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The IR Major (Class of 2027)

Requirements*

To graduate with a B.A. in International Relations, you must take fourteen (14) C.U.s. There are three components to the IR Major:

  • The core curriculumn: In the core curriculum, students are introduced to the academic disciplines that are foundational to the study of international relations: Politics, Economics, and History.
  • The electives in the major: With the 7 or 8 elective courses in the major, students develop exertise in their chosen concentration in international relations.
  • Research methods and capstone paper or senior thesis: In their junior year, students are required to take a course on research methods, which prepares them for the task of researching and writing their capstone paper or senior thesis.

* This curriculum is being offered to the class of 2027 as an initial trial. We will review the success of the new revised curriculum, and evaluate it's continuance or any further modification.

 

The Core Curriculum (4 C.U.s)

  • PSCI 0400: Introduction to International Relations (Students MUST take this course prior to their senior year.)
  • International History (Choose 2 from courses with AIRH or AHCD attribute):
    • HIST 1190: American Diplomatic History Since 1776
    • HIST 1191: U.S. Empire in the 20th Century
    • HIST 1270: World War I
    • HIST 1550: East Asian Diplomacy
    • HIST 1735: Cold War - Global History
    • HIST 1785: American Expansion in the Pacific
    • HIST 3920: European Diplomatic History 1789 –1914
    • HIST 3921: European and the World Since 1914
    • Any course that has been tagged with the AIRH or AHCD course attribute.
  • ECON 0500: International Economics OR PSCI 1402: International Political Economy
    • Students double-majoring in Economics may use the ECON 4510: International Trade; and ECON 4520: International Finance to fulfill this requirement. In that case, one will count towards the International Economics core requirement, and the other may be used to satisfy the IPE elective requirement.

 

Non-Honors Curriculum

  • Electives (8 C.U.s)
    • International Political Economy Elective (1 C.U.): Coded with course attribute AIRP
    • Foreign Policy / Security Elective (1 C.U.): Coded with course attribute AIRS
    • Free Electives (6 C.U.s): Coded with attributes AIRE, AIRH, AIRN, AIRP, AIRS
  • INTR 3500: Research Methods. This course will prepare you for the task of completing your senior capstone paper. This course is typically taken during your junior year.
  • INTR 4197: Senior Capstone Seminar

 

Honors Curriculum

Those students who satisfy the requirements for honors, may pursue the honors program in International Relations by applying to the senior thesis seminar at the end of the junior year.  The requirements to apply to the honors program are:

  • 3.5 GPA overall, 3.6 in the IR major.
  • Submit a senior thesis topic proposal at the end of junior year and recieve faculty approval.

In addition, to succesfully receive honors designation, students must:

  • Receive a grade of "A" or "A-" on the senior thesis (This is the grade on the paper itself, and may be different from the grade you receive for your performance in the senior thesis seminar.)
  • Attend AND present at the Annual IR Student Research Conference
  • Complete at least one (1) foreign language C.U. beyond the minimum College Language Requirement, or otherwise demonstrate advanced proficiency in a non-native tongue. OR Complete 1 C.U. of quantitative methods training (e.g. PSCI 1800, CRIM 4002, COMM 2550, LING 0700, STAT 0001, STAT1010 etc.)

Students in the honors program must complete:

  • Electives (7 C.U.s)
    • International Political Economy Elective (1 C.U.): Coded with course attribute AIRP
    • Foreign Policy / Security Elective (1 C.U.): Coded with course attribute AIRS
    • Free Electives (5 C.U.s): Coded with attributes AIRE, AIRH, AIRN, AIRP, AIRS
  • INTR 3500: Research Methods. This course will prepare you for the task of completing your senior capstone paper. This course is typically taken during your junior year.
  • INTR 4197 & INTR 4297: Honors Senior Thesis Seminar. In the senior thesis seminar, honors candidates will develop an original thesis topic, review the relevant ehtory and method, then research and write a substantial thesis based on primary and secondary documentation.

 

Focus Topics in the IR Major

International Relations is a broad and varied field.  It emcompasses the entire globe, and policy issue areas from national security, trade, and development, to human rights and environmental policy.  Students should choose an area of focus within international relations, and develop an expertise in a particular region of the world or policy area.  Students should take a minimum of 4 C.U.s of major course work in a focus topic. The concentrations in the IR major are:

  • National and International Security
  • American Foreign Policy
  • Globalization, International Economics, and Development
  • Human Rights, Ethics, and International Law
  • International Environmental Policy and Cooperation
  • Area Studies
    • East Asia
    • South Asia
    • Middle East and North Africa
    • Africa
    • Russia and Eastern Europe
    • Europe
    • Latin America
  • Independent Concentration
    • Students whose interests are not captured by any of the above focus topics may develop their own area of focus in the major in consultation with a major advisor.

Suggested courses for each focus topics is available here.

Breadth Requirement

Students must take at least one C.U. in a course focusing on non-Western politics, economics, or history. Courses that satisfy this requirement are coded with course attribute AIRN. Unique to "Non-West Elective" courses, they may double-count with any of the above major requirements. 

 

Double Counting Rules

  • No student may double major in International Relations and Political Science with an International Relations Concentration.
  • The maximum number of courses that may be double-counted between the IR major and a second major is 4.  This is an IR Major rule.  Other majors may impose their own rules regarding double counting.  Students double-majoring should consult with the academic advisors of both majors.
  • There is no maximum number of courses that may be double-counted between the IR major and a minor.  Again, this is an IR Major rule.  The minor may impose their own rules regarding double counting.
  • There is no maximum number of courses that may be double-counted between the IR minor and another major or minor.  Other majors/minors may impose their own rules regarding double counting.
  • All IR students are exempt by major from Sector I: Society as part of their general education requirements.  No student is allowed to double count a course taken for major credit with a course taken to fulfill a Sector requirement. If a student is a double major, they may be exempt from a secont sector requirement.  Such students should consult their College advisor.  Students are allowed to double count courses taken for major credit with a foundations requirement.  INTR 3500 Research Methods and Practice in International Relations, a required course for all IR Majors, satisfies the College Quantitative Data Analysis requirement. 

Total Course Units Required for Graduation

Students completing the International Relations Major will need a total of thirty four (34) C.U.s of earned credit (including satisfactory completion of all General Education Requirements) to graduate.