Skills Handbook, (Palgrave Study Guides), 2008.
• Stella Cottrell, Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning Handbook (Palgrave Study Skills), 2010.
• Health and safety guidance for the placement of HE students: management guidance (1999), London: University and Colleges Employers Association.
• A level playing field? Equality and diversity: a job hunting guide for students and graduates: how to challenge unfair discrimination. (1999) AGCAS.
• Little, B. (1998) Developing key skills through work placement. London: Council for Industry and Higher Education.
• Providing work placement for disabled students: a good practice guide for further and higher education institutions. (2002) London: Department for Education and Skills.
• Purcell, K. and Pitcher, J. (1996) Great expectations: the new diversity of graduate skills and aspirations. Manchester: CSU.
• Skills for graduates in the 21st century. (1995) Cambridge: Association for Graduate Recruiters.
• Students and employment. Guidance notes for students 2001 –2002, (2001) London: UKCOSA.