Department of Politics and International Studies. Information for Undergraduates. BA International Relations BA International Relations and

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1 Department of Politics and International Studies Information for Undergraduates BA International Relations BA International Relations and 2014/15 1

2 To use the QR barcodes in this booklet: 1. Download a free QR Reader app to your mobile device (smartphone or tablet) 2. Go into the app and use the camera on your device to scan the barcode (it may take a few seconds to scan). For best results hold your device approx. 8cm away from the page. 3. You will then be automatically directed to the webpage in question. 2

3 QUICK START UP: Log into SOAS Computers Your student number is also your computer account address (i.e. The temporary password for the account is your date of birth (format: dd-mmm-yy for example 09-Aug-84 the first letter of the month must be uppercase). You should change your password as soon as possible. Access your SOAS Account All communication from SOAS will be via your SOAS address and not your personal account. It is therefore vital that you check your SOAS account regularly. You can access your from the SOAS Homepage by clicking on the SOAS Google Mail link in the bottom left-hand corner, or at Only after you have completed enrolment (including payment of fees), will you be able to access your SOAS account and address. For further information regarding managing your account and other IT services, see or alternatively Log on to, and learn how to use the Bloomsbury Learning Environment (BLE) The Bloomsbury Learning Environment (BLE), sometimes referred to as Moodle, is the most important resource you will use during your time at SOAS. You can access it via the link on the bottom left-hand side of the SOAS website, or at To log into BLE, please use the same details you use to access your . If you are having any trouble accessing BLE, please Course information on BLE All courses taught within the department have a specific BLE page where you will be able to find information about staff, an overview of the course, weekly readings, coursework submission dates and news pertaining to the course. Note that you will NOT be able to access BLE courses unless you are correctly registered for the course. 3

4 Open Options Your programme of study may permit you to take one or more open option courses taught by other departments at SOAS. You can access an up-to-date list of open options on the SOAS website at You can also access this page on your mobile device by scanning the barcode opposite. HELP, ADVICE AND SOURCES OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION There are many different sources of help and advice available to students: it is very important that you make use of the support systems if you need to do so. Small, easily solved problems may grow rapidly into big, difficult ones if nothing is done about them. Such difficulties are particularly common in the first year. Student Department Officers The Department has a specific Student Department Officer: an administrative member of staff who should be the first port of call for administrative issues pertaining to your studies. They will be able to answer queries relating to your timetable, class arrangements, coursework assignments and examinations, among other areas. The contact details for the Student Department Officer can be found under the key contacts section at the back of this handbook. Personal Advisors All students within the Department are allocated a Personal Advisor: an academic member of staff who should be the first port of call for academic and pastoral issues affecting your studies. You will be informed who your Personal Advisor is at the start of your studies at SOAS. If you need to check who your Personal Advisor is, please feel free to contact your Student Department Officer, who will be able to supply this information. Timetable Students should check the up-to-date undergraduate timetable by referring to or by scanning the barcode opposite with your mobile device (smartphone or tablet). If you find that your core courses clash you should consult the Faculty Office (R201) for advice. Term Dates The SOAS term dates can be found on the SOAS website at Student Representatives, Departmental Meeting and the Staff Student Forum Each year student representatives are elected for the BSc, MSc and PhD programmes. Representatives are invited to attend departmental meetings of the academic staff and to raise matters of concern. The forum is the means by which students representatives and staff can discuss issues relating to specific courses and teaches, whereas the department meeting deals with more general issues. There are separate staff-student forums for BSc, MSc and PhD representatives. They meet at least once a term. The BSc staff-student forum is made up of student representatives, Undergraduate Tutors and the Head of Department. You will be given more information on the election of student representatives at the beginning of the first term. 4

5 STUDYING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AT SOAS The SOAS BA International Relations degree provides a uniquely global and comparative approach to the study of world affairs. Through a study of world history and global power relations, students gain a better understanding of the sources of conflict and cooperation among states, shifts in the international economy, as well as the roles of culture, identity and ideas in world politics. Students finish the degree equipped with the conceptual tools and theoretical frameworks to understand contemporary world events. The BA International relations programme is structured around a combination of disciplinary, regional and specialised courses, with opportunities to take other Politics option courses (e.g. Political Theory, government and Politics of the Middle east, Islam and Democracy) or a language. Teaching on the International relations degree focuses on providing students with individual attention and mentoring. All students are encouraged to specialise in a particular area of interest in their final year, by undertaking an independent study project, which pairs them with a member of staff. We also offer advice on careers, internships and further study in international affairs. UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE STRUCTURES 1) International Relations 2) International Relations and These are described in the Structure Diagrams on pages 6-13 of this guide. For information on the individual courses offered as part of these degrees, please see the note on page 17 of this guide. Further details and precise requirements are available in the School's Undergraduate Prospectus, the Degree Regulations and Guide to the scheme for the classification for Honours. Students may also consult their personal tutors for further guidance. 5

6 BA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS FIRST YEAR FOUR units required: one each from A, B, C and D A Introduction to International Relations (i) AND B Introduction to Global History (ii) AND C Introduction to Political Analysis (iii) AND D ONE of the following units: Introduction to Political Theory States, People, and Power in Asia and Africa Introduction to Comparative Politics OR E Any other unit available in another Department of SOAS (an 'open option') Notes and Prerequisites: (i) Core unit for all Single and Joint Honours students (ii) Core unit for all Single Honours students 6

7 BA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SECOND YEAR FOUR units required: TWO from section A, ONE to TWO from section B and the option to take ONE from section C A BOTH of the following DISCIPLINARY units: Politics of the World Economy War and the International - Not Running 2014/2015 AND B ONE to TWO of the following REGIONAL units: International Relations of East Asia International Relations of Africa Not Running 2014/ International Relations of the Middle East - Not Running 2014/ xxx International Relations of South Asia - Not Running 2014/15 AND/OR C ONE of the following: Government and Politics of China Government and Politics of South Asia Government and Politics of the Middle East Southeast Asian Government and Politics The State and Politics in Africa Taiwan's Political and Economic Development Comparative Political Sociology of Asia and Africa Introduction to Political Theory States, People and Power in Asia and Africa Political Theory Politics of Development Introduction to Comparative Politics 7

8 OR E Any other unit available in another Department of SOAS (an 'open option') 8

9 BA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THIRD YEAR THREE units required: up to ONE from section A, ONE from section B and ONE to TWO from section C A ONE from the following DISCIPLINARY units: Globalisation and Global Governance (0.5 unit) Term Identity in International Relations (0.5 unit) Term The International Organisation of World Politics (0.5 unit) Term Political Economy of the International Investment Regime - Not Running 2014/2015 AND B ONE unit from the following: xx Independent Study Project in International Relations AND C ONE to TWO from the following options: Politics of Development War and the International - Not Running 2014/ Politics of the World Economy Comparative Political Sociology of Asia and Africa Political Theory Islam and Democracy Nationalism, Ethnicity and State in Asia and Africa Government and Politics of China Government and Politics of South Asia Government and Politics of the Middle East Southeast Asian Government and Politics The State and Politics in Africa Taiwan's Political and Economic Development Issues in Turkish Politics - Not Running 2014/ International Relations of East Asia International Relations of Africa Not Running 2014/ International Relations of the Middle East - Not Running 2014/2015 9

10 xxx International Relations of South Asia - Not Running 2014/ Politics of Culture (0.5 unit) Term Politics of Gender (0.5 unit) Term Politics of Development War and the International - Not Running 2014/ Going Global: An Introduction to International Migration (0.5 unit) Term 1 OR Any other unit available in another Department of SOAS (an 'open option') 10

11 BA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND... FIRST YEAR TWO units required, ONE from section A and ONE from section B A Introduction to International Relations AND B Introduction to Global History OR Introduction to Political Analysis 11

12 BA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND YEAR TWO TWO units required, ONE from section A and ONE from section B A ONE of the following DISCIPLINARY units: Politics of the World Economy War and the International Full Year - Not Running 2014/2015 AND B ONE of the following REGIONAL units: International Relations of Africa Not Running 2014/ International Relations of East Asia International Relations of the Middle East - Not Running 2014/ xxx International Relations of South Asia - Not Running 2014/15 12

13 BA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND THIRD YEAR Students can take up to FOUR units A At least ONE unit from the following: Globalisation and Global Governance (0.5 unit) Term Identity in International Relations (0.5 unit) Term The International Organisation of World Politics (0.5 unit) Term Political Economy of the International Investment Regime - Not Running 2014/2015 AND B ONE to TWO units from the following: War and the International - Not Running 2014/ Politics of the World Economy International Relations of East Asia International Relations of Africa Not Running 2014/ International Relations of the Middle East- Not Running 2014/ Politics of Culture (0.5 unit) Term Politics of Gender (0.5 unit) Term Issues in Turkish Politics - Not Running 2014/ Comparative Political Sociology of Asia and Africa Political Theory Politics of Development Government and Politics of South Asia Government and Politics of the Middle East Southeast Asian Government and Politics The State and Politics in Africa Government and Politics of China Taiwan's Political and Economic Development OR xx Independent Study project in International Relations 13

14 STUDENT REGULATIONS Definitive regulations governing the award of undergraduate degrees can be found online at Alternatively, scanning the barcode opposite will allow you to access this site on your mobile device. Please pay particular attention to the following sections: Class Attendance Requirements: In order to benefit fully from their courses, students are expected to attend all relevant and/or required classes, which include, as appropriate to the course, lectures, tutorials, seminars, language classes, and practical sessions. Coursework Submission: All coursework should be submitted online via the submission points on the relevant course pages on the BLE ( Once you have submitted your work, you will receive a receipt from Turnitin. If you do not receive this within minutes of the submission, or you are experiencing problems uploading your assignment, please a copy to your Student Support Officer (contact details at the back of this document). Coursework Deadlines: All coursework must be submitted on Turnitin via BLE by 23:59 on the day of submission. Once the deadline has passed, coursework cannot be withdrawn or resubmitted. Ensure you allow sufficient time for your work to upload onto Turnitin. Any work submitted after the 23:59 deadline will automatically receive a late submission penalty. The School Deadline for submission of coursework assignments is on the Friday immediately before the beginning of the May/June examination period of the academic year in which the course is taken. Any coursework assignments submitted after this date will not be marked. Individual courses set submission dates in advance of this deadline, however; assignments submitted between the individual assignment submission date and the School deadline will incur a penalty of two marks every day that the assignment is submitted late. Individual assignment submission dates can be found on the relevant course pages on the BLE ( Late Submission of Coursework Extensions cannot be agreed to in advance from a tutor or lecturer. However, if your assignment is late due to illness or another certifiable reason (i.e. bereavement), you should complete a Reasons for Late Submission of Coursework Form and submit this with accompanying evidence to the Faculty Office (Room R201). This will then 14

15 be considered by the Faculty and, if accepted, any marks deducted for late submission will be returned. Coursework Word Limits: Coursework assignments which exceed the set word limit will be penalised as described in this section. Individual assignment word limits can be found on the relevant course pages on the BLE ( Plagiarism: You should note that plagiarism i.e. the presentation of another person's thoughts or words as though they were your own is an examination and/or assessment offence, and is dealt with under the School s Regulations for proceedings in respect of assessment and examination offences. MARKING CRITERIA Please see below for the marking criteria (competence standards) for coursework assignments. These criteria for all SOAS undergraduate programmes draw upon the following minimum core criteria, which are applicable to the assessment of most or all assignments: understanding of the subject; utilisation of proper academic [or other] style (e.g. citation of references, or use of proper legal style for court reports, etc.); relevance of material selected and of the arguments proposed; planning and organisation; logical coherence; critical evaluation; comprehensiveness of research; evidence of synthesis; innovation / creativity / originality. The language used must be of a sufficient standard to permit assessment of the above criteria. These minimum core criteria form a part of the School s core academic standards, applied to all coursework and as such they would not usually be subject to any modification, even as a reasonable adjustment to the needs of a specific disabled person. Coursework Marking Criteria The guidelines below reflect the standards of work expected at undergraduate level: 80+ (First Class Honours) A mark in the range 80+ will fulfil the following criteria which mark it as a work of outstanding quality; various criteria may apply, either singly or in combination: shows clear evidence of wide and relevant reading and an engagement with the conceptual issues; develops a sophisticated and intelligent argument; 15

16 shows a rigorous use and a confident understanding of relevant source materials; achieves an appropriate balance between factual detail and key theoretical issues; provides evidence of original thinking (First Class Honours) A mark in the range will fulfil the following criteria: engages closely with the question; shows some evidence of wide and relevant reading and an engagement with the conceptual issues; shows some sophistication of argument; shows an intelligent use and a good understanding of relevant source materials (Upper Second Class: 2.I) A mark in the range will fulfil the following criteria: offers critical insights and shows evidence of critical thinking; shows a good understanding of the major factual and/or theoretical issues, and addresses the relevant literature on the topic; develops a focused and clear argument and articulates a sustained train of logical thought; gives a clear exposition of models/diagrams, with derivation, where appropriate; shows clear evidence of planning in the formulation of the written answer and includes a judicious choice of sources and methodology (Lower Second Class: 2.II) A mark in the range will fulfil the following criteria: shows some understanding of relevant major theoretical and/or factual issues; shows evidence of planning in the formulation of the written answer, makes selective use of appropriate sources, and demonstrates some knowledge of the literature; shows, at various points if not throughout the entire text, examples of a clear train of thought or argument; presents basic models / diagrams, where appropriate; provides an appropriate conclusion to the textual argument(s) (Third Class: III) A mark in the range will fulfil the following criteria: shows some awareness and understanding of the factual and/or theoretical issues, but demonstrates limited ability to develop these; provides clear evidence of misunderstandings; shows some, albeit limited, evidence of planning in the formulation of the written answer, but also includes material or arguments which are irrelevant or unrelated to the question; fails to develop a clear or coherent response to the question, but shows occasional knowledge or insight. 16

17 20-39 (Fail) A Fail will be awarded in cases which: fail to answer the question or develop an argument; fail to demonstrate knowledge of the key issues or arguments; contain clear conceptual or factual errors or misunderstandings; are poorly organised and/or poorly written (Fail) A Fail will be awarded in cases which: fail to answer the question even in part; show no knowledge of the question or topic; contain blatant conceptual or factual errors; are very poorly organised and/or very poorly written. Examination Marking Criteria A similar (but not identical) set of marking criteria is used in the marking of written examinations. This can be accessed on the SOAS website at DEPARTMENTAL UNDERGRADUATE HANDBOOK You can access the Department s Undergraduate Handbook here: You can also access it on your mobile device by scanning the barcode opposite. This includes further study information and links to other sections of the SOAS website, including Registry (for matters relating to registration, regulations, fees and scholarships), Student Services (for information regarding welfare, counselling, disabilities, and mental health and wellbeing), the Careers Service, and the Library. UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Courses in the Department are valued as one or half a course unit: those courses which are full year count as one course unit, those courses which run for one term only count as half course units. You can access a list of courses including convenor details, course descriptions, and scheduling information from the SOAS website at You can also access this page on your mobile device by scanning the barcode opposite. ACADEMIC STAFF INFORMATION You can find the Politics and International Studies staff details here: can also access it on your mobile device by scanning the barcode opposite. This page includes staff research interests, their biographies and the courses they teach. 17

18 KEY CONTACTS Post Name Contact details Student Department Officer Rafid Mahdi Room R201, Main Building Tel.: Rafid is available to support and guide students through any issues they may be facing throughout their degree, and works closely with the departments student representatives and welfare departments across the School, to provide specialised support to all students within the DeFIMs department. Please contact Rafid for information and guidance on class attendance, coursework deadlines and submission as well as mitigating circumstances and timetable queries. Welfare Tutor, Dept of Politics Undergraduate Programme Convenor Carlo Bonura Arshin Adib-Moghaddam Room 4417, Main Building Tel.: Room 216, Main Building Tel.: Year 1 Tutor Reem Abou-El-Fadl Room 4410, Main Building Tel.: reem.abou-el-fadl@soas.ac.uk Year 2 Tutor Tom Young Room 215, Main Building Tel.: ty@soas.ac.uk Year 3 Tutor Matthew Eagleton-Pierce Room 4414, Main Building Tel.: me7@soas.ac.uk Head of Department of Salwa Ismail Room 204, Main Building Tel.: Politics Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching), Faculty of Law and Social Sciences Emilia Onyema si1@soas.ac.uk Room 242, Main Building Tel.: eo3@soas.ac.uk The Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) is the final authority on all regulations and matters affecting students on taught programmes within the Law and Social Sciences Faculty. Contact Dr Onyema for queries pertaining to leave of absence, suspension of regulations and course changes that fall outside of the prescribed programme structures. Student Advice and Wellbeing office Alison Barty (Head) Room V302, Vernon Square Tel.: studentservices@soas.ac.uk Student Advice and Wellbeing offer a wide range of specialist, professional advisory services in the following areas: international student advice; welfare and financial advice; support for students with disabilities; and student counselling. 18

19 TIMETABLE Fill out your weekly timetable here: 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 19

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