Course Syllabus
PLSC 014: International Relations
Course Overview
| CATEGORY | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| Credits | 3 |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Delivery | Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com) |
| Dates | See the Calendar. |
| Instructor | See the Orientation module under the Modules tab. |
Description
This course will expose you to problems and puzzles that arise in the study of international relations. We will examine the major scholarly approaches to studying these phenomena. These approaches vary in terms of theory and in the way that evidence is collected to support or refute specific ideas. Among the topics that we will discuss are the nature of the international system, the causes and effects of international conflict, and the difficulties countries face in establishing cooperation. We will also focus on issues that have increased in importance since the demise of the Cold War, such as international trade, economic development, interdependence, and the global environment. Finally, we will discuss some of the new challenges facing scholars of world politics. The events of 9/11, for example, exemplify the important role that non-state actors can play in international relations. This is not directly a course in current events or a history course, but current and historical events will be discussed to test some of the propositions that can be derived from the academic literature of the field. The course should prepare you for more advanced classes in international relations and help you to think critically and analytically about historical and current events.
Course Organization
The lectures for this course are recorded powerpoint presentations with a small video insert of the instructor discussing the material. Each lecture is broken up into two parts. You can watch both consecutively or break them up and watch them over several days. There are required readings. The readings supplement the lectures. They do not replicate them. In order to succeed in this course you will have to complete the readings.
Online Learning and Attendance
This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.
Texts and Other Materials
The following texts are required:
- Allison, Graham, and Philip Zelikow. 1999. Essence of Decision, 2nd ed. Addison/Wesley/ Longman. ISBN: 978-0321013491
- Pevehouse, Jon C. W., and Joshua S. Goldstein. 2019. International Relations, 12th ed. Pearson/Longman. ISBN: ISBN: 9780135229545
- Starkey, Brigid, Mark A. Boyer and Jonathan Wilkenfeld. 2016. International Negotiation in a Complex World, Updated 4th ed. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN: 978-1442276710
Library Services
Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.
Access to New York Times
As a Penn State student, you have digital access to a variety of local, national, and global newspapers at no cost. This course may reference New York Times articles, please use the instructions provided on the Student News Readership Program website to activate your complimentary access.
Scale
| LETTER GRADE |
MINIMUM % |
MAXIMUM % |
|---|---|---|
| A | 94 | 100 |
| A- | 90 | < 94 |
| B+ | 87 | < 90 |
| B | 84 | < 87 |
| B- | 80 | < 84 |
| C+ | 77 | < 80 |
| C | 70 | < 77 |
| D | 60 | < 70 |
| F | 0 | < 60 |
* Important note about checking your grade in Canvas: The default in canvas shows you your average over completed (and graded) assignments. At the end of the semester you must uncheck "calculate based only on graded assigments" to see a correct representation of your grade (otherwise missed assignments are not taken into consideration.)
Due Dates
All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10622.
As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Notes
- To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.
Assignments
Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.
You can expect meaningful feedback on assignments within seven days of their due date.
| ASSIGNMENT GROUP |
% of grade |
|---|---|
| Exams | 45 |
| Quizzes | 25 |
| Discussions | 30 |
| Total | 100 |
Exams
Value: 3 x 50 PTS, 45% of total grade
There will be three (50-question, non-cumulative) examinations during the semester – one following each module. The exams will cover material from lectures and the readings (whether discussed in the lecture or not) and will have 50 multiple-choice questions. You will have 90 minutes and one attempt on each exam.
Quizzes
Value: Best 9 x 10 PTS, 25% of total grade
Each week there will be a short 10-question multiple-choice quiz, which will focus heavily on the reading material but may include some lecture questions. You will have 30 minutes to take the quiz. You must complete the quiz in one sitting (once you begin, the timer starts working and cannot be stopped.) You should take the quiz after reading the week’s required readings and watching the lectures. The primary goal of the quizzes is to keep you on track with the readings. Questions can and will appear on the quizzes from material that has not been discussed in the lectures. Each quiz is graded on a 10-point scale. You will have TWO opportunities to take the lesson quiz (with new questions each time). Your highest grade will be kept. In addition, there will be two introductory quizzes, each worth 5 points (an orientation quiz during week 1 and a Diplomacy game quiz during week 2).
Discussions
Value: 10 PTS, 30% of total grade
We will have several discussions (each lasting a week) where we’ll focus on some question from the readings and/or lecture. This is an opportunity to apply the material you’re studying to current events and interact with other students.
The goal of these discussions is to show that you understand the concepts covered and that you can apply the ideas and explain things in your own words. Using artificial intelligence (AI) is a violation of academic integrity. I reserve the right to request an oral explanation for any work I suspect was generated by AI (in full or in part). In such cases I will grade your assignment based on a combination of your written work and your ability to explain and justify your process and sources.
Each discussion is worth 10 points and will be graded using this rubric:
| Points | Evaluation | Grading Criteria |
| 9-10 |
Excellent |
The critical question and comments are accurate, relevant, and original. They teach us something new or lead us to consider an issue brought up in the readings or assignments. The entries are well-written and show depth of thinking and consideration of the topic. The question/comments stimulate additional thinking and discussion about the issues perhaps drawing on direct experience or outside resources. |
| 7-8 | Strong | The critical question/comments lack at least one of the qualities above, but show above average thinking about the issues. |
| 5-6 | Satisfactory | The critical question/comments lack 2 or 3 of the above qualities. For example, they may be well-written and accurate, but simply repeat what is already presented in the readings or show little depth of analysis. |
| 3-4 | Developing | The critical question/comments present little or no new information to further the discussion. It may be difficult to understand what is being asked in the question. However, the question/comments may be useful to building social presence and collegiality and may show a beginning engagement in the material we are concerned with. |
| 1-2 | Minimal | The critical question/comments add little value to the discussion. They are off-topic, inaccurate, unprofessional in tone, or too brief to be of help in furthering our collective thinking and understanding. |
| 0 | Unacceptable | Questions/comments are absent |
(Rubric adapted from: Pelz, B. JALN Volume 8, Issue 3, June 2004)
Diplomacy Game
Throughout the semester we will be playing a game of Diplomacy in teams (each team will be assigned a country) for extra credit. You are not required to participate. You will be assigned to a team (country) during the second week of the course. You will find a file of team members in the “Diplomacy” folder. Your Diplomacy message board is titled according to your country, as well. The purpose of the game is to apply some of the topics we discuss – in particular negotiation and strategic behavior – to real life. I also hope the game will offer a venue for students to interact in what can otherwise be a somewhat sterile environment. Finally, I hope the experience will be fun and get you excited about the course!
Each person on the winning team can add as many as 5 percentage points to their overall course grade. Those in second place can gain a maximum of 4 percentage points and those in third place can gain up to 3 percentage points. Any team that participates in the game will be eligible for up to 2 bonus percentage points. To get the 2 points you may miss submitting no more than 3 moves the entire semester. The actual bonus points individual students receive will be weighted by how they are evaluated by the other members of their team. Each member of the team will indicate whether they "strongly agree", "agree" or "disagree" (scored 2, 1, and 0, respectively) with the following statements regarding their teammates: contributes regularly to group discussions; contributes meaningfully to group discussions; and demonstrates a cooperative, supportive and inclusive attitude. These evaluations will take place twice throughout the semester. Once in the midterm and once at the end of the semester. The weight assigned to each student's bonus points will be the average of both the midterm and end of semester evaluations (with each averaging the student scores received.)
Ex: Your team came in second place. You are eligible for 4 points. Three members of your team evaluated you at the midterm and their scores on the three dimensions average a 1.67. Four members of your team evaluated you at the end of the semester and their scores on the three dimensions average a 1.25. The weight assigned to your 4 possible points is ((1.67 + 1.25)/2) = 1.46; 1.46/2.00 = .73). Your overall extra credit points are: 4*.73, or 2.92. This will be added to your final grade.
In the event of a tie, the points for the tying places will be split equally.
Please note: I expect you to interact in a friendly, inclusive and supportive manner. The game can involve lying and breaking of alliances, etc. Keep those within the realm of the game. In other words, I don’t want this to be personal. I will not tolerate personal attacks on individuals. That said, I will not be moderating the interactions between you (except in reported cases of abuse). In playing the game, you are agreeing to accept the method by which bonus points are assigned, including how those bonus points are weighted by the evaluations that are given by your team members. It has happened in the past that one or two people on a team take charge and run with the game and their team wins, only for them to discover that they did not receive a good peer score because others felt they were not included in the discussions. Keep those factors in mind.
I hope you play. The extra credit can really bump up your overall grade. Beyond that, it’s a fun way to interact with your classmates and experience some of the concepts we’re discussing in action.
Suggestions for Studying
This course is a survey course that covers a lot of material. The readings do not replicate the lectures. I suggest reading actively. Sit at your desk and take notes while reading. Make sure you understand the material and have the main points memorized.
The exams and quizzes rely heavily on the readings. I must warn you that if you plan to refer to the texts while taking the quizzes and exams, you may run out of time. One suggestion is to make up a “cheat sheet” with key concepts to use during quizzes and exams. A companion website is available for the Goldstein and Pevehouse text: mypoliscilab.com
The site includes videos, podcasts and practice tests.
University Policies
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity, an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic sanctions, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes (see G-9: Academic Integrity).
Unless your instructor tells you otherwise:
- Always include an in-text citation that includes the author(s) last name(s) and the year the source was published at the end of any sentence or below any image that includes words, images, or ideas you found in a source, always included quoted text within quotation marks, and always include a reference for any source at the end of your paper (ask your instructor about the format you should use).
- All of your graded coursework must be created by you without help from anyone in the course or otherwise. If you have questions about this, you should ask your instructor before submitting work for evaluation.
- All course materials you receive or access are protected by copyright laws. You may use course materials and make copies for your own use, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
Disability Access
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at https://equity.psu.edu/offices/student-disability-resources/campus-offices. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.
Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/form/caps-contact-form to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/student-services/mental-health-services.
Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.
Nondiscrimination
Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website a thttps://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/.
Reporting a Bias Incident
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.
TEACH Act
The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.
University Emergency Procedure
In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.
In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at https://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website at https://news.psu.edu.
To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.
Syllabus Subject to Change
The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|