PIM110: NATO Strategy, 1949 to the present

Module code: PIM110

Module provider: Graduate Institute for Politics and International Studies

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Kenton White, email: kenton.white@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 5 August 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module focusses on NATO’s Strategic Concepts which have developed since NATO was formed in 1949. Students will understand and assess the applicability of the concepts to the relevant time periods. Where necessary the module draws on historical examples to illustrate the concepts and their applicability. 

This module will cover the development and execution of NATO’s strategic concepts from its inception in 1949 to the present day. These concepts will be compared both to the prevailing security environment and the assumed capability of the identified opponents. Students will understand the reasons for the creation of particular concepts and their alterations. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Develop an in-depth knowledge of NATO strategic concepts and the reasons for their creation
2. Understand NATO’s position during and after the Cold War
3. Understand the reasons for NATO's survival after the end of the Cold War
4. Recognise NATO's role in the current geopolitical environment

Module content

• Explore the creation of NATO’s range of strategic concepts 
• Assess the practicality and usefulness of the concepts and their associated measures 
• Identify the most important aspects of NATO strategic concepts 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will be taught by two-hour seminars. These will be structured around the core themes of threat and capabilities analysis from which NATO derived its strategic concepts. Students are expected to read widely and be familiar with related texts and NATO documents. Students are also expected to research and understand the relevant historical events around which NATO’s concepts were and are developed.

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• Report preparation 
• Seminar discussion 

Reassessment

Additional costs