Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Catalogue 
    
2021-2022 Catalogue [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

International Relations


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The program of study in International Relations combines a rigorous and diverse set of courses from the social sciences and the humanities to help students develop conceptual and problem solving skills to address global issues that are by nature complex and interdisciplinary. The International Relations major is administered by the Politics Department, in consultation with the History, Economics and Business and Modern Languages Departments.

Major requirements include:


Course Requirements:


Students in the International Relations major must take a minimum of 11 courses, as specified in the requirements below.

International Politics Requirement


Students must complete the following five core courses in international politics:

Students must complete one course in each of the following areas:


Language Requirement


Students must complete one advanced level language course (or a literature course for a language that does not offer an advanced language course). Students are also strongly encouraged to complete a language minor. The senior comprehensive examination will include a language component.

Senior Comprehensive Examination:


Comprehensive examinations, both written and oral, are required. The written exam is the ETS National Test in Political Science. The oral exam will require the student to discuss aspects of international relations before a committee composed of faculty from the Politics, History, and Business and Economics departments. Typically these oral examinations will include a foreign language component. Students who double major in International Relations and a foreign language, or minor in a foreign language, are exempt from this requirement The individual student’s selected foreign language will determine which professor from the modern language or classics department will be asked to participate in the oral examination.

Study Abroad


Students are strongly encouraged to gain real international experience during their undergraduate years through study abroad, travel and internships.

Course Sequence Outline


Freshman Year


Sophomore Year


IR majors generally take courses in the areas of global governance, securities studies, comparative politics, and regional studies or history. Depending on initial placement, they may also be completing their modern or classical language requirement. The remainder of their schedules can be filled by other core or major requirements, general electives or courses for a minor or double major.

Junior Year


In the junior year IR majors generally take International Political Economy (PO 232) and their international relations theory requirement. They also take Research Methods in the spring semester. Students who study abroad will need to take Research Methods at a different time (typically in the fall), but should complete this requirement before fall semester senior year. The rest of students’ schedules can be occupied with other major requirements, core requirements, general electives, or courses for a minor or double major.

Senior Year


IR majors take their senior seminar requirement in the fall semester. The rest of their schedules can be occupied with other major requirements, core requirements, general electives, or courses for a minor or double major.

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