STV4225B - Strategy and Security Policy
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Choose semester
Course content
The aim of the course is to study how the military tool of statecraft is used today, its effects, constraints, and dynamics in the foreign policy of especially Western states. Moreover, the course concentrates on the role of strategic thinking (conditions, constraints, effects) and the employment of military force as a tool for Western states in three types of security policy: great power politics, asymmetric warfare, and coercive diplomacy. ISAF (Afghanistan) and Libya will be used as cases.
The course will analyse the post-cold war period only, emphasizing the role of NATO and the UNSC. It will acquaint the student with conventional weapons (land, sea, and air power) as well as WMDs. Understanding and analysing strategic thinking requires knowledge of the military tool as well as of the main political actors that deploy it.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
The student will:
- obtain knowledge of international, especially European, security policy
- be well acquainted with strategy studies of war
- become familiar with the national security and defence policies of the European great powers and modern warfare (technology and types of war)
- understand the requirements of strategy versus political "caveats" many European states impose
Skills
The student will:
- learn to analyze European international security policy from the vantagepoint of strategic requirements.
- become familiar with the security policy of major states and of NATO
- learn about the UN security council and the ad bellum rules of international law
- provide analytical skills at understanding the strategic dynamic of international politicsm aspecially in the security and defence field
Competences
The student will:
- become conversant with a major field of European politics which is of great importance of Norway
Admission
Students admitted to other Master programmes may be qualified to apply for the course. Please see the webpage on Admission to single master's courses.
For incoming students:
All Master's courses in Political Science must be registered manually by the Department, they will not appear in Studentweb. Contact your international coordinator at UiO.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Bachelor's degree in Political Science or similar.
Recommended previous knowledge
Bachelor's degree in Political Science or similar.
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with STV4225B - International Security Policy
Teaching
Lectures.
The lectures are held intensively for a period of 5 weeks, with the exam in the sixth week.
Examination
One written essay (3500-5000 words in length).
3 hour written exam.
The final exam counts 60% of the grade, and in order to pass the course, your essay and your written exam must be passed in the same semester as your course is taught. You will receive one overall grade for the course.
Guidelines for home assignments - Technical standards, deadlines etc.
Examination support material
Students may use dictionaries at this exam. Dictionaries must be handed in before the examination. Please read regulations for dictionaries permitted at the examination.
Language of examination
It is possible to submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
- Explanation of grades - deadline and processing time
- Appeal about grades
- Complaint about formal exam errors
Resit an examination
Withdrawal from an examination
If you wish to withdraw from the exam you must do so in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the deadline. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit the exam.
Special examination arrangements
If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.
Evaluation
Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.