Studying at the University of Edinburgh Winter School is the perfect way to broaden your academic and cultural horizons at one of the Top 20 universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2020).
The four-week online Debating International Relations course provides at least 72 hours of core academic teaching, along with development sessions to make the most of your international experience.
- Credit Leve l: 8 / 20 credits / 10 ECTS / 4 US
- Contact Hours : 72
- Academic Eligibility : 1-year undergraduate study and aged 18 or above
- Language Requirements : IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each component) or equivalent
- Tuition Fee : £2,500
- Application Deadline : Sunday 6 December 2020 at midnight (GMT)
Course Description
Debating International Relations will introduce you to the major concepts, theories, and actors of the global system. You will be shown how to apply a wide range of approaches to contemporary and historical cases, giving you a critical understanding of both the cases we study and the approaches we apply to them.
The course is divided into two parts. In the first part, you will examine a number of theoretical approaches drawn from different intellectual traditions in the discipline, including varied schools of thought in both realism and liberalism, post-colonialism, feminism, constructivism, and a range of other critical theories of IR, along with contemporary debates on key concepts such as power and globalisation.
These theories will be understood and assessed through engagement with case studies including China-US relations and the Asia-Pacific region more generally, the current Covid-19 pandemic, the causes of major conflicts including the first and second world wars, and United Nations conferences on climate change.
The second part of the course focuses on key issues in international politics including the changing character of warfare and global terrorism, international political economy, world trade and finance and global economic governance, international law, the EU and the growth of regionalisation, and global warming and the environment.
The course will be taught using a combination of recorded lectures and live tutorial sessions, with discussion groups based on current issues and debates in international relations. Students will be expected to read materials provided for the class and to participate in discussions.
To get the full benefit from the course, students will need:
- A stable internet connection
- A computer/laptop/tablet/smartphone with internet connectivity, and camera/mic functionality
Your computer/laptop should ideally have a modern operating system installed to ensure compatibility with the university’s online tools (Windows 10 is recommended).
Assessment
- A short presentation (Formative - 0%)
- Submission of an essay plan (Formative - 0%)
- 2500-word essay (100%)
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate a critical understanding of major theories of International Relations;
- demonstrate knowledge of the key structures and agents that constitute world affairs;
- critically assess debates and contemporary issues in International Relations theory and world affairs;
- apply the theoretical knowledge gained in analyses of concrete processes and changes in contemporary world affairs.
Who should choose this course?
This course will appeal to any student interested in politics, international relations, and international legal and political systems, especially those who are planning a career or academic research in these fields.
Tuition Fees
The fee for this course is £2,500. This fee includes:
- Tuition fees for the four-week course
- Course materials and equipment
As part of your application process, you will be required to pay a £500 deposit. The deposit payment will be redeemable against your course fee. After a 14 day cooling-off period, the deposit is non-refundable. You will receive information on how to pay your deposit during your application process.
Visas
As the Winter School 2021 will be taught online, students will not need to apply and will not be eligible for a Tier 4 visa.