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Semester 2

Model United Nations (PLIT10155)

Subject

Politics

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

3

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Visiting students must have completed 4 Politics courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses, and we cannot consider interdisciplinary courses or courses without sufficient Politics/Government/International Relations focus. **Please see Additional Restrictions below**

Course Summary

Model United Nations will teach students about the United Nations and its negotiation processes in a simulation environment. Each student researches a country's political positions and learns to represent these in formal speeches and informal negotiations while following standard UN conference protocol. Upon completing the course, students will be able to evaluate and articulate different countries' positions, know the structures and processes of the United Nations, analyse issues from a member state perspective, and understand and competently use the rules of procedure, diplomatic protocol, and negotiating techniques common to UN delegates.

Course Description

For over 70 years, simulations of the United Nations have increased awareness and knowledge of UN institutions and processes and brought together students from all continents. The Model UN course is designed to acquaint students with the operations of, and issues affecting, the United Nations through the study of political positions of member states. Students research their chosen country's political positions and learn to represent these in negotiations while following standard UN conference protocol. **The course develops a deeper understanding of the UN itself and the challenges it faces, but also of the dynamics of how member states interact with each other and the institution. Because it is a simulation course at its core, students will role-play diplomats engaging in formal and informal negotiations, and thus build core soft skills such as background research, speechwriting, public speaking, negotiation, and grounded improvisation. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to evaluate and articulate different countries' foreign policies, know the structures and procedures of the United Nations, analyse issues currently before the UN from a member state perspective, and understand and competently use the rules of procedure, diplomatic protocol, and negotiating techniques common to UN delegates. **Half of the weekly sessions will consist of simulation exercises, during which we follow conference protocol as students hold speeches representing 'their' country and engage in informal negotiations with others on a predetermined topic or react to previously unknown crisis situations. The other half of the sessions will prepare the simulations by teaching students the rules of procedure, basics of speechwriting, writing of position papers, and negotiation techniques, among other topics. **The course does not require prior experience with Model UN simulations.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

Additional Restrictions

Unless you are nominated on a Politics exchange agreement, visiting students are only permitted to enrol in one Politics course each, per semester, before the start of the relevant semester’s welcome period – and spaces on each course are limited so cannot be guaranteed for any student. Enrolment in a second Politics course will depend on whether there are still spaces available in the January Welcome Period, and cannot be guaranteed. It is NOT appropriate for students to contact staff within this subject area to ask for an exception to be made; all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. This is due to the limited number of spaces available in this very popular subject area.

view the timetable and further details for this course