Students

PICX2012 – Modern Warfare

2024 – Session 2, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Dr Lavina Lee
Contact via By email
Room B352A, 25 Wally’s Walk Building B, Faculty of Arts Precinct, Macquarie University
By appointment
Tutor
Dr Jon Cottam
Contact via By email
TBC
TBC
Tutor
Ms Maxine Nazaree Co
Contact via By email
TBC
TBC
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
50cp at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit introduces students to the dynamics of modern warfare. War is a complex thing and force continues to be employed extensively by a range of state and non-state actors with major implications for national, international, and human security. The unit provides students with the theoretical tools required to make sense of the different forms and levels of modern warfare as well as the operational concepts and approaches which underpin its conduct. The unit critically considers a range of pressing issues and debates relating to the practice of warfare, with a particular emphasis on the impact of new technologies, the role of information, and ethical considerations. Through detailed analysis of contemporary military operations, students will learn to assess the utility of force by examining its political effects and consequences. All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au

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:

  • ULO1: Demonstrate understanding of the enduring intersection of politics and warfare, and explain the role of strategy in connecting the two.
  • ULO2: Demonstrate knowledge of the considerations that inform the planning and conduct of military operations (including logistics, doctrine, tactics, and law) and apply that abstract knowledge to real-world cases.
  • ULO3: Identify and critically analyse different forms of modern warfare.
  • ULO4: Discuss the influence of new technologies and the role of information on the character of modern warfare.
  • ULO5: Examine the human impact of modern warfare on both combatants and civilians.
  • ULO6: Demonstrate the ability to write clear and concise analyses for a policy audience.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Active engagement 10% No Ongoing
Quizzes 25% No Weeks 4, 7, 9 and 12
Policy Memo 25% No 2024-09-18
Operations Analysis 40% No 2024-10-30

Active engagement

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%

 

Active engagement by students will increase the unit's value as an exercise in critical thinking, analysis, and communication. OUA/External students will demonstrate it by contributing to online activities.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of the enduring intersection of politics and warfare, and explain the role of strategy in connecting the two.
  • Identify and critically analyse different forms of modern warfare.
  • Discuss the influence of new technologies and the role of information on the character of modern warfare.
  • Examine the human impact of modern warfare on both combatants and civilians.

Quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 16 hours
Due: Weeks 4, 7, 9 and 12
Weighting: 25%

 

A series of quizzes will be administered to assess knowledge and understanding of all the unit materials, including lectures, case studies, and readings.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and critically analyse different forms of modern warfare.
  • Discuss the influence of new technologies and the role of information on the character of modern warfare.
  • Examine the human impact of modern warfare on both combatants and civilians.

Policy Memo

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 2024-09-18
Weighting: 25%

 

The policy memo is a written brief addressed to a high-level policy-maker who is considering, but not committed to, the use of force in a particular situation to advance the government’s interests. The memo will identify and analyze the political and strategic factors that should inform the policy-maker’s decision, and recommend a particular course of action.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of the enduring intersection of politics and warfare, and explain the role of strategy in connecting the two.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the considerations that inform the planning and conduct of military operations (including logistics, doctrine, tactics, and law) and apply that abstract knowledge to real-world cases.
  • Demonstrate the ability to write clear and concise analyses for a policy audience.

Operations Analysis

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 2024-10-30
Weighting: 40%

 

Students will produce a research essay choosing a question from a list of topics covered in the unit. This task allows students to explore a research topic in depth and develop their research skills.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of the enduring intersection of politics and warfare, and explain the role of strategy in connecting the two.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the considerations that inform the planning and conduct of military operations (including logistics, doctrine, tactics, and law) and apply that abstract knowledge to real-world cases.
  • Discuss the influence of new technologies and the role of information on the character of modern warfare.
  • Examine the human impact of modern warfare on both combatants and civilians.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

UNIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS  

  • You should spend an average of 12 hours per week on this unit. This includes listening to lectures prior to seminar or tutorial, reading weekly required materials as detailed in iLearn, participating in Ilearn discussion forums and preparing assessments.  

  • Internal students are expected to attend all seminar or tutorial sessions, and external students are expected to make significant contributions to on-line activities.  

  • In most cases students are required to attempt and submit all major assessment tasks in order to pass the unit.     

REQUIRED READINGS  

  • The citations for all the required readings for this unit are available to enrolled students through the unit iLearn site, and at Macquarie University's library site.  Electronic copies of required readings may be accessed through the library or will be made available by other means.    

TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED  

  • Computer and internet access are essential for this unit. Basic computer skills and skills in word processing are also a requirement.  

  • This unit has an online presence. Login is via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/  

  • Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.  

  • Information about IT used at Macquarie University is available at  http://students.mq.edu.au/it_services/  

SUBMITTING ASSESSMENT TASKS  

  • All text-based assessment tasks are to be submitted, marked and returned electronically.  This will only happen through the unit iLearn site.   

  • Assessment tasks must be submitted as a MS word document by the due date.  

  • Most assessment tasks will be subject to a 'TurnitIn' review as an automatic part of the submission process.  

  • The granting of extensions is subject to the university’s Special Consideration Policy. Extensions will not be granted by unit conveners or tutors, but must be lodged through Special Consideration: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration  

LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT TASKS  

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of‚ 0 (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.  

This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic 

WORD LIMITS FOR ASSESSMENT TASKS  

  • Stated word limits include footnotes and footnoted references, but not bibliography, or title page.  

  • Word limits can generally deviate by 10% either over or under the stated figure.  

  • If the number of words deviates from the limit by more than 10%, then penalties will apply. These penalties are 5% of the awarded mark for every 100 words deviation from the word limit. If a paper is 300 words over, for instance, it will lose 3 x 5% = 15% of the total mark awarded for the assignment. This percentage is taken off the total mark, i.e. if a paper was graded at a credit (65%) and was 300 words over, it would be reduced by 15 marks to a pass (50%).  

  • The application of this penalty is at the discretion of the course convener.  

REASSESSMENT OF ASSIGNMENTS DURING THE SEMESTER  

  • Macquarie University operates a Final Grade Appeal procedure as part of the Assessment policy in cases where students feel their work was graded inappropriately: https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=277 

  • In accordance with the Grade Appeal procedure, individual works are not subject to regrading.  

STAFF AVAILABILITY  

  • Department staff will endeavour to answer student enquiries in a timely manner. However, emails or iLearn messages will not usually be answered over the weekend or public holiday period.  

  • Students are encouraged to read the Unit Guide and look at instructions posted on the iLearn site before sending email requests to staff. 

In this course students are permitted to use Generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) to complete the policy memo this course, or research essay/operations analysis assessment tasks to:

  •   clarify concepts, theories, ideas, etc., discussed in class
  •   generate preliminary ideas for writing
  •   edit a working draft of the assessment
  •   read and summarise research and supporting evidence for the assessment

RULES ON USE OF GENERATIVE AI

In this course students are permitted to use Generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) to complete the policy memo and research essay/operations analysis assessment tasks to:

  •   clarify concepts, theories, ideas, etc., discussed in class
  •   generate preliminary ideas for writing
  •   edit a working draft of the assessment
  •   read and summarise research and supporting evidence for the assessment

Students are not permitted to use Generative AI to:

  •   generate definitions or writing used in their final submission.
  •   produce counter-arguments or refine thinking on their final submission

Any of these actions will constitute and be treated as a breach of academic integrity.

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Unit Schedule

Class Schedule PICT 2012 Modern Warfare

 

Semester Week

Lecture Date

Topic

Assessment

Week 1

24 July

Introduction

 

Week 2

31 July

Understanding War

 

Week 3

7 August

What is Strategy

 

Week 4

14 August

Operations and Strategic Forms

Quiz 1: covering weeks 1, 2 & 3

Friday 16 August

Week 5

21 August

Maritime Warfare

 

Week 6

28 August

Air and Space Warfare

 

Week 7

4 September

Nuclear deterrence and warfare

Quiz 2: covering weeks 4, 5 and 6

Friday 6 September

Week 8

11 September

Coercion and the Diplomacy of Violence

 

Mid-Semester Recess

Monday 16 September to Sunday 29 September

 

Policy Memo Due:

Wednesday 18 September

Week 9

2 October

Political Warfare

Quiz 3: covering weeks 7, 8 and 9

Friday 4 October

Week 10

9 October

Counter-Insurgency

 

Week 11

16 October

Law and Ethics of Warfare

 

Week 12

23 October

War and Society

Quiz 4: covering weeks 10, 11 and 12

Friday 25 October

Week 13

30 October

No classes

Essay/Operations Analysis Due:

Wednesday

30 October

Exam Period

Monday 4 November to Friday 22 November

 

 

 

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

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


Unit information based on version 2024.03 of the Handbook