course-details-portlet

POL2025

America in the World

Choose study year
Credits 15
Level Intermediate course, level II
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement Assignment and school exam

About

About the course

Course content

The course discusses the USA's role in the world as a great power. It identifies factors that account for the USA's dominant position in world society and which influence US relations with other countries. While the course focuses on contemporary US foreign policy, it also examines US history and culture as necessary for understanding the sources of US foreign policy behavior.

Learning outcome

Knowledge - the student shall:

  • know the history of the USA and its political system
  • have knowledge of the forces behind the foreign policy of the USA

Skills - the student shall demonstrate the ability to:

  • use theory to shed light on current issues in American foreign and domestic policies
  • demonstrate independence in the preparation of a semester assignment which fulfills the criteria for scientific writing.

Learning methods and activities

4 hours of lectures/seminars per week throughout the semester.

Compulsory assignments

  • Participation in compulsory part of seminar activities

Further on evaluation

Form of assessment: Assignment/paper and a 3-hour school exam. Length of paper: approximately 4500 words (worth 60% of the grade). The school exam is worth 40% of the grade. If you fail or want to re-take the exam, you can either re-take one or both evaluation forms.

Course materials

To be decided at the start of the course.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
POL2020 7.5 sp Autumn 2020
This course has academic overlap with the course in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Social Studies
  • Social Sciences
  • Political Science

Contact information

Course coordinator

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Sociology and Political Science

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: Assignment and school exam
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

School exam
Weighting 40/100 Examination aids Code E Duration 3 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room
The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.
Assignment
Weighting 60/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

School exam
Weighting 40/100 Examination aids Code E Duration 3 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room
The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.
Assignment
Weighting 60/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment