Global and Regional Governance, 15 Credits

Contents

The purpose of the course is to provide a general overview and specialization in the field of global and regional governance with a particular emphasis on multi-level governance. The course aims at developing knowledge and competence relevant to employment at various administrative levels in Sweden as well as abroad. The course also prepares the students for further academic studies at the Ph.D. level.
 
The course contains advanced literature studies, investigative work, scientific analysis, and empirical case studies.
 
The course consists of two parts of equal length. The first part focuses on contemporary theories of globalization, regionalization and multilevel governance. As this implies, it addresses changes in the governing of the traditional nation-state and its democratic structures. Other themes are regional integration and governance of sustainable development. The second part is a case study of governance, public administration, politics and development in China.

Expected learning outcomes

After the course students are expected to be able to show that they can

• describe and compare institutions and processes for global and regional governance,
• discuss and compare how various theories define, understand and analyze governance,
• describe and discuss different perspectives on governance, including governance at the international level, regional integration, and governance of sustainable development,
• define and operationalize relevant concepts, and
• think critically and constructively regarding various scientific perspectives.

For these purposes, the student shall have

• use relevant concepts to complete written and oral assignments and present these analyses in written as well as oral form,
• identify, collect, and work with empirical as well as theoretical material relevant to carrying out the course assignments,
• analyze the specific conditions at hand for governance, public administration, politics and development in China.

Required Knowledge

90 credits in Political Science, Peace and Conflict Studies or equivalent.Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish Upper Secondary course English A. Where the language of instruction is Swedish, applicants must prove proficiency in Swedish to the level required for basic eligibility for higher studies.

Form of instruction

The course is to a large extent based on self-instruction by the student. In addition, lectures and seminars are conducted with the main intention to help the student in his/her own reading. During the first part of the course there will be literature seminars focusing on central themes addressed during the course, including governance at the international level, governance at the regional level, and governance of sustainable development. The seminars are mandatory and will require the student to make oral presentations and written assignments. The second part of the course on Chinese politics and public administration also include mandatory seminars that require oral presentations and written assignments. The course is concluded with an individual final essay that brings together the two course modules.

Examination modes

The course is examined in two ways. First, it is examined through seminars where the student shall make presentations of different conclusions both in oral and written form. These seminars are mandatory and will be graded Fail (U) or Pass (G). In order to be awarded a final grade on the course it is required that the student has been granted a passing grade on all seminars. Second, the student is required to write an individual final essay. This essay is graded Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with distinction (VG).
 
The final grade is awarded first when all mandatory assignments are passed. The grade scale for the entire course is Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with distinction (VG). In order to be awarded Pass (G) as the final grade the student shall have been granted Pass (G) on all seminars and on the final essay. In order to be awarded Pass with distinction (VG) as the final grade the student shall have been granted Pass (G) on all seminars and Pass with distinction (VG) on the final essay.

General rules regarding examination
A student who does not meet the requirements to pass an examination can, if decided by the course instructor, be given a complementary assignment to reach the requirements to pass the examination. The complementary assignment can be individually modified to the specific requirements that the student has failed to reach, but the assignment must be of corresponding proportion to the original examination.
 
Ordinarily, the complementary assignment is given at the end of the course or when the grades at the original examination is announced. When the student has been given the complementary assignment, he/she should finish the assignment within ten days (not including weekends and holidays). If the student fail to finish the assignment within the required time, a new complementary assignment can only be given the next time the course is arranged, or during the two weeks of re-take exams the Department arranges every year during week 34 and 35.
 
If it is not possible to do complementary assignments (if so, it is stated next to each individual examination above), the student is required to do a re-take exam. The first re-take exam should be given two months after the original examination, at the latest, but no sooner than ten days after the grade on the original examination has been given (not including weekends and holidays). If the examination is given during May or June, the first re-take exam should be given no later than three months after the original examination. Two weeks of re-take exams are also arranged every year, which means complementary assignments are treated during this time independently of when the course was given. These weeks are arranged during week 34 and 35.
 
Students who fail an examination may retake that examination. A student has the right to request a new examiner if he/she fails two sub-course examinations (i.e. an examination and a re-take). In such cases students should contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies (Studierektor). Examination in accordance with the same syllabus as during the original examination can be guaranteed for up to two years after the student’s first registration.

Transfer of Credits
Students who wish to transfer credits from other Departments or universities (Swedish or foreign) should do so in accordance to the Principal's decision “Tillgodoräknandeordning vid Umeå universitet (Dnr. 545-3317-02)”.

The application must be submitted in written form. The request should specify which module or course the request applies to. An official transcript should also be submitted. The transcript must include the following information: where and when the course was given, the discipline and level of the course, total course credits and grade received. A syllabus describing the course and a list of required readings should be submitted with the request. Where applicable, written research papers should also be submitted.
 
Upon completion of this course, the credits can be transferred to a selective course. However it is always the responsible Department or program that determines the possibility for credit transfers and the extent of the credit transfer. The student should therefore always contact the responsible Department or program before submitting an application for credit transfers.

Other regulations

A written and anonymous course evaluation is given at the end of the course. During the course an oral evaluation is also arranged, and the student can also anonymously submit thoughts and opinions in digital form.