PROGRAMME APPROVAL FORM SECTION 1 THE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION 1. Programme title and designation Intelligence and International Security 2. Final award Award Title Credit value ECTS Any special criteria equivalent MA Intelligence and 180 90 International Security 3. Nested award Award Title Credit value ECTS Any special criteria equivalent 4. Exit award Award Title Credit value ECTS equivalent Postgraduate Diploma Intelligence and International Security 120 60 Intelligence and International Security 60 30 Any special criteria Postgraduate Certificate 5. Level in the qualifications framework 7 6. Attendance Full-time Part-time Distance learning Mode of attendance X X Minimum length of programme 1 Year 2 Years (3 years for Cabinet Office) Maximum length of programme 6 Years 6 Years 7. Awarding institution/body King s College London 8. Teaching institution King s College London 9. Proposing department War Studies 10. Programme organiser and contact Details Prof. Joe Maiolo Joe.maiolo@kcl.ac.uk 11. UCAS code (if appropriate) 12. Relevant QAA subject benchmark/ Politics and International Studies professional and statutory body guidelines 13. Date of production of specification March 2005; updated for Credit Framework November 2006 14. Date of programme review 2015/16
16. Educational aims of the programme 1) To demand critical evaluation and responsible engagement with a broad range of literature and key issues regarding the study of the complex methodological, ethical, historical and empirical issues surrounding issues of intelligence and international security 2) To develop an ability critically to evaluate current and advanced scholarship in the field of intelligence and its inter-relationship with the multidisciplinary study of war and international security. 3) To encourage the development of advanced critical intellectual faculties through a systematic and reflexive understanding of intelligence and international security. 4) To promote initiative and the exercise of independent critical judgement in identifying, analysing and solving problems at an advanced level. 5) To develop relevant transferable skills embedded in the learning and assessment schemes in the programme. 17. Educational objectives of the programme/programme outcomes The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding and skills in the following areas: The programme provides a knowledge and understanding of the following: 1) The nature, significance and complexities of intelligence as revealed through: i. Rigorous investigation of the conceptual, practical historical and ethical issues surrounding intelligence and how these manifest themselves in the wider context of warfare and international security. ii. Deeper and more specialised studies in the multidisciplinary range of concepts, theories and methods within the ambit of war and international security. iii. The ethics of research in intelligence and security Intellectual skills: 1) To engage critically with a wide body of literature and to demonstrate the ability to deal with complex concepts and problems in a sophisticated manner to an advanced level. 2) Exercise informed and independent critical judgement upon source material through structured and reasoned argumentation in both written and verbal Knowledge and understanding Skills and other attributes Lecturers and small group teaching supplemented where relevant by a range of learning techniques, including group exercises, inter-active debates, role playing/simulation/problem solving activities. Unseen examinations, assessed essays, dissertation, plus feedback in seminars, tutorials and written comments on papers. Intellectual skills development is embedded through the interactive learning process associated with acquiring and analysing knowledge related to intelligence and international security, along with regular constructive feedback on performance.
form. 3) Identify, formulate and articulate solutions to demanding intellectual problems using initiative, creativity and independent critical judgement. 4) Make use of constructive feedback to achieve progression in understanding. 5) To manage individual learning processes. Assessment of intellectual skills development is internalised through the regular process assessment in terms of the grading and feedback on essay/written work along with constructive criticism in seminars and tutorials. Practical skills: 1. Comprehensively gathering, organising, evaluating and interpreting information from a variety of sources, including, where appropriate, primary materials. 2. Appropriately applying concepts, theories and methods in a systematic and reflective manner. 3. Critically investigating, developing and presenting arguments on, and offering solutions to, complex or narrowly specialised problems appropriate at an advanced level. Generic/transferable skills: 1) Communicate effectively and fluently in speech and writing supplemented by audio-visual and other aides, in a manner appropriate to specialist and non-specialist audiences. 2) Usage of information and communication technologies for advanced research and the presentation of work in a clear and logical manner. 3) Work independently, demonstrating initiative, motivation, self-organisation and effective time-management. 4) Collaborate with others to achieve common goals. Practical skills development is embodied in the learning activities associated with acquiring, understanding and presenting knowledge/analysis of issues related to intelligence and international security. Assessment of skills is entwined with the process of assessing student work along with their performance in seminars and tutorials. Generic/transferable skills development is internalised in the learning processes associated with acquiring understanding and presenting knowledge/analysis of issues related to intelligence and international security. Assessment of skills is entwined with the process of assessing student work along with their performance in seminars and tutorials. 18. Statement of how the programme has been informed by the relevant subject benchmark statement(s)/professional and statutory body guidelines The M-Level of the Framework for Qualifications in Higher Education is not mentioned in relevant subject benchmark statements. However, because of their attempt to capture graduateness at the end of an undergraduate programme, they are taken here as the points of departure for M-Level work. H- level programmes in War expect students to have achieved specialised knowledge often located at, or informed by a critical engagement with, leading-edge developments in a particular area of War
Studies, like Intelligence and International Security, as well as broader knowledge understood within the context of a synthesis of concepts, theories or methods. As with War Studies, the subject matter of this degree programme has been informed by the Politics and International Relations benchmark statement. Much that would be pertinent to a Politics and International Relations programme is not relevant to a subject-driven and multidisciplinary programme as informed by general approaches to the study of intelligence, war and international security. Intelligence studies is one of those endeavours described in the benchmark statement as cutting across conventional knowledge based categories where distinctive approaches to understanding and skills may need to draw on a wider range of materials and resources, including other benchmark standards to capture fully the specific character of their particular degree programmes. The Intelligence and International Security programme has been designed in this spirit. The Politics and International Relations benchmark statement informs the programme in that it addresses general themes that analyse human affairs as a manifestation of political and social phenomena. This emphasis ensures that essentially contested issues and concepts are covered, providing awareness of relevant political theories. Of itself, this demands the ability to apply different concepts, methods and theories that address the links between governance and society. However, a rounded understanding of intelligence and its relationship to issues of war and international security requires the programme to be informed by complementary understandings from other disciplines. For example, the programme draws also on relevant History benchmarking statements that emphasise conceptual sophistication and the development of interpretative skills in terms of knowledge and progression. This is reflected in the expectations placed on students in this programme who are encouraged to comprehend intelligence related issues through an appreciation of how human beings in the past have organised themselves and understanding the values that informed those systems of social organisation. This necessitates an awareness of the processes of continuity and change, as well as reflective evaluation regarding the nature of historical knowledge and its sources. At M-level, the demands and expectations placed on students are: critical engagement with literature and issues through the study of key texts; an ability to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship having awareness of a comprehensive range of approaches relevant to the multidisciplinary study of intelligence and war; systematic and reflexive understanding of issues at the forefront of the field of study; demonstration of initiative, originality and independence in identifying, researching and solving of problems at an advanced level, consistent with Criteria for Degrees of the University of London and the Academic Regulations of King s College London. 19. Programme structure and award requirements (a) numbers of compulsory and optional units to be taken in each year of the programme Full time MA: 40 credits from compulsory taught module; 80 credits from optional taught modules; 60 credits from core dissertation PG Dip: 40 credits from compulsory taught module; 80 credits from optional taught modules Part time Students will normally take 80 credits in the first year, including all compulsory taught modules, and 100 credits in the second year, including the dissertation. Part time (Cabinet Office) Students from the Cabinet Office will take the programme part-time over three years. They will normally take 120 credits over the first two years, including all compulsory taught modules. In the third and final year they will complete the 60-credit dissertation.
(b) range of credit levels permitted within the programme 7 (c) maximum number of credits permitted at the lowest level 180 MA 120 PG Dip (d) minimum number of credits required at the highest level 180 MA 120 PG Dip (e) progression and award requirements (if different from the standard) (f) maximum number of credits permitted with a condoned fail (core modules excluded) 30 (g) are students permitted to take a substitute module, as per regulations A3? Yes (h) other relevant information to explain the programme structure
Programme structure Title Cred it level Cred it value Status (I, C, O) for each type of programme Single honour s Joint honour s Major / minor Progression Single honour s Joint honours Major / minor Assessment 7SSWM142 Intelligence in Peace and War 7 40 Cp No Examination and Coursework 7SSWM116 Dissertation 7 60 Cr Yes for Dissertation MA All other level 7 modules offered in War 7 20 or O No Various Studies according to availability 40 7SSWM1107 Nationalism and Security 7 40 O No Examination and Coursework 7AAYM118 EU in Eastern Europe and Central 7 20 O No Examination and/or Coursework Asia 7AAYM116 Foreign Policies of the EU 7 20 O No Examination and/or Coursework 7SSWM099 Ancient Greek Conceptions of War, order and Justice 7 20 O Coursework, Attendance 20. Marking criteria Marking for this programme is governed by the College generic criteria