This course introduces students to the practice of strategy making in the wider context of how defence policy is made at governmental and alliance level.

The timetable for this course will be made available to students at the beginning of the academic year. There is no guarantee that this course will run in any given year. For further information, please check the Politics and International Relations Moodle page or contact the subject directly.

None

None

Policy briefing, 1500 words (25%)

Essay, 3000 words (75%)

Strategy making is central to how states develop and construct their foreign and defence policies, as well as the formation, maintenance and evolution of security alliances. This courses focuses on the practice of strategy making. It aims to introduce students to the formation of strategy and defence policy, and examine the influence of a variety of factors derived from both public policy and the particular domestic and international circumstances in which strategy is 'made'.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Develop a solid grasp of key concepts for analysing strategy making

■ Compare the development of security and defence strategies across multiple states and alliances

■ Evaluate how domestic political factors, such as party politics and bureaucratic interests, influence the practice of strategy making

■ Examine the influence of alliance considerations in the practice of strategy making

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.