Course Snapshot for POS205 - International Relations
The information listed below is subject to change. Please review the course syllabus within your online course at the start of class.
Course Competencies
The competencies you will demonstrate in this course are as follows:
- Discuss and explain the various analytical and theoretical positions used in the subfield of international relations to explain world politics.
- Delineate the historical development of interstate relations in the place of the nation-state in that development.
- Describe specific issues that have relevance to the study of interstate relations national security, war, economic integration, trade, etc.
- Describe the differences between national and transnational actors in the international arena, both public and private.
- Distinguish between the three levels of analysis of the international system individual, state, and the international system.
- Discuss the role of national power and diplomacy in international relations.
- Discuss the nature and development of an international organization.
- Identify and discuss major issues associated with international law and morality.
- Identify and discuss major issues of the international economy.
- Identify and discuss major issues related to human rights.
- Identify and discuss global environmental issues.
- Discuss the economic relationship between the North and South.
Module Outcomes Mapped to Competencies
Module 1 Learning Outcomes |
Mapped to Course Competencies (above) |
| Recognize IR as a field of study and as a subfield in the discipline of Political Science. | 1 |
| Identify state and non-state actors in the international system. | 4 |
| Identify three levels of analysis. | 5 |
| Describe the differences between national and transnational actors in the international arena, both public and private. | 4 |
| Compare states based on common political and socio-economic indicators. | 12 |
| Distinguish between nationalism and sovereignty. | 2 |
| Delineate the historical development of interstate relations and place the nation state in that development. | 2 |
Module 2 Learning Outcomes |
Mapped to Course Competencies (above) |
| Summarize the evolution of Realism, its assumptions about actor behavior, its concern with power, its various components, as well as its influence on decision-making processes. | 1 |
| Assess the critiques of Realism. | 1 |
| Identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative theories such as Idealism, Feminism, Constructivism, and Postmodernism. | 1 |
| Note the limits as well as the value of the game theory as an influence in decision-making and outcomes analysis. | 1 |
| Describe the Prisoner’s dilemma and how it applies to International Relations. | 1 |
| Recognize the various types of alliances and the various motivations behind their formations and duration. | 6 |
| List actors in the U.S. foreign policymaking process. | 4 |
| Appraise the role of diplomacy in U.S. foreign policy. | 4 |
Module 3 Learning Outcomes |
Mapped to Course Competencies (above) |
| Identify types of war. | 3 |
| Explain causes of war. | 3 |
| Define terrorism. | 3 |
| Describe efforts to limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons. | 3 |
| Distinguish the role of the military and classify types of weapons. | 3 |
Module 4 Learning Outcomes |
Mapped to Course Competencies (above) |
| Trace the history, structure, functions, strengths, weaknesses, successes and failures of the United Nations. | 7 |
| Evaluate the role of international law and organizations. | 8 |
| Describe the evolution of the human rights regime. | 10 |
Module 5 Learning Outcomes |
Mapped to Course Competencies (above) |
| Appraise the North-South development gap. | 12 |
| Generalize the history and evolution of the international economic system. | 9 |
| Classify types of foreign aid. | 9 |
| Analyze theories of economic development, globalization, critics of free trade and economic integration. | 9 |
| Describe sustainable development. | 12 |
| Review current environmental issues. | 11 |