IR102
Thinking Globally: Studying International Relations
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Luca Tardelli
Availability
This course is compulsory on the BSc in International Relations and BSc in International Relations and Chinese. This course is available on the BSc in Politics and International Relations. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes. This course is not available to General Course students.
Students who have this course as a compulsory course are guaranteed a place.
Students for whom the course is optional must commit to the course when they choose it.
Course content
The aims of this short course are two-fold. First, to enable you to reflect on and share ideas with other students about why you chose to study international relations and what it means to study international relations. Second, to acquire and develop the key skills you need to study international relations, including communications skills (verbal and written) and team working skills. Students will work together on the skills required for reading for academic purposes and taking notes; writing essays; using sources, referencing, and generative AI; delivering class presentations; and succeeding as an IR scholar.
Teaching
7.5 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.
Formative assessment
There is no formal 'formative' coursework for the course. A variety of 'formative exercises' will be conducted in class and aimed at developing and enhancing a range of study skills linked to the study of international relations.
Indicative reading
Chris Brown, Understanding International Relations 5th ed (Palgrave: 2019)
Hubert Zimmermann, Milena Elsinger, and Alex Burkhardt, ‘Ch.1- Doing IR: How to Study International Politics’, in International Relations: Theories in Action (Sage, 2024).
LSE LIFE Learning Resources, available at: https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/lse-life/resources
Assessment
There is no summative assessment for this course.
Key facts
Department: International Relations
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Non-credit bearing
FHEQ Level: Level 4
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 57
Average class size 2024/25: 10
Capped 2024/25: Yes(85)Course selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Application of information skills
- Communication
- Specialist skills