Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Seminar | 5 x 2 Hour Seminars |
| Lecture | 16 x 1 Hour Lectures |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | 1 x 2,500 Word Essay | 50% |
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours (1 x 2 Hour Exam) | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | 1 x 2,500 Word Essay | 50% |
| Supplementary Exam | 2 Hours (1 x 2 Hour Exam) | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Outline the role of intelligence in key aspects of national security policy making since 1900
2. Evaluate the efficacy and morality of 'covert operations' in international politics
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of intelligence in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism campaigns
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the reasons for ‘intelligence failures’ and to what extent lessons can be learnt from previous mistakes;
5. Demonstrate an understanding of ethics and accountability in the field of intelligence
6. Identify and evaluate the challenges facing the intelligence services in the contemporary world.
Brief description
The module will provide students with an understanding of the concepts and issues central to the academic study of intelligence. It will also provide students with the historical background to the evolution of intelligence as a factor in international relations.
Content
This module introduces students to the central ideas and issues arising when studying intelligence. The module begins by focusing on the historical background to the development of contemporary intelligence and discusses the craft of espionage. The module addresses the politics of intelligence in particular, including questions of politicisation, ethics and accountability and assesses the new challenges and issues faced in contemporary global politics.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | N/A |
| Communication | Students will learn how to present their ideas both verbally and in writing and how to how to present their arguments most effectively. They will learn the importance of information and clear communication and how to exploit these. They will know how to use the many sources of information available and how to use the most appropriate form of communication to best advantage. They will learn to be clear in their writing and speaking and to be direct about aims and objectives. They will learn to consider only that which is relevant to the topic, focus and objectives of their argument or discussion. Students will also be required to submit their written assessments in word-processed format and the presentation of work should reflect effective expression of ideas and good use of language skills in order to ensure clarity, coherence and effective communication. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The module aims to promote self-management but within a context in which support and assistance is available from both the module convenor and fellow students alike. Students will be expected to improve their own learning and performance by undertaking their own research and exercising their own initiative, including searching for sources and deciding (under guidance) the direction of their coursework and presentation topics. |
| Information Technology | Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format, via the on-line platform Blackboard. Also, students will be encouraged to search for sources of information on the web, as well as seeking sources through electronic information sources. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | This module is designed to hone and test skills of use to students in their working lives, particularly in speaking to small groups, listening, thinking and responding to the statement of others. Moreover, the written work includes writing clearly and concisely, which is a common task in the workplace. Students will be encouraged throughout to reflect on their performance and to consider lessons for future application. |
| Problem solving | Independent work and problem solving will be one central goal of the module; the submission of a range of study skills assessments will require that students develop independent research skills as well as problem solving skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and formulate an answer to the problem; reason logically; construct theoretical arguments; divide issues into smaller problems. |
| Research skills | Students will be required to undertake independent research for elements of the assessed work. This will involve utilizing a range of information sources, including core academic texts. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students have the opportunity to develop, practice and test a wide range of subject specific skills that help them to understand, conceptualise and evaluate examples and ideas on the module. These subject specific skills include: • Collect and understand a wide range of data relating to the module. • Evaluate competing perspectives. • Apply a range of methodologies to complex historical and contemporary political problems. |
| Team work | Students will undertake team exercises in the seminars. For many of the topics of this module, seminars will consist of small-group discussions where students will be asked to discuss as a group the core issues related to the seminar topic. These class discussions and debates form a significant part of the module, and will allow students to approach and examine a given topic through team work. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5