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Global Issues

Module description

This module will help you develop a good understanding of current global challenges that affect different aspects of international life, such as climate change, food security and inequality.  You will examine supranational sustainable development goals, current trends within index reports or research findings, the goals of international conferences and summits, and opinions expressed in the media or by NGOs. You will make connections to your own lives and events in different parts of the world, use critical analysis to identify key problems and evaluate approaches to tackling these.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims to equip you with:

• awareness of contemporary global issues and their impact
• the ability to critically evaluate sources to determine their reliability and relevance
• the skills to interpret data and draw comparisons
• the ability to draw on evidence to critically evaluate proposed solutions to problems
• the skills to coherently present evidence-based written reports and presentations

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate understanding of issues and concepts relevant to chosen topic.
• 2. Design, plan and complete a group project and achieve agreed objectives in a timely fashion.
• 3. Employ appropriate skills/technology/materials to create a group-produced artefact.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Demonstrate an ability to interpret, analyse and critically evaluate concepts, cases, arguments, data.
• 5. Clearly communicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions to non-specialist audiences

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Demonstrate ability to research and learn independently and cooperatively
• 7. Evaluate outcomes in relation to agreed objectives and to own learning, research and performance

Syllabus plan

The module typically considers:

Selected current global issues related to: climate change and the environment, globalization, inequality and poverty, food security, health, technology, gender and society.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for reasons judged legitimate by the Mitigation Committee, the applicable assessment will normally be deferred. See ‘Details of reassessment’ for the form that assessment usually takes. When deferral occurs there is ordinarily no change to the overall weighting of that assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to  take a referral viva voce exam.  Only your performance in this viva will count towards your final module grade. Referral assessments assess ILOs (i.e. skills, knowledge and understanding) from across the module. A module grade of 40% will be awarded if the viva is passed.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages Course: (INT3617) Global Issues (exeter.ac.uk)

Key words search

Global issues, current issues, current affairs