Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer
Tom Waldman
Contact via 02 9850 1431
Dept of Security Studies & Criminology, Level 2, Building Y3A
By appt
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MPICT or MCPICT or PGDipPICT or GradDipPICT or GradDipCPICT or PGCertPICT or MPICTMIntSecSt or MCPICTMIntSecSt or MIntSecStud or GradDipIntSecStud
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides postgraduate students with an understanding of the key concepts defining security and strategic studies. Using empirical case studies, students will explore concepts such as strategy, grand strategy, coercion, intervention, arms races, pre-emption, stability, strategic culture, victory, geopolitics and geostrategy, law and the use of force, civil-military relations, and human security. At its conclusion, students will have acquired the critical skills and necessary foundational knowledge to successfully pursue their postgraduate studies.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Engagement | 15% | No | Ongoing, Weeks 2-13 |
Critical Topic Review | 35% | No | Week 6 (7 April 2017) |
Research Essay | 50% | No | Week 12 (2 June 2017) |
Due: Ongoing, Weeks 2-13
Weighting: 15%
Engagement involves demonstrating critical thinking and understanding of the required readings, as well as an ability to take an active role in learning, to communicate effectively with peers, and to substantively address the topic area making use of all unit materials. Effective engagement enhances what we can learn from each other and promotes cooperative, constructive and informed dialogue.
A minimum of ten weeks of participation is required between weeks 2 and 13, either in-class for internal students or online for external students.
Internal students must attend at least 10 in-class sessions. Beyond mere attendance, this includes, when required, constructive engagement and contribution to class discussions, debates, activities and group work. Students should come to class well prepared, listen and respond respectfully to the views of others, and be prepared to ask or answer relevant questions in a focused manner.
External students will be expected to contribute to, at minimum, 10 online discussion forums. Students will be assigned to a discussion group consisting of around 10 students. Each student is required to make two meaningful contributions of at least 100 words each. The forum will be open for precisely one week (Monday-Sunday) - participation will not be counted beyond the allocated timeframe. Postings should demonstrate constructive engagement with the topic, readings and their peers, enabling students to develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter, as well as effective reasoning and communication skills.
PLEASE NOTE! This assessment task is pass/fail - no partial credit will be awarded. 10 weeks of completed participation must be recorded.
This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:
Due: Week 6 (7 April 2017)
Weighting: 35%
This mid-term paper will take the form of a short 1,500 word essay and will primarily be based on the teaching materials provided for the relevant week, in-class and online discussions, and the student’s independent research.
Research for the paper should go beyond the required readings (ideally starting with the recommended readings), and the aim is to demonstrate critical understanding of the topic under consideration, key arguments presented in the relevant literature, and the topic’s applicability to real-world strategic cases.
Students must choose one topic from weeks 3-5, which includes:
In terms of content, the review should establish the essential features of the topic; demonstrate why and in what ways the topic is important in terms of strategic theory and practice; critically consider different perspectives on the topic as presented in the literature, reflecting on the relative merits of different approaches; and, evaluate the relevance of the topic through reference to empirical historical and contemporary cases.
Students are free to interpret their chosen topic in their own way, approach it from a specific angle, or focus on one or more key aspects pertaining to it, but ideas and arguments should be supported with evidence and insights from the relevant literature.
Details of the criteria and a detailed grading rubric will be made available on ilearn.
The deadline for submission is 7 April 2017.
This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:
Due: Week 12 (2 June 2017)
Weighting: 50%
The completion of a 3,000 word Research Essay allows students to develop core disciplinary knowledge, enhance research skills, show effective written communication skills, and demonstrate originality and critical thinking.
The essay should flow logically from the introduction to the evidence in the main body to the conclusion. It should reflect wide reading across a diverse body of academic literature, and should demonstrate critical analysis and objectivity.
Details regarding the assignment will be released by the end of Week 7 on the iLearn site.
The Essay will be marked according to set assessment criteria with a focus on comprehension, analysis and argument, written expression, structure and organisation, and referencing. A marking rubric for this assignment will be available on iLearn.
The deadline for submission is 2 June 2017.
This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:
DELIVERY AND RESOURCES
UNIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS
REQUIRED READINGS
TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED
SUBMITTING ASSESSMENT TASKS
LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT TASKS
WORD LIMITS FOR ASSESSMENT TASKS
REASSESSMENT OF ASSIGNMENTS DURING THE SEMESTER
STAFF AVAILABILITY
Week 1 - Introduction
Week 2 - The fundamentals of strategy
Week 3 - Politics, power and reason
Week 4 - Uncertainty, intelligence and surprise
Week 5 - Passion, irrationality and emotion
Week 6 - Context, circumstance and culture
Week 7 - Making strategy
Week 8 - Civil-military relations
Week 9 - Strategic forms and approaches
Week 10 - Coercion and the diplomacy of violence
Week 11 - Asymmetric strategy and irregular war
Week 12 - Strategy and intervention
Week 13 - The future of strategy
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_2016.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
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.
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by: