Master’s Degrees Postgraduate Diploma Research ... · critiques corporate behaviours from legal and political-economy perspectives, ... the OECD or WTO) industry bodies, NGOs,

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MA programmes

� MA International Studies and Diplomacy

� MA Globalization and Multinational Corporations

� MSc Global Energy and Climate Policy

Research programmes:

� Corporate Accountability, Limited Liability and the Future of Globalization

� Disarmament and Globalization

� America, Hitler and the UN

Previous CISD ‘Guest’ speakers have included:

� Dr Hans Blix, WMD Commission Chairman

� Mr Angelo Gnaedinger, ICRC Director-General

� Baroness Rosalyn Higgins QC, ICJ President

� Ms Irene Khan, Amnesty International Secretary General

� Professors JJ Mearsheimer and SM Walt, authors of ‘The Israel Lobby’

� Sir Christopher Meyer, former UK Ambassador to the US

� Rt. Hon. Clare Short MP, former Secretary of State for International Development, UK DfID

� Professor Noam Chomsky, Professor or Linguistics and political thinker

Established in 2000, the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) is a research-driven unit committed to the promotion of excellence in scholarship and teaching.

The Centre is committed to the development of applied international studies and to ensuring that its work impacts key international debates, partly through the hosting of public conferences.

Foreword

The Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) is committed to the promotion of excellence in teaching, scholarship and research, the development of applied international studies and to ensuring that its work impacts key international debates. The mission of CISD is to promote cross-disciplinary teaching that combines the distinctive expertise of SOAS with cutting-edge research and public discussion of international politics in a globalising world. The Centre’s research on corporate governance, on disarmament and globalisation and on the origins and future of the United Nations exemplify this approach.

CISD masters programmes are rare in combining applied skills training in such topics as negotiation, mediation, policy analysis and speech writing with rigorous theoretical analysis, providing an integrated approach hard to find elsewhere. The programme fee also includes media training and a study tour to continental Europe. The student body is drawn from dozens of countries and includes recent graduates and seasoned professionals.

The Centre builds on the MA International Studies and Diplomacy, a programme devoted to providing students with the skills and training necessary for an international career in government, business and NGOs. The MA Globalisation and Multinational Corporations critiques corporate behaviours from legal and political-economy perspectives, discusses the regulation of multinational enterprises and includes project management and advanced media skills. In addition, the MSc Global Energy and Climate Policy is the world’s first integrated masters programme addressing energy concerns and climate change as inextricably linked. Issues of conflict and geopolitics, corporate monopoly, regulatory change and the rise of countries like China, India and Brazil are considered with nuclear power, renewable energy and fossil fuels in the context of climate change.

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of our programmes, we welcome applications from graduates of a wider range of disciplines than many similar programmes. Wherever possible our lectures have a 6pm start time and the option of an evening tutorial to facilitate attendance by those wanting to combine study with work.

SOAS offers an education that goes beyond the Euro-centre approach that has dominated such programmes in the past. It is able to do this because the width and depth of its scholarly resources make it the leading centre for the study of Asia and Africa in Europe.

If you are interested in developing an international career and are seeking a professionally relevant postgraduate programme, we hope what we offer will be of value.

We look forward to welcoming you to the SOAS international community in the near future.

Dr Dan Plesch Director

Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy

SOAS

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MA/MSc Structure and Assessment

Entry Requirements

Candidates must normally possess a first or upper-second class honours degree or equivalent. As the MA/MSc programme is interdisciplinary in nature, it is not necessary to have a degree in a discipline related to the programme, however this would normally be an advantage.

Each application is assessed on its individual merits and entry requirements may be modified in the light of professional experience and where the candidate can demonstrate a practical interest in the field.

Candidates whose first language is not English must have acquired a level of written and spoken English satisfactory to the school. Please see the Application procedure section below for further details.

Duration

Full-time MA/MSc students enrol in September and study for one calendar year. Examinations take place during May and/or June. Part-time students study for two or three calendar years. Students taking a degree over two years take two courses in the first year and the third course and dissertation in the second. Students studying over three years follow one taught course each year, with the dissertation being submitted at the end of one of the final year of study.

CISD courses typically require attendance at a lecture and tutorial once a week. Most of the courses run by CISD have evening lectures to enable attendance by part-time students and those combining study with work. Evening tutorials are also available. Lectures and tutorials will usually be scheduled on the same day. Additional seminars and one-day events may be scheduled. Elective courses, chosen from elsewhere in the school do not normally take place in the evenings.

Assessment

Most taught courses are assessed by a combination of coursework, plus a written examination to take place in May or June. In addition to passing three taught courses, MA/MSc students must complete a 10,000 word dissertation to be submitted by 15th September of the year after beginning their course.

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MA/MSc Structure and Assessment Programme Structures

� International Economics (1.0)

� International Security (1.0)

� The United Nations in the World (0.5 term 1)

� Sport and Diplomacy: “More than a Game” (0.5 term 2)

B Additional courses available within CISD

� Global Energy and Climate Policy (1.0)

� Multinational Enterprises in a Globalizing World – Economic and Legal Perspectives (1.0)

C Electives

An elective course can be chosen from a wide variety available at SOAS dependent upon permission being granted by the course convenor and the student’s prior academic qualifications.

MA Globalisation and Multinational Corporations

The MA Globalisation and Multinational Corporations (GMC) programme is designed for those engaged in or aspiring to professional careers in the public, corporate or not-for-profit sectors related to the political and economic management and regulation of multinational corporations.

The interdisciplinary programme specifically addresses the requirements of those seeking a comprehensive theoretical and practical understanding of the role and dynamics of large corporations in the global economy and international affairs.

It aims to prepare students for roles, such as advisors, managers, researchers or project professionals with multinational corporations, government departments, regulatory agencies, international organisations (such as the OECD or WTO) industry bodies, NGOs, trade unions and advocacy organisations.

Mode of Attendance: MA 1 Year (full time); 2 or 3 Years (part time)

Students take taught courses to the value of 3 full units plus 10,000 word dissertation

1 One unit and two half units from A (compulsory)

2 One unit (or two half units) from B or C

3 Dissertation on a topic related to the programme’s core themes

MA International Studies and Diplomacy

The MA International Studies and Diplomacy (ISD) programme is designed for those engaged in or planning to embark upon a professional career requiring international expertise in government, not-for-profit, corporate or academic environments.

The degree aims to prepare students for roles such as within a Foreign Service or other government department, international civil service (such as the United Nations or European Union), international NGOs (working in fields such as development, humanitarian assistance and conflict resolution) multinational corporations and international media.

The programme also suits those engaged in or considering research roles such as within a policy think tank, risk analysis organisation or doctoral programme; seeking to deepen their academic and practical understanding of international affairs and contemporary diplomatic practice.

The programme has a multi-disciplinary structure and draws on the teaching and research strengths of CISD and of the SOAS departments of International Politics, Law, Economics and area studies (especially of Asia, Africa and the Middle East). Students choose a combination of courses to meet their specific professional needs and personal interests.

It is not necessary to have a first degree directly relevant to the course to apply for this MA. We welcome applications from academically strong candidates from a wide range of disciplines.

Mode of Attendance: 1 Year (full time); 2 or 3 Years (part time)

Students take taught courses to the value of 3 full units plus 10,000 word dissertation as follows:

1 One unit (or two half units) from A

2 One unit (or two half units) from A or B

3 One unit (or two half units) from A, B or C

4 Dissertation (compulsory) on a topic related to the programme’s core themes

A International Studies and Diplomacy Courses

� General Diplomatic Studies and Practice (unit value1.0)

� International Relations 1; Foundations of World Politics (0.5 term 1)

� International Relations 2; Contemporary World Politics (0.5 term 2)

� International Law 1; Foundation (0.5 term 1)

� International Law 2; Contemporary Problems of World Order (0.5 term 2)

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A Globalisation and Multinational Corporations Courses

� Multinational Enterprises in a Globalising World – Economic and Legal Perspectives (unit value 1.0)

� Global Public Policy (0.5 term 1)

� Project Management (0.5 term 2)

B Additional courses available from the Centre


� International Relations 2; Contemporary World Politics (0.5 term 2)



� International Economics (1.0)

� International Security (1.0)




C Electives


MSc in Global Energy and Climate Policy

The MSc in Global Energy and Climate Policy (GECP) is the first Masters programme to jointly address the issues of climate and energy policy in an interdisciplinary fashion. It tackles policy and regulatory change, the historical and technological evolution of energy sources, energy markets and their participants, the global governance of climate change as well as the challenges associated with transitioning to a low-carbon economy.

The programme specifically addresses the requirements of those wishing to deepen their theoretical and practical understanding of how energy and climate policies are designed, shaped, advocated and implemented and by whom across a multitude of cases drawn from the Global North and South and across multiple levels of political organisation from global to local arenas.

The MSc is designed for those engaged with or planning a career in professional contexts relating to energy and/or climate policy. It prepares for a multitude of careers in public and private contexts, including in public administration and government departments, strategic policy and risk advisory, government relations and public affairs, policy advocacy, hink tanks and academia.

Mode of Attendance: MA 1 Year (full time); 2 or 3 Years (part time)

Students take taught courses to the value of 3 full units plus 10,000 word dissertation

1 One unit and two half units from A (compulsory)

2 One unit (or two half units) from B or C

3 Dissertation on a topic related to the programme’s core themes

A Global Energy and Climate Policy courses


� Global Public Policy (0.5 term 1)

� Applied Energy and Climate Studies (0.5 term 2)

B Additional courses available from the Centre


� International Relations 2; Contemporary world Politics (0.5 term 2)



� International Economics (1)

� International Security (1)

� Multinational Enterprises in a Globalising World – Economic and Legal Perspectives (1)



C Electives


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Course Descriptions

General Diplomatic Studies and Practice: Full year (unit value: 1.0)

Convenors: Dr Leslie Vinjamuri and Dr Sutha Nadarajah

This course has both academic and practical components:

The academic component examines the evolution of diplomacy since the end of the Cold War. There is a focus on expanding traditional conceptions of diplomacy (understood as an activity of states) to include the emergence and activities of non-state actors such as non-governmental organisations, multinational corporations, technocrats as well as individual citizens.

The course also explores the evolution of different types of diplomacy, from the bilateral negotiations of the past to the increasingly prevalent multilateral and conference forms of the present day. It examines international negotiations, the re-emergence of coercive diplomacy in the context of the recent Iraq War, the potential of preventive diplomacy and explores the informal diplomatic practices of citizens and conflict resolution groups, known as ‘track two’ diplomacy.

The practical component is designed to give students practical skills and training directly relevant to careers in international affairs.

This includes skills training provided by current and ex-diplomats, NGO activists and media professionals in the following areas:

� Media presentation and interviewing skills

� Speech writing and speech making skills

� Negotiating skills

� Policy analysis skills for international affairs

� Political advocacy skills for the non-governmental sector

� Writing/drafting skills for professional activities.

Students will have the opportunity to put these skills into practice by participating in a variety of practical exercises and simulations which engage with the academic content of the course.

This course is only available to students on the MA International Studies and Diplomacy Programme.

International Relations

Convenor: Dr Mark Laffey

International Relations 1: Foundations of World Politics and International Relations 2: Contemporary World Politics are linked half-units that together provide a comprehensive grounding in international relations theory and contemporary world politics. Although linked conceptually, theoretically, and thematically, the half-units can be taken as stand-alone courses.

International Relations 1: Foundations Of World Politics: Term 1 (unit value: 0.5)

This course is designed to provide a critical introduction to international relations theory and contemporary world politics for students with no prior background in international relations. Students will acquire a solid grounding in international relations theory and how to apply it to understand and analyse key developments in world politics from 1945 to the present, including the Cold War, decolonization, globalization, development, and the War on Terror, amongst others. Adopting a critical geopolitical approach, the course treats these developments both as consequential combinations of events, social processes and relations, and as the conceptual lenses through which policymakers, analysts and scholars make sense of the world. The course locates these frameworks and their associated political, economic and social effects in the context of north-south relations, treating the international system as a dynamic whole and foregrounding both northern and southern perspectives in analysis.

This course aims to give students:

� Critical knowledge of international relations theory

� Knowledge of major trends and themes in world politics in the post 1945 period

� Knowledge of key international institutions and organisations and their development in the post 1945 period

� Critical knowledge of global policy frameworks post 1945 such as the Cold War, decolonization, development, globalisation, neoliberalism and the Global War on Terror

� Ability to apply international relations theory to post 1945 world politics in order to explain and understand key developments and events

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Course Descriptions continued

International Relations 2: Contemporary World Politics: Term 2 only (unit value: 0.5)

International Relations 2: Contemporary World Politics is designed to provide students who have a background in international relations theory and post-1945 world politics, or who have completed IR1, with an in-depth critical overview of key developments and issues in contemporary world politics. Focusing on the period since 1989, the course develops a critical understanding of an era defined by rapid institutional innovation and development as well as a number of global issues, problems and policy dilemmas. IR2 enables students to build a layered and nuanced account of contemporary world politics by which to analyse concrete issues and policies as they impact the global north and south, and the relations between them.

Specific topics include the centrality of the United States to the post-Cold War international order and its implications for structures and institutions of global governance, emerging patterns of global biopolitics associated with regulation of disease, famine and resources, the role of transnational corporations in the political economy of global governance as well as trade, production, and the environment, the rise of global resistance movements (from Seattle to Occupy and the Arab Spring), the politics of migration (refugees, diasporas and workers), and the diverse north-south interventions associated with new wars, securitized development and peacebuilding.


� Critical knowledge of international relations theory

� Critical knowledge of contemporary global policy frameworks including globalization, neoliberalism and the Global War on Terror

� Knowledge of key international institutional and organizational developments in the post-1989 period

� Knowledge of key policy issues and developments in the post-1989 period

� Ability to apply international relations theory critically to post-1989 period in order to explain and understand key policy and political developments and events

International LawConvenor: Dr Catriona Drew

International Law 1 is open to all CISD students. Due to the fact that International Law 2 draws heavily on concepts taught in the first course, entry is restricted to those who have completed International Law 1 or have an appropriate legal background (to be determined by the course convenor).

International Law 1: Foundation: Term 1 only (unit value: 0.5)

International Law 1 is an introductory lecture-based course, which is suitable for students with no legal background. Its objective is to impart a thorough understanding of the sources, doctrines and institutions of international law and provide students with the knowledge and skills to deal confidently with international legal issues.

The course covers the following topics:

� The history, nature and sources of public international law

� International personality including statehood and recognition

� Jurisdiction and immunities

� State responsibility

� Legal research and writing skills

The aims of the course are:

� To provide a working knowledge of the sources, doctrines and institutions of public international law

� To develop skills in analysing primary and secondary international law materials and in constructing legal argument

� To develop legal research skills

� To develop oral communication and team-work skills through participation in legal debate

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International Law 2; Contemporary Problems Of World Order: term 2 only (unit value: 0.5)

International Law 2 is an advanced seminar-based course that builds on the knowledge and skills learned in International Law 1. It is also suitable for students who already have a legal background. The course focuses on specialised areas of public international law with an emphasis on critical perspectives and current issues and controversies.

These areas include:

� Self-determination of peoples

� International Human Rights Law

� Law of the Sea

� International Environmental Law

� International Humanitarian Law

� The Use of Force

� International Criminal law

� International Law in International Relations and Diplomacy

By the end of this course students will have:

� Advanced knowledge and understanding of the sources, doctrines and institutions of public international law

� Knowledge and understanding of some of the specialised areas of international law

� An ability to engage with the various theoretical and critical approaches to international law

� An ability to carry out independent legal research using a law library and legal electronic resources

� An ability to engage in critical analysis of primary and secondary legal sources to a high standard

� An ability to construct written and oral legal argument to a high standard

International Economics: Full year (unit value: 1.0)

Convenor: Dr Stephanie Blankenburg

The core theme of this course is the political economy of globalisation. Theories of political economy seek to define and study systematic relationships between economic and political processes. “Globalisation” is a much disputed catch-word to describe a gradual internationalisation or universalisation of social relations in general, including economic, political, cultural, ethical, geographical and organisational phenomena. There is, as yet, little consensus as to the precise meaning and significance of globalisation. Some argue that economic globalisation is essentially the expansion of the capitalist system around the globe. Others see in economic globalisation the beginning of a new era in which states take a back seat in an all-encompassing “world polity” that increasingly defines its own rules and institutions, moving away from the “old” capitalist order. This course seeks to examine and discuss the main economic features of this process as they can, at present, be discerned, and to place these within a broader historical as well as theoretical context.

Central issues include:

� What are the advantages and disadvantages of free trade? Who gains and who loses?

� Is financial liberalisation working? How can recent financial crises be explained?

� Does globalisation make it more or less difficult for developing nations to catch up?

� What are the implications of globalisation for international labour mobility and wage structures?

� Does the world economy require a new international regulatory framework? If so, what should this look like?

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International Security: Full year (unit value: 1.0)

Convenor: Dr Rahul Rao

This course aims to introduce students to key themes and approaches in the study of international security. Although the course will familiarise students with orthodox thinking in the field of security studies, it pays particular attention to the perspectives of hitherto marginalised actors in the international system (the developing world, non-state actors, etc.) and to their interactions with hegemonic actors and structures. In addition it engages substantially with the agenda of ‘critical security studies’, which entails both a theoretical re-conceptualisation of what ‘security’ is and an empirical investigation of whether conventional security practices actually deliver.

The course focuses mainly on the post-Cold War period, but one of its central aims is to encourage students to historicise contemporary constructions of security and insecurity. It should be noted that this is not a course in ‘strategic studies’ – a field that is more narrowly concerned with the properties of particular weapons systems and their use and/or with the operational or tactical mechanics of particular wars. Instead, it aims to focus more broadly on the political, economic and social contexts in which force is used in international relations.


� A knowledge of the key theoretical approaches to the study of international security

� An awareness of security policy and practice, particularly from the perspective of the developing world

� An awareness of the changing nature of the security agenda, particularly the increasing recognition of the importance of non-state actors and non-military threats

� An ability to historicize contemporary formulations of security and insecurity

The United Nations In The World: Term 1 only (unit value: 0.5)

Convenors: Dr Dan Plesch, Dr J Simon Rofe

This course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the UN and the UN system. It examines the context provided by situating the UN within other International Organisations (IOs). Understanding the heritage, operation, and goals of the UN and its constituent parts will add breadth and depth to the student experience.

The course starts by examining the ways in which International Organisations came into being and how they evolved into the United Nations Organisation in 1945. A theoretical foundation is then given, before the rest of the course concentrates on the ways in which the UN system has changed in recent years, and asks what the short and medium-term effect of these changes are likely to be. Particular attention will be given to peacekeeping and collective security, and human rights. An important sub-theme throughout will be the changing role of the state in the contemporary global system and how this has had an effect on the working of the UN.

An understanding of the UN and the UN system within the appropriate context of international organisations will complement the student’s knowledge and understanding of International Studies and Diplomacy. Understanding the heritage, operation, and goals of the UN and its constituent parts will add breadth and depth.

The course aims to give students:

� an ability to comprehend both conceptually and empirically the United Nations, and the UN system within the conceptual framework of Global International Organisations

� comprehensive understanding of, and ability to critically review the relevant literature

� aptitude in constructing and applying an appropriate analytical approach to issues relevant to the subject matter

� capacity to source, integrate, analyse and summarise relevant research and data in the submission of assessments

� the relevant skills to propose, debate and appraise feasible issues relevant to the subject

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Sport And Diplomacy: “More Than A Game” Term 1 only (unit value: 0.5) Convenor: Dr J Simon Rofe

This course explores how sporting competition has historically assisted human societies in mediating estrangements, resolving conflict and sublimating competitive urges. Through sport, cities and states have represented themselves to, and communicated with foreign counterparts. In doing so, opposing sides come to know one another, creating opportunities to build and sustain durable, ongoing and peaceful relationships. These bilateral and multilateral processes of representation and communication constitute a form of diplomacy which has hitherto been under explored.

Examples abound of sporting competition being employed to reduce tensions between states at odds with one another that thus lacked conventional channels of diplomatic relations, for example the ‘ping-pong diplomacy’ that opened communication and détente between the People’s Republic of China and the United States in the early 1970s and more recent examples suggest that ‘sports-diplomacy’ is an increasingly necessary part of contemporary diplomatic practice

Understanding sport’s capacity in the field of diplomacy also challenges conventional state based approaches and sheds light upon a plethora of related issues: including international governance, international business, cultural diplomacy and public diplomacy. The role that sporting governing bodies such as FIFA and the IOC play in diplomacy will also be explored.

The course aims to give students:

� an ability to comprehend both conceptually and empirically the issues surrounding sport and diplomacy in international affairs, including the role of sport’s international governing bodies (International Olympic Committee, Federation International Football Association) as NGOs, sport’s role in the diplomacy of international business, as a vehicle for cultural diplomacy, and as a means of engaging in public diplomacy

� comprehensive understanding of, and ability to critically review the relevant literature

� aptitude in constructing and applying an appropriate analytical approach to issues relevant to the subject matter

� capacity to source, integrate, analyse and summarise relevant research and data in the submission of assessments

� the relevant skills to propose, debate and appraise feasible issues relevant to the subject

Multinational Enterprises In A Globalizing World – Economic And Legal Perspectives: Full Year (Unit Value: 1.0)

Convenors: Dr Stephanie Blankenburg and Prof Peter Muchlinski

This course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the nature and development of multinational enterprise organisation and to view this as an evolving and changing process. From a unique inter-disciplinary perspective combining international political economy and international law, the course focuses on conveying a sound grounding in policy and regulatory issues relating to the operations of multinational enterprises in the context of changing international patterns of production. The course will address both the internal organisation of multinational enterprises and the economic, political, social, and environmental effects of their operations. and aims to give the student a detailed understanding of the inter-relationship between corporate organisation, corporate operation and impact.

Core learning outcomes include a critical understanding of the role and workings of large corporations in the light of competing legal and economic theories of their organisation and activities and the ability to apply this knowledge to ongoing policy debates about reforms of international business organisation and regulation, as well as the interaction of international with national and sub-national policy and regulatory frameworks.

The course includes:

� The political economy of the growth of MNEs: from the East India Company to Microsoft and Monsanto

� The historical construction of legal agendas: from joint stock companies to modern corporations

� Economic theories of MNE emergence, organisation and activities

� Regulatory relations between MNEs and states

� Financialisation at work: the role of MNEs in the build-up to the global financial crisis

� Regulation through company law: liability issues and social Responsibility

� Aspects of international regulation: the development of international standards through international investment agreements and the role of dispute settlement and international investment arbitration

� Case studies: the policy-making process, including practical impact of MNE activities and the determinants of policy responses.

This course is compulsory for students on the MA Globalisation and Multinational Corporations Programme and is open to other CISD students.

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Global Public Policy: Term 1 only (Unit value: 0.5)

Convenors: Dr Harald Heubaum, Dr Sutha Nadarajah

The Global Public Policy course teaches a core set of skills required of policy professionals in the public, corporate and not-for-profit sectors at international and national levels. Policy analysts identify policy problems, formulate, evaluate and recommend possible solutions. Policy analysts thus help make policy. The course covers key concepts and theories that enable critical analysis of a given policy space and the complex and fractious processes by which policy is formulated, adopted and implemented. In particular, students will learn to be cognisant of the impact of relations of power, including those between the global North and South, and to question the assumptions inherent to conventional approaches to policy analysis and management. As such, the course adopts an approach which treats policy as the outcome of politics, and analysis of the former as inseparable from the latter.


� Excellent foundational knowledge of public policy theory, including public choice and its criticisms, agenda setting and advocacy, policy change and stability, decision making, policy implementation, bureaucracies, and new public management

� The ability to critically evaluate a given public policy issue and the assumptions on which it rests, identify and design innovative and practical solutions to policy problems

This course is compulsory for both MA Globalisation and Multinational Corporations and MSc Global Energy and Climate Policy students, and will not be open to other CISD students.

Project Management: Term two only (Unit value: 0.5)

Convenor: Dr Sutha Nadarajah

The Project Management course will equip students with the skills, aptitudes and knowledge required of project professionals. With work in the corporate, not-for-profit and, increasingly, the public sectors routinely being organised in terms of projects, demand for project professionals continues to fast outstrip supply, with over a million new jobs estimated to need filling globally each year over the next decade. The course will teach a core set of project skills, including managing scope, cost, time, risk, resources and communication. The training is based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), an international standard published by the Project Management Institute. The course will also address the key factors that impact on project success and project management success, as well as the relations between project management and change management.

This course is compulsory for MA Globalisation and Multinational Corporations students and will not be open to other CISD students.


� Excellent project management skills i.e. to be able to design and critically evaluate project plans in terms of cost, time and scope metrics, identify and manage project risks, design and implement effective project communication processes

� Excellent knowledge of project management theory

� Excellent understanding of how project management contributes to project success, and of the relations between project management and change management.

This course is compulsory for MA Globalisation and Multinational Corporations students, and is not open to other CISD students.


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Global Energy And Climate Policy Full Year (Unit Value: 1)

Convenor: Dr Harald Heubaum, Dr Dan Plesch

This course aims to introduce students to key themes and approaches in the study of global energy and climate policy. The study of energy and climate change as two truly global challenges of the 21st century has found increased attention in the social sciences in recent years and yet the crucial connection between the two fields remains underexplored. GECP seeks to change this by offering a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to the topic.

The course will familiarise students with historical, technological, political, regulatory and economic aspects, drawing on a multitude of examples from both the Global North and South. More specifically, Global Energy and Climate Policy examines the changing role of oil and unconventional oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear power and renewable sources with a view to national energy portfolios, energy markets and the challenge of mitigating global climate change. It investigates regime formation and diplomacy in the energy and climate change fields, addresses geopolitical dimensions of energy supply and demand, and provides a close examination of regulatory approaches to cutting greenhouse gases and building a low-carbon economy.

Core questions include:

� How do worldviews shape energy and climate debates and what is their genesis?

� How are energy prices currently determined? What are alternatives to this approach?

� Is effective global energy and climate governance possible? How can collective action problems be overcome?

� What is meant by ‘energy geopolitics’ and the ‘new great game’ of the 21st century?

� How can the ‘resource curse’ be avoided? Is rent-seeking inevitable?

� How do MNEs influence global energy and climate policy?

� How can technological innovation in the energy field be brought to market and scaled up?

� What policies are required to build a low-carbon economy?

This course is compulsory for MSc Global Energy and Climate Policy students, and is also open to other CISD students.

Applied Energy and Climate Studies Term two only (Unit value: 0.5)

Convenor: Dr Harald Heubaum

The Applied Energy and Climate Studies (AECS) course teaches a core set of skills required of public, private and non-profit sector policy professionals operating in the energy and climate field, including: understanding cost-benefit analysis, life-cycle cost analysis and pricing developments, analysing and managing risks, writing policy analysis, assessing policy impacts, advocating and strategically communicating (policy) positions. Cases analysed are drawn from energy and climate policy but the skills profile taught contains elements of transferability to related sectors. The training is conducted through lectures and tutorials run in cooperation with external practitioners representing government, NGO, think tank, risk advisory and business backgrounds.

This course is compulsory for MSc Global Energy and Climate Policy students and will not be open to other CISD students. Please note that the lectures for this course are run at 6pm.

Objectives and learning outcomes of the course:

� Excellent policy analysis skills; formulate policy goals and objectives; identify scenarios and policy options; propose deliverables and effective implementation strategies.

� Excellent ability to conduct policy-relevant research; understand and utilize complex data sets; analyse, assess and manage risks.

� Demonstrate an advanced critical understanding of policy advocacy and lobbying for organisational, legal and political change at multiple levels.

This course is compulsory for MSc Global Energy and Climate Policy students, and is not open to other CISD students.

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Special Features

CISD European Study Tours

All CISD students have the option of attending a European study tour. This is an exciting opportunity for students to gain an insight into the workings of international political and non-governmental organisations, such as the United Nations in Geneva. There is no charge additional to the course fee for attending the study tours.

Organisations who have recently participated in our study tours have included:

� The United Nations Development Programme

� The World Trade Organisation

� The World Health Organisations

� The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

� The Office of the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs

� The International Labour Organisation

� The International Committee of the Red Cross

� The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

� The European Parliament

We have also organised visits to the permanent missions of the United Kingdom, United States, Russia and India.

Media Training

All CISD students are given the opportunity to take part in a day-long media training workshop. This training is given by experienced BBC journalists and includes developing presentation and interview skills.

Current Research

The Centre of International Studies and Diplomacy is actively involved in a number of interdisciplinary research programmes. Linked to these is a rich and varied programme of conferences, lectures and other public events which bring together academics, practitioners and students from around the world. CISD students are actively encouraged to contribute to our research programmes, whether by taking part in events or by pursuing research in these areas as dissertation topics.

America, Hitler and the UN

Understanding the wartime United Nations reframes our understanding of the second half of the last century: from UNESCO to the World Bank the primary purpose of the multilateral system is conflict prevention and its wartime architects bequeathed us this system as a realist necessity vital in times of trial, not as a liberal accessory to be discarded when the going gets rough.

The project leaders are interested in developing partnerships with other researchers and organizations on the implications of the wartime United Nations for contemporary international policy and U.S. politics. They are also keen to explore the relationship of the wartime United Nations to international relations theory and the archaeology, genealogy and historiography of the study of international politics since 1945. They are also keen to further investigate the impact of the wartime United Nations on the campaigns and politics of the Second World War.

Corporate Accountability and Limited Liability

Corporate limited liability (CLL) has been an important theme since the inception of modern political economy. More recently, the rapid rise of corporate power under the auspices of a neoliberal policy-agenda with global reach has, once again, moved critical questions and discontent with corporate privileges and their lack of legal and social accountability to the forefront of social debates. The role of corporate power in a fast changing global world is today one of the key issues of international diplomacy as well as of the academic study of international law, politics and economics.

The programme ‘Corporate Accountability and Limited Liability’ aims to develop the organisation and proliferation of a planned international forum to promote legal reforms of limited liability across the globe.

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Disarmament and Globalization

Sustainable development is predicated on assumptions of common security and cannot be realised in an environment where states (both strong and weak) base their national policies on pre-atomic, pre-globalization assumptions. Strategic, financial, and humanitarian reasons for disarmament must be re-connected: nuclear and conventional war has its own massive human, economic and environmental costs.

The Centre is developing new research projects on disarmament as it relates to globalization and the existing development agenda. The high ambition and sense of urgency of our proposals, and our ability to make the link with other agendas like development and conflict, brings new hope of mobilizing governmental, non-governmental, economic, expert and popular forces in support of the same outcomes.

Our disarmament and globalization research has two core strands. The first is a research and public policy project on a weapons of mass destruction free zone in the Middle East which has been running since 2006. Activities for this include an annual London conference on Middle East security and a weapons of mass destruction free zone plus discussion events and publications.

The second is SCRAP – A Strategic Concept for Regulation of Arms Possession and Proliferation. The SCRAP proposal is a holistic approach to integrating WMD disarmament and conventional disarmament, and non-proliferation practice developed in recent decades. A core observation is that the ‘best practices’ of the arms control agenda in the 20th century should not be discarded as Cold War relics but reinvigorated and adapted to the security challenges of the 21st century.

CISD Lectures and Special events

The annual public lecture is organised in the spring term for students and members of the diplomatic community in London and other guests. These lectures have attracted prominent speakers from the worlds of politics, diplomacy and law, as well as academia. Recent speakers have included: Professor Noam Chomsky, linguist and political thinker, Dr Hans Blix (former UN Weapons Inspector) Sir Michael Ancram former British Cabinet Minister and Dame Rosalyn Higgin former President of the International Court of Justice.

For further information on upcoming events please see our webpage www.cisd.soas.ac.uk .

Institutional Links

CISD has a subscription to the Chatham House think-tank and the Royal United Services Institute where students are able to attend seminars and access their library. As a student of the University of London you will also be able to access the libraries and facilities of the other London Colleges, including University College London, London School of Economics, Senate House and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

CISD Research Degrees in Global Studies

CISD welcomes applications from prospective MPhil/PhD students wishing to undertake multi-disciplinary research in areas of global studies that relate to the research interests of Centre members and the Centre’s research programmes. The specific focus of this research programme is twofold: thematically, the programme addresses the analysis of contemporary globalisation processes and of the political, economic, social and cultural relationships and structures that define and shape these processes. Rather than, for example, the study of inter-state or inter-nation relations and agreements that is the traditional domain of International Studies, the core focus of this programme is on the study of the nature and evolution of contemporary globalisation itself and on globally shared issues, from a theoretical as well as a policy perspective. Methodologically, the programme promotes the multi-disciplinary analysis of contemporary globalization processes. Research topics and projects will analyze the role of, and interchanges between, people, institutions, organizations and states in shaping globalization dynamics through the prism of (at least) two of the following academic disciplines: International Studies and Politics, Law, Economics, Management Studies, Development Studies, History, Media and Communication Studies.

For further details please visit our website www.cisd.soas.ac.uk

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Application Procedure(for MA/MSc. Courses at the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy)

Applications can be made online at http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/ or you can download an application form from the website to send by post. Completed application forms, references and transcripts should be sent to Head of Admissions and Recruitment, School of Oriental and African Studies, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG.

1. Closing Date

Applications and supporting documentation should be submitted as early as possible, and should reach admissions well in advance of 1st Septemberof the year in which the applicant hopes to enrol. However, late applications will always be considered if places are available. Please note that applications are dealt with in order of receipt.

2. Complete Applications

You may submit an incomplete application to indicate your wish to be considered for a place, but you should note that your application may not actually be processed until full documentation has been received. You should not delay an application while waiting for results of examinations to be taken in the summer. Your application can be considered before your results are known. You are responsible for ensuring that your references and transcripts reach SOAS, either with your application or separately.

3. Interview

Candidates who are required to attend an interview must meet their own expenses.

4. Name

The name in which your application is filed and under which, if you are admitted to a degree programme, you will be registered with the University of London, should correspond exactly with that in which your first degree is issued, and with other official documents which you may be asked to produce (e.g. passport, birth certificate).

5. Address

Please give the dates during which your correspondence address is valid. It is your responsibility to notify Admissions if your address changes.

6. Programme Details

Applicants from outside the EU who have restrictions on their right of stay in the UK should note that they may not be allowed to enter and/or remain in the UK to study on a part time basis.

7. Finance

The fees are the same for all participants, including those from the UK and EU. Up to date information about the fees charged for CISD courses can be found on the SOAS website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/fees/).

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Application Procedure(for MA/MSc. Courses at the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy)

All fees are payable in advance. No student will be allowed to start the programme until the appropriate fees have been paid, or there is evidence that they will be paid from a reliable source. Students are required to pay their fees for the whole academic year before registering at the School in September. Fees are not normally refundable. Cheques should be made payable to the School of Oriental and African Studies.

8. References

Two references are required. Applicants without professional experience should submit two academic references. Applicants with relevant professional experience can submit one academic and one professional reference, normally but not necessarily from their current employer. Obtain your references by completing the relevant parts of the reference request form and sending them to your referees. They should be returned to you and submitted unopened with your application. The names and addresses of both referees should be given on the application form.

9. Degree Certificates and Transcripts

Please do not send original documents such as degree certificates or diplomas. Certified hard copies of transcripts/degree certificates issued with the original stamp from the awarding body or public notary are valid.

If your application is based on qualifications from outside the United Kingdom, you should also obtain a transcript showing the subjects studied and grades obtained, together with the confirmation of the award of your qualification. If you have not completed your degree you should send a transcript of your marks so far.

All documents must be in English. If it is necessary for documents to be translated, please send a certified hard copy of the document in the original language together with a version translated by a legalized translator. Self translated documents are not acceptable.

10. Knowledge of English

If English is not your first language, you would normally required to provide evidence of your English language ability before you can register for your course. You should submit an IELTS or TOEFL (preferably including TWE) score taken within the last year. This can be submitted with your application or subsequently.

Your offer of a place on a post graduate programme may be made conditional on your taking preparatory English classes for four or eight weeks prior to enrolment.

The English language requirement may be waived if you are able to provide evidence of your proficiency (such as evidence of having completed a programme of higher study in English).

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Notes

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Centre for International Studies and DiplomacySchool of Oriental and African StudiesUniversity of LondonThornhaugh StreetRussell SquareLondon WC1H OXG

Tel: 020 7898 4840 or 4830Fax: 020 7898 4839E-mail: [email protected]

www.cisd.soas.ac.uk

Documents

Master’s Degrees Postgraduate Diploma Research ... · critiques corporate behaviours from legal and political-economy perspectives, ... the OECD or WTO) industry bodies, NGOs,