Assessment is based on applied writing, one in-class crisis simulation, and a final portfolio submitted during the Registrar-scheduled final assessment window.

1) Participation & in-class labs/discussion (15%)
Ongoing. Includes preparation, discussion, and completion of in-class analytic artifacts. A great mark comes from consistent preparation and contributions that improve the class’s collective analysis. This includes demonstrating careful reading, asking informed questions,
and translating technical constraints into institutional and political realities.
2) Policy Analysis Brief (10%)
2–3 pages analyzing one policy/strategy document (problem definition, instruments, trade-offs, enforceability, and evidence). Due Fri 13 Feb 2026, 5:00pm. A great mark comes from disciplined, document-centered analysis. Your job is to make a policy/strategy document intelligible as a policy instrument: what it claims to solve, what it actually does, how it expects compliance, what it assumes about technology, and where its implementation risks are.
3) Policy Memo (20%)
4–6 pages, decision-grade memo (options, recommendation, implementation, risks). Due Fri 13 Mar 2026, 5:00pm. A great mark comes from writing like a practitioner: a clear problem statement, a small number of plausible options, explicit trade-offs, a justified recommendation, and an implementation pathway that takes politics and capacity seriously. Your memo should be concise, evidence based, and explicit about uncertainty.

4) Simulation: Undersea Infrastructure Crisis + After-Action Memo (20%)
In-class crisis simulation (Week 11) + 2-page memo (individual). After-Action Memo due Fri 10 Apr 2026, 5:00pm. A great mark comes from disciplined crisis reasoning: prioritizing under uncertainty, managing escalation risks, and communicating clearly under time pressure. The After-Action Memo should explain (i) what you did and why, (ii) what you learned about alliance politics and escalation management, and (iii) what you would do differently.

5) Final Portfolio (Alternative Final Assessment) (35%)
Portfolio package (analysis + risk register + feasibility/cost note + briefing slides). Due during the Registrar-scheduled final exam
slot for INTA 4050 (time TBA when posted; currently expected Mon 4 May 2026, 6–8.50pm)A great mark comes from integration, professionalism, and decision-readiness. It requires multiple complementary artifacts rather than a single essay. Your portfolio must include:
• Core analysis (4–6 pages): problem, stakes, options, recommendation, implementation.
• Risk register (1 page): top risks, likelihood/impact, mitigations, residual risk.
• Feasibility / cost note (1–2 pages): timeline, dependencies, who pays, what breaks.
• Briefing slides (5–7 slides): decision-ready summary that is targeted and inviting both in terms of content and presentation, crafted with your (imaginary) audience of senior decisionmakers in mind.

6) How your final course grade is calculated
Your course grade is computed as a weighted average of the five components listed above.
Each component is graded on a 0–100 scale, multiplied by its weight, and then summed to
produce a final percentage out of 100.
• Participation & in-class work: 15%
• Policy Analysis Brief: 10%
• Policy Memo: 20%
• Simulation + After-Action Memo: 20%
• Final Portfolio (Alternative Final Assessment): 35%
Your final grade will be assigned as a letter grade according to the following scale:
A 90–100%
B 80–89%
C 70–79%
D 60–69%
F 0–59%
Key due dates
PLEASE NOTE: These are hard deadlines.
• Fri 13 Feb 2026, 5:00pm: Policy Analysis Brief due
• Fri 13 Mar 2026, 5:00pm: Policy Memo due
• Mon 6 Apr 2026 (in class): Undersea Infrastructure Crisis Simulation
• Fri 10 Apr 2026, 5:00pm: Simulation After-Action Memo due
• Registrar-scheduled final exam slot (TBA): Final Portfolio due (currently expected Mon 4 May
2026, 6–8.50pm, but please double-check)

Late work, extensions, and unexpected events
Deadlines are part of the learning design in this course: they help you plan, help me grade fairly, and keep the class moving together. If something disrupts your ability to meet a deadline, please email me as soon as reasonably possible (ideally before the deadline) with a brief description of the situation and a proposed plan.
Extensions. I can often grant short extensions for good-faith reasons when requested in advance. In most cases, I will ask for documentation. You do not need to share sensitive details; when documentation is requested, a brief note from an appropriate authority (e.g., Student Health Services, a medical provider, the Dean of Students, or an accessibility/academic support office) confirming the situation is sufficient.
Late submissions. Unless an extension is approved, late work will receive a penalty of 5 percentage points per 24 hours (including weekends), up to 72 hours. After 72 hours, the assignment will receive a zero, except in cases of documented emergencies or official accommodations.
Final portfolio. The Final Portfolio is the course’s alternative final assessment and must be submitted during the Registrar-scheduled final assessment window (see syllabus). Late finalportfolio submissions can only be accepted in line with Institute policy and official accommodations.

Attendance and Class participation (20%)

Attendance is required and students must complete the assigned readings before class in order to participate in class activities. Absences will count against students’ participation score. The class participation mark will be based on attendance AND the quality of your in-class oral comments as well as on the quality of your performance on written exercises that will be handed to you in class.

Religious Holy Days: Students who anticipate being absent from classes or miss the assignment deadlines due to religious observance should inform me by the end of the second week. Please note that assignment dates are fixed and no make-ups will be offered without an official/medical letter explaining your situation. For all other missed deadlines, I reserve the right to penalize your grades by 10% a day. 

In class presentations, worksheets, and quizzes (25%)

Worksheets: Throughout the course, students will participate in different in- class activities, including discussions, small group projects and case analyses. In some of those activities, students will be required to complete written worksheets. There are three possible grades for the worksheets: check plus, check minus and 0. The lowest worksheet score will be dropped.

Quizzes: Students might be asked to complete several quizzes throughout the course. These short quizzes will have two short answer questions related to the readings for the class.

Presentation: Students will be asked to sign up for at least one class, for which they will present an analysis of the readings at the beginning of the class. They will present for 10 minutes and guide a 20 minute discussion following their presentation. 

Midterm Exam 1 (25%)

This midterm exam will take place on February 26, 2025. More details will be provided before the exam.

Final Research Project and Presentation: (20%+10%): Research project aims to train students for a successful career in academia, journalism, and policy circles. You must get a confirmation from me for your country case, research question, literature research and presentation date no later than the third week of the course. I will give more details on the research project in the class.

The project involves students working on a topic involving an approved topic of their choosing. Each student is required to do:

1. A details one-page plan of their research topic (5 points)
2. 5-page paper single space on their topic (15 points)
   • Final paper due by email 11:59pm on April 20.
3. Present their topic in class (7-10 minute presentation; 5 minus Q&A) (10 points)
   • Presentations will take place the last day of classs.
   • Powerpoint recommended 

 Grading Scale: 100-90 A⏐89-80 B⏐79-70 C⏐69-60 D⏐59-0 F

Grade Change Policy

Legitimate requests for grade changes are welcome. However, you should resist the temptation to file a frivolous request just hoping to “get lucky”. Simple computational or clerical errors should be brought to the professor’s attention immediately. Otherwise requests for grade changes must: i) be submitted in writing either electronically or in hard copy, ii) be submitted within 7 days of receiving the graded assignment, and iii) be no longer than 600 words and no shorter than 150 words. Requests for grade changes should identify what was required in the assignment, describe precisely how these requirements were fulfilled at a level above the received grade and address any relevant comments written by the professor on the graded assignment (if applicable) and explain why they do not apply. Note that grade changes requests can result in re-grades both up or down (or left unchanged). That is, if the greater scrutiny demanded by a grade change request reveals your assignment to deserve a lower grade than previously awarded, then the lower grade may be assigned.

Case Worksheets (6) 30%

Current Issues Presentation 15%

Participation (in-class) 20%

Final Individual Essay (4–5 pages) 20%

Final Group Presentation 15%

Participation is based entirely on in-person engagement, including discussion, small-group work, simulations, and presentations.

Your final grade will be assigned as a letter grade according to the following scale: 

A  90-100% 

B  80-89% 

C  70-79% 

D  60-69% 

F 0-59% 

Your final grade will be assigned as a letter grade according to the following scale:

A 90-100%

B 80-89%

C 70-79%

D 60-69%

F 0-59%

A = 100-90; B = 89-80; C = 79-70; D = 69-60; F = 59 and below. Mid-term grades or progress reports will be listed as S = Satisfactory, meaning 70 and above, or U = Unsatisfactory, indicating a grade below 70. If you are taking the class Pass/Fail, then the same mid-term grade standard will also be applied for a final grade of “S” = Satisfactory as well.

Assignment

Weight (Percentage, points, etc.)

(2) Analytical Paper

25%

(3) Guided Response Papers

25%

(1) Policy Brief 

25%

(1) Op-Ed 

25%

Grading Scale

Your final grade will be assigned as a letter grade according to the following scale:

A          90-100%

B          80-89%

C         70-79%

D         60-69%

F          0-59%

Submitting Assignments

All assignments (homework, knowledge checks, exams etc.) must be completed and submitted within the Canvas. Sending assignments (homework, knowledge checks, exams etc.), whether early, on time, or late to the professors is not permitted and will not be accepted.  If there are technical issues, please notify the help desk, as well as the professor immediately.

Assignment Due Dates

All assignments will be due at the times listed above. These times are subject to change so please check back often. Please convert from Eastern Time to your local time zone using a Time Zone Converter.

Late and Make-up Work Policy

Late work will be marked down by one letter grade and an additional letter grade every 24 hours after it is late.

A = 100-90; B = 89-80; C = 79-70; D = 69-60; F = 59 and below. Mid-term grades or progress reports will be listed as S = Satisfactory, meaning 70 and above, or U = Unsatisfactory, indicating a grade below 70. If you are taking the class Pass/Fail, then the same mid-term grade standard will also be applied for a final grade of “S” = Satisfactory as well. 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Research Paper, Projects, Participation, and Grades:

40% - Research Paper. The course requires a 15-20-page, double-spaced research paper (not an essay). The study should examine a research question of your choosing related to any one of the syllabus’s four modules or their subtopics. (Portions of paper are due throughout the course).

25% - A 20-minute presentation/critical analysis of an assigned reading for that class.

35% - In-class learning activities and a major in-class group project. The major project requires students to choose a technology (sample list provided), trace and compare its evolution in two countries alongside regulatory regimes and other institutions from creation to adoption or displacement. Your group will then present your findings to the class. Groups will be formed during the class prior to the first day of the project. These elements comprise your participation grade. All views are welcome as we all learn from each other’s insights.

Extra Credit - A 5-minute report/presentation on the latest technology/regulatory news. The report should define the technology/regulation, explain why it is important, identify risks, and anticipate how it might impact society (both positively and negatively).

Special Note: The instructor reserves the right to change session topics, project due dates, and assignments throughout the semester.  However, students will be given adequate notice of changes.

You will be graded on a variety of work and your participation. The expectation is you will ask questions, participate in discussions based on lecture material and assigned readings. The rest of your grade will be assigned based on your performance across three assignments. 1) We will discuss how to review and evaluate an academic paper. You will find an academic paper relevant to the study of technology and/or WMD and write a 2 page evaluation. We will discuss what the evaluation consists of and what the specific grading criteria for the assignment will be several weeks ahead of it being due. 2) There will be a midterm that will consist of an in-class multiple choice portion tentatively set for 19 Feb and a take-home portion of four short answer and/or essay questions. The take home portion of the midterm will be distributed (via Canvas) on 23 Feb and be due via email to me before 5pm on 27 Feb. The midterm date may change based on how the class progresses. We will discuss this during the first few weeks and finalize the date well ahead. 3) Lastly, you will have a final paper and grad students will also have a presentation. The final paper is due during finals week, and grad students will also need to prepare a presentation related to their paper that will happen during the last few class periods. The topic will need to be approved by me. We will discuss the specific form and criteria for the final paper during the first few weeks of class. I will require an outline of your final paper to be submitted, likely by week 10 of class, to ensure you are on track to complete the final paper/presentation.

Assignment

Date

Weight

Participation and attendance

Ongoing

20%

Academic Article Critique

Before class 27 March

25%

Combination in-class and take home midterm 

Due Before Class 19 Feb (tentatively scheduled)

30%

Final Paper/presentation

Paper Due During Finals Week, grad presentations during the last few class periods

25%

Extra Credit Opportunities

During the semester, there may be opportunities for extra credit. For example, these opportunities could consist of attending local events or lectures pertinent to course topics and presenting your experience and what you learned to class via a short briefing. This sort of extra credit or other extra credit opportunities will be offered at my sole discretion.

Grading Scale

Your final grade will be assigned as a letter grade according to the following scale:

A

90-100%

B

80-89%

C

70-79%

D

60-69%

F

0-59%

Each class assignment will be given a grade on scale above and weighted accordingly to produce your final grade for the class. We will discuss the grading criteria associated with each assignment in the first few classes and well ahead of due dates.