International Security Studies
Undergraduate
MUR-POL345 2025Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Understand international politics, and security and strategic studies. Examine competing theories and different conceptions of security, the post-Cold War system, the roles of the United Nations and international law in international security.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- Subject may require attendance
- Enrol by
- 16 Feb 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Price from
- $2,125
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
International Security Studies
About this subject
On successful completion of the subject you should be able to:
- understand and analyse international politics and security and strategic studies
- demonstrate a good grasp of public policy, especially the processes and structures of decision-making in the area of international security
- identify the issues and questions most important to you, which will help you to focus your reading.
- States & International Relations;
- Theorizing International Relations
- Security & Securitization;
- Military Threats from Inter-State Wars
- Military Threats from Non-State Actors
- Economic & Social Threats to Security
- Environment & Health Threats to Security;
- Environmental and economic security
- Accidents & Natural Disasters;
- Crime & Insecurity
- International Relations in a Globalizing World
- Global Governance & Global Security
- Future of Security Studies
This subject was previously known as POL291 International Security Studies.
This subject defines international security broadly to incorporate political, societal, military, environmental, economic and technological factors. After examining the competing theories of international politics and different conceptions of security, the focus shifts to the post-Cold War international system and especially the roles of the Subjected Nations and international law in international security. It utilises case studies from various regions to explain the changing dimensions of security.
Please Note: All students studying at Murdoch University will need to complete the compulsory unit, Murdoch Academic Passport (MAP100), which only takes 2-3 hours to complete online. Find out more: http://goto.murdoch.edu.au/MurdochAcademicPassport.
Note: As this is a Capstone Unit no supplementary assessment is available.
- Interactive Online Presentation (20%)
- Critical analysis of contemporary security issue (40%)
- Final Invigilated Exam (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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- QS Ranking 2024:
- 27
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 26
Entry requirements
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
MUR-POL291 (Not currently available)
MUR-PTR291 (Not currently available)
Others
Students must have completed 18 credit points (6 OUA subjects) at Level 1 before enrolling in this subject.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Global Security (Terrorism and Counterterrorism Studies)
Undergraduate
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