International Administration and Policy

The course is a compulsory core course in the Master's Program of International Administration and Global Governance.

Students must have successfully completed the prerequisite course Theoretical and historical perspectives on global governance. The requirement for admission to the Master Programme in International Administration and Global Governance programme is a Bachelors degree with a minimum of 60 credits in a social science discipline. Priority will be given to applicants with 60 credits in one of the following disciplines: Political Science, Economics, International Relations, Global Studies, and Development Studies and International Development Cooperation. Students with an additional 15 credits in a second of these disciplines will be given precedence.

The course analyzes in depth the complex clusters of issues of armed conflict, conflict resolution, development aid and how these affect outcomes of concern, particularly economic growth, poverty alleviation, and political development. It seeks to develop relevant and applicable knowledge and skills needed both to analyze and contribute to the work of international and national organizations active in these and other areas of global governance. The course aims to develop students’ understanding of how seemingly separate international issues interact and affect one another. In an attempt to understand the dynamic determinants of economic and political development, the course examines the implications of armed conflict as well as a number of relevant global policy approaches, such as development aid, anti-corruption and democratic development, each of which have had varying levels of success, as well as both intended and unintended consequences. Questions dealt with relate to how international organizations and states can promote and help sustain peace; whether states and the international community can effect change – either positive or negative – in terms of democracy and good government; how development aid is structured and organized historically and today, and the implications of these approaches for development.

A student who has passed the course will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• analyze in depth some of the key policy issues regulated (or not) at the international level, and how they interrelate to one another
• assess the implications of different policy approaches and interventions, including both intended and unintended effects
• analyze how international policy efforts interact with national conditions – political, legal, institutional, economic and cultural – to shape outcomes
• examine and critically analyze the methods used in practice in these policy areas, in particular in the area of development aid

Competence and skills

• survey and synthesize existing knowledge on specific policy interventions and their impacts given different contextual conditions and bring these insights to bear to elucidate a specific case or issue
• evaluating policy needs, implementation, and outcomes, both with an academic approach and a policy approach
• communicate results of policy analysis to academic audiences and practitioners both verbally and in writing
• argue persuasively to draw attention to an issue and promote possible solutions
• work together in groups with colleagues to produce high quality, synthesized presentations
• assess one others’ work and provide feedback constructively
• work effectively under time constraints
• independently produce text in accordance with good academic practice, including proper citation technique and use of references

Judgement and approach

• understand and critically evaluate, in an in-depth way, social scientific research based on the various analytical perspectives.

The course consists of both lectures and compulsory seminars.

Language of instruction: English

Students will be evaluated based on their performance on two short papers and one longer final paper, all three must be presented at three compulsory seminars. Presentations and participation in seminars are also counted in the overall evaluation.

Students can be asked to re-work graded assignments and re-submit them. If the student does not re-submit the reworked assignment on time, the student will be failed on the assignment.

A student who is not able to attend a compulsory part of the course can do an alternative assignment. The assignment will be described in the course guide.

A student who has taken two exams in a course or part of a course without obtaining a pass grade is entitled to the nomination of another examiner. The student needs to contact the department for a new examiner, preferably in writing, and this should be approved by the department unless there are special reasons to the contrary.

Restrictions on the use of generative AI are stated in the course guide. Students are obliged to inform themselves about the current rules for examining elements such as assignments, seminar papers and other forms of exams in the course in question.

If a student has received a recommendation from the University of Gothenburg for special educational support, where it is compatible with the learning outcomes of the course and provided that no unreasonable resources are required, the examiner may decide to allow the student to sit an adjusted exam or alternative form of assessment.

At least five occasions shall be offered the students to pass a course or part of a course.

In the event that a course has ceased or undergone major changes, students are to be guaranteed at least three examination sessions (including the ordinary examination session) over a period of at least one year, but no more than two years, after the course has ceased/been changed.

The grading scale comprises: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

A student must pass all assignments in the course to receive a passing grade on the course as a whole. In order to receive the grade Pass with Distinction on the course as a shole, a student must have Pass with Distinction on at least 9 credits of the assignments and a Pass on the rest of the assignments.

Pass with Distinction (VG) on an assignment requires that the student demonstrates excellent knowledge of the main course themes, a very high ability to structure and present academic analysis and arguments, as well as an ability to undertake tasks within the stipulated time frame. This means that the grade of VG requires that all written assignments are handed in by the first time of submission.

The student will be given the opportunity to do a course evaluation. The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.