Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Adam Lockyer adam.lockyer@mq.edu.au John Hardy john.hardy@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 3
Prerequisites	Prerequisites
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description This unit provides an introduction to the broad range of issues which constitute security challenges in the twenty-first century. It covers issues ranging from individuals' basic needs, the protection of organisations and sensitive information, national security and international issues. The unit introduces the risk-based framework incorporated throughout the degree and highlights the multidimensional and often global nature of many existing and emergent security challenges. This informs further units which take an all-hazards approach to security issues, with a particular focus on the relationship between security actors and risk prioritisation

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Identify key security challenges in the contemporary national and international security field.
Classify security issues as risks, threats or vulnerabilities using key national security concepts.
Identify key stakeholders and actors in the field of security studies, such as states, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations, non-state actors, commercial entities, media outlets and individuals.
Evaluate contemporary debates about main national and international security issues.
Evaluate the importance of security challenges according to a variety of risk prioritisation methods
Differentiate between traditional and emergent threats

General Assessment Information

All assignments are submitted online via iLearn. Quizzes are completed entirely online via iLearn.

Extensions of up to 1 week can be granted by the unit convenor with good reason, prior notice and supporting documentation. Any longer extension must be approved through the Faculty Disruption to Studies process.

Assessments up to fourteen days late will be marked on a pass/fail basis only and will receive a maximum of 50% of available marks. Assessments will not be accepted more than fourteen days after the due date without an approved application for special consideration.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Due
Online Quizzes (x4)	20%	Multiple
Issue Briefing (Vodcast)	10%	16 March 2015
Risk Matrix	40%	20 April 2015
Take Home Exam	30%	04 June 2015

Online Quizzes (x4)

Due: Multiple
Weighting: 20%

Four multiple choice quizzes to be completed online via iLearn.

Due in weeks 2, 5, 8 and 11.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Identify key security challenges in the contemporary national and international security field.
Identify key stakeholders and actors in the field of security studies, such as states, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations, non-state actors, commercial entities, media outlets and individuals.

Issue Briefing (Vodcast)

Due: 16 March 2015
Weighting: 10%

5 minute video briefing on a contemporary security issue.

Due Monday 16 March at 09:00am.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Identify key security challenges in the contemporary national and international security field.
Identify key stakeholders and actors in the field of security studies, such as states, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations, non-state actors, commercial entities, media outlets and individuals.
Evaluate contemporary debates about main national and international security issues.
Differentiate between traditional and emergent threats

Risk Matrix

Due: 20 April 2015
Weighting: 40%

2,000 word risk matrix report on a selected security issue.

Due Monday 20 April 2015 at 09:00am.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Classify security issues as risks, threats or vulnerabilities using key national security concepts.
Evaluate the importance of security challenges according to a variety of risk prioritisation methods
Differentiate between traditional and emergent threats

Take Home Exam

Due: 04 June 2015
Weighting: 30%

1,000 word take-home examination. The take-home exam requires short written answers to any four questions from the list provided.

The take home will be released for 48 hours on Tuesday 02 June 2015 at 12:00pm.

Due Thursday 04 June 2015 at 12:00pm.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Evaluate contemporary debates about main national and international security issues.
Differentiate between traditional and emergent threats

Delivery and Resources

Students will require access to a computer, access to a digital video camera (or a device with an inbuilt digital video camera) and internet access in order to complete assignments.

Unit Schedule

Lecture Topics

1.	Overview
2.	The network society
3.	Stakeholders in security
4.	The public security agenda
5.	War and the rise of the state
6.	Security challenges in the anarchical society
7.	Anti-social networks
8.	Critical National Infrastructure
9.	Anthropocene threats
10	The security-development nexus
11.	Surveillance and technologies of control
12.	Hacktivism and information security
13.	Conclusion: A new security paradigm?

Workshop Topics

1.	Brainstorming / PESTLE
2.	Stakeholder analysis
3.	Security framework
4.	Cost-benefit analysis
5.	SWOT analysis
6.	The Stag Hunt
7.	Social network analysis
8.	Critical function analysis
9.	Pandemics and ecological hazards
10	The state failure cycle
11.	Human reliability analysis
12.	Critical incident technique
13.	Revision

Learning and Teaching Activities

Video Lectures

Weekly video lectures will be provided on the unit iLearn site.

Workshops

Weekly workshops will be facilitate for internal and external students. Workshops focus on practical activities which build analytical and technical skills. Each workshops focuses on one or more structured analytical techniques. Some will include using software platforms which allow users to manipulate information to assist analysis. Internal students will attend a two hour face-to-face session. External students will complete the same activities online with forum and chat support.

Weekly Chat Sessions

Weekly live chat sessions with the unit convenor and/or tutors will allow internal and external students to engage in real-time discussion of course content.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Evaluate the importance of security challenges according to a variety of risk prioritisation methods
Differentiate between traditional and emergent threats

Assessment tasks

Issue Briefing (Vodcast)
Risk Matrix

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Identify key security challenges in the contemporary national and international security field.
Classify security issues as risks, threats or vulnerabilities using key national security concepts.
Identify key stakeholders and actors in the field of security studies, such as states, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations, non-state actors, commercial entities, media outlets and individuals.
Evaluate contemporary debates about main national and international security issues.
Evaluate the importance of security challenges according to a variety of risk prioritisation methods
Differentiate between traditional and emergent threats

Assessment tasks

Online Quizzes (x4)
Issue Briefing (Vodcast)
Risk Matrix
Take Home Exam

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Identify key security challenges in the contemporary national and international security field.
Classify security issues as risks, threats or vulnerabilities using key national security concepts.
Evaluate contemporary debates about main national and international security issues.
Evaluate the importance of security challenges according to a variety of risk prioritisation methods
Differentiate between traditional and emergent threats

Assessment tasks

Issue Briefing (Vodcast)
Risk Matrix
Take Home Exam

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Classify security issues as risks, threats or vulnerabilities using key national security concepts.
Evaluate the importance of security challenges according to a variety of risk prioritisation methods

Assessment tasks

Issue Briefing (Vodcast)
Risk Matrix

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment tasks

Issue Briefing (Vodcast)
Risk Matrix
Take Home Exam

Changes from Previous Offering

N/A