6 ECTS credits
155 h study time

Offer 2 with catalog number 4016167FNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under agreement for exchange of courses
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Political Science
Educational team
Vjosa Musliu (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
17 contact hours Lecture
17 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
136 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

An overview of different theoretical traditions that analyse international conflicts and intrastate conflicts with international repercussions, and the means of their resolution. The seminar will also deal with some key concepts in the literature on conflict resolution, such as the concept of conflict transformation. The course will apply these theories and concepts to particular case studies.

Additional info

A syllabus will be distributed to the students in the beginning of the academic year through the digital learning platform.

Articles will be uploaded weekly on the digital learning platform on the corresponding topics discussed throughout the semester.

Teaching Methods

- Lecture: collective contact-dependent moments during which the lecturer engages with learning materials
- Seminar, Exercises or Practicals (Practical): collective or individual contact-dependent moments during which the students are guided to actively engage with learning materials
- Independent or External Form of Study (Self): independent study

This description of the teaching methods is indicative, in order to assess the expected study load.

REGULAR STUDENTS

The day students have to follow the lectures of guest speakers and participate to interactive seminars. They also participate in conferences, workshops and/or panel discussions organised by the VUB or other universities, think-tanks etc.

Lecture: 17 hours

Practical: 17 hours

  • discussion of the texts in the classroom

Self: 121 hours

  • keeping up with the course material during the semester, amounting to 1 hour per hour lecture: 17 hours
  • preparation of the answers to the questions about the reading assignments: 40 hours
  • reading of “The Guardian” and other newspapers on the case study: 32 hours
  • participation to two lectures, panel discussions, conferences and writing a report on this subject (or the preparation of a reading assignment as an alternative): 8 hours
  • preparation exam: 24 hours (3 days of 8 hours)

WORKING STUDENTS

The evening students have additionally the option of following academic lectures or panel discussions on line. Concrete information on the procedure, deadlines, the guest lecture programme, the mandatory reading for the classes etc. will be included in a syllabus on Canvas.

Lecture: 8 hours

  • classical class meetings

Practical: 6 hours

  • discussion of the texts in the classroom

Self: 136 hours

  • keeping up with the course material during the semester, amounting to 2 hours per hour lecture: 16 hours
  • preparation of the answers to the questions about the contents of the reading assignments: 48 hours
  • reading of “The Guardian” and other newspapers on the case study: 32 hours
  • participation to two lectures, panel discussions or conferences (or looks at them on line) and writing a report on this subject (or a reading assignment as an alternative): 16 hours
  • preparation exam: 24 hours (3 days of 8 hours)
Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

Knowledge:
 the students have a good knowledge about various theoretical traditions concerning the analysis and resolution of international and violent national conflicts.


Skills:
  the students are able to apply such theoretical knowledge to concrete case studies.


Attitude:
 the students are able to make a personal choice among various alternatives to analyse national conflicts and problems in respect to conflict resolution.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 70% of the final mark.
Other Exam determines 30% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written Exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 70% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Group Project Assignment with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 30% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Written (open book) Exam determines 70% of the final mark.

Group project assignment determines 30% of the final grade.  


At the beginning of the semester, students will be divided into groups of 3-5. Each group will take one contemporary conflict in world affairs (Syria, Yezidi, Libya, Ukraine, Somalia, “Kurdistan”, South Sudan, among others) to study closely. The last two weeks of the semesters students will present their ‘cases’ in class. The group projects will be evaluated on a) the written report of 5-10 pages (50%), and b) the presentation (50%).

More detailed information can be found in the syllabus description.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Political Science: Democracy and Leadership (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Political Science: European and International Governance: Standaard traject