International Relations I
UCC Single Module Certificate Course
This is an exciting and important time to begin studying international relations. The international community is facing a number of complex challenges including climate change, financial crises, and numerous military and political conflicts.
Around the world, questions are being asked about what role individuals, states, and the international community should play in guiding the world through these dangerous waters. This course invites you into these debates by providing a foundation from which you can make an educated, well-read, thoughtful, critically reflective, and intellectually engaging contribution to the world.
This course provides a broad-ranging introduction to the study of international relations. It is the introductory course from which all subsequent courses on international relations builds.
As a result, this course will explore the major events, issues, ideas, and debates in world politics as well as in the discipline of international relations. We will cover some of the major events shaping world politics including the world wars, the Cold War, globalisation, and what is sometimes called the war on terror. We will examine the key issues of war, peace, and security. We will then examine a number of influential theories trying to explain these issues including realism, liberalism, and critical approaches.
After successfully completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Have a broad understanding of some of the most important ideas, issues and events in international relations particularly in the period since World War 1;
- Have an enhanced appreciation of the contemporary international relations agenda;
- Be able to better comprehend and articulate their thoughts on issues of major current significance;
- Have developed stronger research, writing and analytical skills
UPCOMING CERTIFICATE COURSES