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Unit of study_
GOVT3601: Essential Texts in Politics and IR
2025 unit information
This unit provides students with an advanced understanding of core texts in Politics and International Relations. Students will explore these key texts through an in-depth, and rigorous reading of primary material. An active engagement with the founding texts will enable students to deepen their knowledge of the discipline and how it has developed in relation to key events in Politics and International Relations. Seminar discussions will be based on the method of close textual analysis.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Arts and Social Sciences
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | Government and International Relations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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24 credit points at 2000-level in Politics and International Relations stream, including GOVT2901 and a minimum of 78 credit points |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the 'essential' literature in the field of Politics and International Relations.
- LO2. Demonstrate an understanding of the context within which that literature emerged.
- LO3. Explain the historical development of Politics and International Relations as academic disciplines and demonstrate how this context shaped the reception of the work.
- LO4. Show an empirical knowledge of contemporary issues and practices in Politics and International Relations, and be able to apply the essential reading to the empirical issues.
- LO5. Find, use and analyse a range of materials including the essential literature and pieces related to it.
- LO6. Critically analyse the literature and deploy sophisticated theoretical arguments as to its relevance to empirical case studies.
- LO7. Articulate their ethical and political points of view in relation to the literature and defend them with well-structured and rigorous arguments.
- LO8. Communicate effectively both formally and informally in class discussions. Write clearly and coherently. Work independently as well as in a team.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
