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The International System Today: Powers and Regions (L2009)

15 credits, Level 4

Autumn teaching

Why did Russia invade Ukraine? What’s the background to the current conflict in the Middle East? What threats and challenges does the rise of Donald Trump pose to the rest of the world?

This module will take you on an introductory tour of some major powers and key regions in global politics. We’ll cover a different part of the world each week, talking about the big news events currently taking place there, and learning about the historical background that made these powers and regions what they are today.

On our world tour, we’ll be visiting:

• South Asia
• the Horn of Africa
• China
• the Middle East
• Brazil
• the United States
• Russia
• the European Union

By the end, you’ll be equipped with a broad base of knowledge that will set you up for more in-depth study through the rest of your degree.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 20 hours of contact time and about 130 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.