Postgraduate Module Descriptor

POLM085: Work Placement in Conflict, Security and Development

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

1. Introduction to module and placements

2-4. Actors in Conflict Security and Development including: a) International organizations – third-parties or neoimperialists? b) Non-governmental organisations –change-makers or donors’ puppets? c) National governments – partners or spoilers or agents? d) Business – resource-extractors or drivers of reform?

5-7. Methodologies in the study of Conflict Security and Development including: 1) indexes and rankings of conflict, security and development; 2) formal Monitoring & Evaluation of programmes; 3) political risk analysis/conflict analysis; 4) ethnography of aid; 5) process tracing

8-11. Working in conflict, security and development – practitioner talks

12-14. Reporting and plenary discussions

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
28	197	75

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	12	6 x 2 hour seminars led by module convenor and including small group work, presentations, discussion, reflection
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	8	Practitioner Seminars: 4 X 2-hour seminars led by visiting speakers
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	8	Work placement preparation and reporting seminars: 4 X 2-hour seminars led by module convenor and/or by students
Guided Independent Study	30	Independent and assisted preparation for placement: Contact with organisation, arrangements for travel, accommodation and visa (where necessary), arrangements of work activities, meetings with appointed academic advisor, email and telephone communication with work supervisor
Placement/Study Abroad	75	Work placement: Two weeks work or the equivalent across a term
Guided Independent Study	167	Reading, reflection, essay writing, presentation preparation

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/