Mentor's Seminar "International Politics of Eurasia"

Master 2024/2025

Type: Compulsory course (Comparative Politics of Eurasia)

Area of studies: Political Science

Delivered by: Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Where: Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences

When: 2 year, 1-3 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Andrey Starodubtsev

Master’s programme: Comparative Politics of Eurasia

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

Full Syllabus

Abstract

This mentor’s seminar will help students of the educational trajectory “International Politics of Eurasia” to design and follow their individual curricula. It will provide organizational space and individualized support for formulating key learning outcomes in accordance with the trajectory’s focus and individual learning outcomes in order to better reflect career-related needs of each student. The mentor will be guiding students through the selection of courses and helping them in identifying potential research topics and suitable supervisors for term paper and MA thesis.

Learning Objectives

To help students of the educational trajectory “International Politics of Eurasia” to design and follow their individual curricula.

Expected Learning Outcomes

formulates individual learning outcomes
builds a career-related educational trajectory
identifies steps necessary to achieve key learning outcomes
identifies appropriate topics for individual research work, formulates research goals and tasks, produces suitable research planning
evaluates progress in achievement of individual learning outcomes
evaluates progress in achievement of key learning outcomes

Course Contents

Introduction. Trajectory Overview. Key Learning Outcomes. Individual Learning Outcomes.
Research work. Term paper and MA thesis. Advice on research supervision.
Monitoring of progress. Adjustments and further planning.
Individual feedback and evaluation.

Assessment Elements

Progress paper
Throughout the course, the student keeps a diary (progress paper), in which: 1. formulates the main goals of his or her training and the tasks by which these goals can be achieved; 2. prescribes the main achievements on the way to achieving the goals, the difficulties and challenges and ways to solve them. The progress paper is conducted online and is assessed by the instructor at the end of each module.
MA thesis draft
Participation

Interim Assessment

2023/2024 2nd module
0.25 * Participation + 0.25 * Participation + 0.75 * Progress paper + 0.75 * Progress paper
2023/2024 4th module
0.25 * Participation + 0.25 * Participation + 0.75 * Progress paper + 0.75 * Progress paper
2024/2025 2nd module
0.25 * Participation + 0.25 * Participation + 0.75 * Progress paper + 0.75 * Progress paper
2024/2025 3rd module
0.75 * MA thesis draft + 0.75 * MA thesis draft + 0.1 * Participation + 0.1 * Participation + 0.15 * Progress paper + 0.15 * Progress paper

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Broms, R., & de Fine Licht, J. (2019). Preparing political science students for a non-academic career: Experiences from a novel course module. Politics, 39(4), 514–526. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263395719828651
Eco, U., Farina, G., & Mongiat Farina, C. (2015). How to Write a Thesis. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=963778
Luigi Curini, & Robert Franzese. (2020). The SAGE Handbook of Research Methods in Political Science and International Relations. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Ostergard, R. L., & Gordon Fisher, S. B. (2017). Kickstarting Your Academic Career : Skills to Succeed in the Social Sciences. University of Toronto Press, Higher Education Division.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Ahram, A. I., Köllner, P., & Sil, R. (2018). Comparative Area Studies : Methodological Rationales and Cross-Regional Applications. New York, NY, United States of America: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1666244
Christian Reus-Smit, & Duncan Snidal. (2010). The Oxford Handbook of International Relations: Vol. [Paperback edition.]. OUP Oxford.
Ştefuriuc, I. (2009). Introduction: Building an Academic Profile – Considerations for Graduate Students Embarking on an Academic Career in Political Science in Europe. European Political Science, 8(2), 138–142. https://doi.org/10.1057/eps.2009.6
Stenken, J. A., & Zajicek, A. M. (2010). The importance of asking, mentoring and building networks for academic career success - a personal and social science perspective. Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry, 396(2), 541–546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-009-3275-x

Authors

STARODUBTSEV Andrei VLADIMIROVICH

Course Syllabus