POLS301 Political Philosophy
POLS301 Political Philosophy
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 discusses key concepts in political philosophy through the works of major political thinkers, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau. Students will explore core ideas such as the state of nature, social contract and emergence of government, justifying the state, tacit consent, hypothetical consent, general will, social change, public administration and direct and representative democracy. Emphasis is placed on understanding how these theoretical frameworks have shaped modern political institutions and debates.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Michael J. White. (2003). Political Philosophy: An Historical Introduction. Oxford: Oneword.
Additional Literature
A. R. M. Murray. (2010). An Introduction to Political Philosophy. Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd Richard G. Stevens. (2013). Political Philosophy. Cambridge: University Press Dudley Knowles. (2001). Political Philosophy. Routledge: LondonTeaching Methods
This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing
Written assignments
Presentations
Essays
Group debates and pop quiz.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course Introduction | |
| 2 | The Nature and Origin of Political Philosophy | ch. 1 (pp. 1-8) |
| 3 | Classical Greek Political Philosophy: Beginnings | ch. 2 (pp. 12-19) |
| 4 | The Ideal State: Plato's Republic | ch. 3 (pp. 23-33) |
| 5 | Politics as the Master Art: Aristotle's Politics | ch. 4 (pp. 36-55) |
| 6 | Politics for Saints and Sinners: St. Augustine and Aquinas | ch. 5 and 6 (pp. 57-92) |
| 7 | MIDTERM EXAM AND ITS PREPARATION | |
| 8 | Elements of Islamic and Jewish Medieval Political Thought | Assigned Reading |
| 9 | The Science of Government: Nicollo Machiavelli's The Prince | ch. 6 (pp. 54-61) (Murray) |
| 10 | Theory of the Rational State: Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan | ch. 7 (pp. 118-144) |
| 11 | Theory of the Moral State: John Locke's Two Treatises | ch. 7 (pp. 118-144) |
| 12 | Theory of the General Will: Jean Jacques Rousseau's 2nd Discourse & Social Contract | ch. 8 (pp. 160-181) |
| 13 | The Utilitarian Theory: John Stuart Mill's Considerations on Representative Government | Ch. 12 (pp. 109-123) (Murray) |
| 14 | Presentations | |
| 15 | COURSE REVISION AND FINAL EXAM PREPARATION |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POLS301.1 | Course | Thursday 12:00 - 14:50 | B F2.4 | - | - |
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 5 6
Group Research and Panel
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4 5
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 4
Video Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4 6
Participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 6
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
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Group Research and Panel
6 hours ⏳ (2 week × 3 h)
Participation
14 hours ⏳ (7 week × 2 h)
Home Study
28 hours ⏳ (14 week × 2 h)
Mid-term Exam Study
17 hours ⏳ (1 week × 17 h)
Final Exam Study
23 hours ⏳ (1 week × 23 h)
Video Presentation
20 hours ⏳ (2 week × 10 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 [POLS301] 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 | |||||||||
| POLS301 | Political Philosophy | 3 | 1 | 6 | THUR 12:00-15:00 | |||||
| Prerequisite | POLS101 | It is a prerequisite to | POLS302 | |||||||
| 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 discusses key concepts in political philosophy through the works of major political thinkers, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau. Students will explore core ideas such as the state of nature, social contract and emergence of government, justifying the state, tacit consent, hypothetical consent, general will, social change, public administration and direct and representative democracy. Emphasis is placed on understanding how these theoretical frameworks have shaped modern political institutions and debates. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Michael J. White. (2003). Political Philosophy: An Historical Introduction. Oxford: Oneword. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing, written assignments, presentations, essays, group debates and pop quiz. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Online | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course Introduction | |||||||||
| Week 2 | The Nature and Origin of Political Philosophy | ch. 1 (pp. 1-8) | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Classical Greek Political Philosophy: Beginnings | ch. 2 (pp. 12-19) | ||||||||
| Week 4 | The Ideal State: Plato's Republic | ch. 3 (pp. 23-33) | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Politics as the Master Art: Aristotle's Politics | ch. 4 (pp. 36-55) | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Politics for Saints and Sinners: St. Augustine and Aquinas | ch. 5 and 6 (pp. 57-92) | ||||||||
| Week 7 | MIDTERM EXAM AND ITS PREPARATION | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Elements of Islamic and Jewish Medieval Political Thought | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 9 | The Science of Government: Nicollo Machiavelli's The Prince | ch. 6 (pp. 54-61) (Murray) | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Theory of the Rational State: Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan | ch. 7 (pp. 118-144) | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Theory of the Moral State: John Locke's Two Treatises | ch. 7 (pp. 118-144) | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Theory of the General Will: Jean Jacques Rousseau's 2nd Discourse & Social Contract | ch. 8 (pp. 160-181) | ||||||||
| Week 13 | The Utilitarian Theory: John Stuart Mill's Considerations on Representative Government | Ch. 12 (pp. 109-123) (Murray) | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Presentations | |||||||||
| Week 15 | COURSE REVISION AND FINAL EXAM PREPARATION | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Group Research and Panel | 1 | 20 | 3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 20 | 1,2,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Video Presentation | 1 | 10 | 3,4,6 | Not Allowed | |
| Participation | 1 | 10 | 3,6 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 14 | 42 | Group Research and Panel | 3 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Participation | 2 | 7 | 14 | Home Study | 2 | 14 | 28 | |||
| Mid-term Exam Study | 17 | 1 | 17 | Final Exam Study | 23 | 1 | 23 | |||
| Video Presentation | 10 | 2 | 20 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 24/03/2026 | |||||||||