POLS303 Survey of Political History
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Political Science and International Relations
Muhidin Mulalić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course provides a survey of political and diplomatic history from ancient times to the modern era. It examines the evolution of political institutions, state formation, and interstate relations, with emphasis on major treaties, alliances, and conventions. Students will explore transformative events such as the rise of nation-states, the Age of Revolutions, the Congress of Vienna, the World Wars, the Cold War, and contemporary European integration, drawing on key historical interpretations, including those of Eric Hobsbawm. The course highlights how diplomacy and different political developments have shaped the Western world.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Hobsbawm, Eric. (1996). The Age of Revolution: 1789-1848. New York: Vintage Books; Campbell, Heather M. (2009). The Britannica Guide to Political and Social Movements That Changed the Modern World. New York: Rosen Education Service.
Additional Literature
Campbell, Heather M. (2009). The Britannica Guide to Political and Social Movements That Changed the Modern World. New York: Rosen Education Service. Albert M. Craig, William A. Graham, Donald Kagan ... [et al.] (2006), The Heritage of World Civilizations. Combined Volume. 7th Edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J.Teaching Methods
The teaching methods will include lecturing
Student presentations
Class discussions
And debates.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syllabus Distribution and Introduction | |
| 2 | The World in the 1780s | Hobsbawm, Chapter 1 |
| 3 | The Industrial Revolution | Hobsbawm, Chapter 2, |
| 4 | The French Revolution | Hobsbawm, Chapter 3 |
| 5 | War and Peace | Hobsbawm, Chapters 4 & 5 |
| 6 | Revolutions and Nationalism | Hobsbawm, Chapter 6 & 7 |
| 7 | Lands & Towards an Industrial World | Hobsbawm, Chapter 8 & 9 |
| 8 | Midterm Week | |
| 9 | The Career Open to Talent & The Labouring Poor | Hobsbawm, Chapter 10 & 11 |
| 10 | Ideology: Religion | Hobsbawm, Chapter 12 |
| 11 | Ideology: Secular | Hobsbawm, Chapter 13 |
| 12 | The Arts & Sciences | Hobsbawm, Chapter 14 & 15 |
| 13 | Towards the 19th Century | Hobsbawm, Chapter 16 |
| 14 | Nationalism Today | Campbell, Chapter 8 |
| 15 | Review |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 09:00 - 13:00 | B F2.24 | |
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 13:00 | B F2.24 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2
Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Attendance and Participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Movie Review
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Presentation
6 hours ⏳ (1 week × 6 h)
Home Study
44 hours ⏳ (11 week × 4 h)
Midterm Exam Study
28 hours ⏳ (7 week × 4 h)
Final Exam Study
20 hours ⏳ (1 week × 20 h)
Movie Review
7 hours ⏳ (1 week × 7 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [POLS303] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| POLS303 | Survey of Political History | 3 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | Junior Standing | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Muhidin Mulalić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 9:00-13:00 Wednesday: 9:00-13:00 |
|||||||
| mmulalic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course provides a survey of political and diplomatic history from ancient times to the modern era. It examines the evolution of political institutions, state formation, and interstate relations, with emphasis on major treaties, alliances, and conventions. Students will explore transformative events such as the rise of nation-states, the Age of Revolutions, the Congress of Vienna, the World Wars, the Cold War, and contemporary European integration, drawing on key historical interpretations, including those of Eric Hobsbawm. The course highlights how diplomacy and different political developments have shaped the Western world. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Hobsbawm, Eric. (1996). The Age of Revolution: 1789-1848. New York: Vintage Books; Campbell, Heather M. (2009). The Britannica Guide to Political and Social Movements That Changed the Modern World. New York: Rosen Education Service. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
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| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
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| Teaching Methods | The teaching methods will include lecturing, student presentations, class discussions, and debates. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Syllabus Distribution and Introduction | |||||||||
| Week 2 | The World in the 1780s | Hobsbawm, Chapter 1 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | The Industrial Revolution | Hobsbawm, Chapter 2, | ||||||||
| Week 4 | The French Revolution | Hobsbawm, Chapter 3 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | War and Peace | Hobsbawm, Chapters 4 & 5 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Revolutions and Nationalism | Hobsbawm, Chapter 6 & 7 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Lands & Towards an Industrial World | Hobsbawm, Chapter 8 & 9 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm Week | |||||||||
| Week 9 | The Career Open to Talent & The Labouring Poor | Hobsbawm, Chapter 10 & 11 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Ideology: Religion | Hobsbawm, Chapter 12 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Ideology: Secular | Hobsbawm, Chapter 13 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | The Arts & Sciences | Hobsbawm, Chapter 14 & 15 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Towards the 19th Century | Hobsbawm, Chapter 16 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Nationalism Today | Campbell, Chapter 8 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Review | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2 | Not Allowed | |
| Presentation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Attendance and Participation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Movie Review | 1 | 10 | 1 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Presentation | 6 | 1 | 6 | |||
| Home Study | 4 | 11 | 44 | Midterm Exam Study | 4 | 7 | 28 | |||
| Final Exam Study | 20 | 1 | 20 | Movie Review | 7 | 1 | 7 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||