AHME01: Contemporary British Foreign Policy: Issues themes and challenges

Module code: AHME01

Module provider: Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour; Henley Business School

Credits: 10

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Graham O'Dwyer, email: g.m.odwyer@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: No placement specified

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list:

Last updated: 28 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

ONLY AVAILABLE ON THE AHEP PROGRAMME 

This module is run by SPPE 

This module provides an advanced introduction to the academic study of contemporary British foreign policy.  It explores the political context, both domestic and international, in relation to which the Army must operate and contextualizes the UK military as one among a number of instruments the UK uses to pursue its interests. 

The module aims to help students:  

• Develop a deeper understanding of the UK’s foreign policy stance and goals and of the range of instruments through which the UK pursues those goals; 

• Understand and critically evaluate recent theoretical and conceptual work on a range of topics pertaining to contemporary British foreign policy; 

• Reflect on and develop the capacity to explain the implications of selected theories for UK foreign policy and for the British Army.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Demonstrate understanding of a range of means by which the UK seeks to promote its interests; 

2. Contextualize the role of the military instrument as a part of UK foreign and defence policy; 

3. Engage critically with theoretical debates relevant to contemporary British foreign policy; 

4. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of arguments and evidence, both abstractly and in relation to contemporary developments in British foreign policy; 

5. Reflect critically on the significance of the module subject matter for the Army and for officers’ roles within the Army. 

Module content

The module explores a range of topics designed to build on and further develop students’ existing understanding of the contemporary security environment, of British foreign policy, and of the range of tools the UK uses to promote its interests.  It focuses, in particular, on theories designed to help students critically evaluate the options open to the UK when confronting particular kinds of problems and to assess the choices made. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Students are required to: 

• Work through a series of on-line teaching materials, including slides, videos, and practical activities; 

• Read extensively from the supporting literature; 

• Reflect on the module content and readings individually and through contributions to online discussion fora; 

• Complete a variety of formative on-line tests and exercises that assess knowledge of the module material; 

• Complete summative assignments on various aspects of the module.

Study hours

At least 0 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module. 

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

This module is subject to the Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes policy, which can be found at:

https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties to work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted up to one calendar month after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark; 
• where the piece of work is submitted more than one calendar month after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

These may include: 

• Quizzes and multiple-choice questions 

• Reflective tasks 

• Discussion fora 

Reassessment

Additional costs