This information is part of the .
Major Requirements
Students are strongly encouraged to complete most required courses by the end of the junior year. As a general rule, the only requirements students can complete off campus are the elective and History courses as well as appropriate language courses; in all such cases, students must seek prior approval from the IR director.
For students seeking a major in International Relations and a minor in Political Science, no courses may be counted toward both.
POSC 152Ìý-ÌýGlobal Peace and War (IR) , does not ordinarily count toward the IR major. Students who take POSC 152Ìýbefore deciding on an IR major must also take POSC 232, but may count POSC 152Ìýas one of the two IR electives with written permission from the IR program director.
Students who have AP credit for ECON 151Ìýmust take one additional elective course.
The major program consists of the following requirements:
Foundational Course
- POSC 232Ìý-ÌýFundamentals of International Relations (IR) (a prerequisite for upper-level courses for IR majors)
Core Political Science Subfield Courses
At least two of the following POSC courses:
- POSC 349Ìý-ÌýThe International Political Economy
- POSC 353Ìý-ÌýNational Security
- POSC 357Ìý-ÌýInternational Institutions
- POSC 366Ìý-ÌýContemporary American Foreign Policy
- POSC 374Ìý-ÌýInternational Law
Economics Courses
All of the following:
- ECON 151Ìý-ÌýIntroduction to Economics
-
ECON 249Ìý-ÌýInternational Economics
(Students who have completed the relevant prerequisites may take ECON 349Ìýor ECON 351Ìýin place of ECON 249.)
ÌýStudents are strongly encouraged to take ECON 249Ìýbefore their senior year
History Courses
One of the following:
- HIST 105Ìý-ÌýIntroduction to the Modern Middle East
- HIST 209Ìý-ÌýThe Atlantic World, 1492 - 1800
- HIST 210Ìý-ÌýThe History of Health, Disease and Empire
- HIST 219Ìý-ÌýOceanic Histories
- HIST 232Ìý-ÌýThe Crusades
- HIST 237Ìý-ÌýEmpires and Global History:1400-1700
- HIST 238Ìý-ÌýEurope in the Age of the Renaissance and Reformation
- HIST 255Ìý-ÌýThe Ottoman Empire, 1300 - 1924
- HIST 263Ìý-ÌýCities of the Silk Road
- HIST 265Ìý-ÌýWar and Violence in East Asia
- HIST 269Ìý-ÌýThe Indian Subcontinent: Raj to Republics
- HIST 271Ìý-ÌýThe First World War
- HIST 272Ìý-ÌýWar and Holocaust in Europe
- HIST 284Ìý-ÌýDecolonization in Africa
- HIST 316Ìý-ÌýThe United States in Vietnam, 1945 - 1975
- HIST 337Ìý-ÌýPirates in the Atlantic World, 1500s - 1730
- HIST 350Ìý-ÌýContemporary European History, 1945 to the Present
- HIST 358Ìý-ÌýConquest and Colony: Cultural Encounters in the Americas
- HIST 368Ìý-ÌýChina, the Great Wall, and Beyond
- HIST 370Ìý-ÌýThe Mongol Empire
- HIST 379Ìý-ÌýU.S. and Africa
- HIST 381Ìý-ÌýPre-Colonial Africa
- HIST 382Ìý-ÌýModern Africa
- HIST 385Ìý-ÌýDarfur in Historical Perspective
- HIST 489Ìý-ÌýSeminar on Problems in Military History
IR Seminar
Unless the director grants specific permission, the seminar must be taken on campus. The seminar must be taken by the first term of the senior year, unless special permission of the IR director is granted in advance. Students pursuing honors must take an IR seminar in addition to the honors seminar.
One of the following:
- HIST 489Ìý-ÌýSeminar on Problems in Military History
- POSC 405Ìý-ÌýSeminar: Coercive Diplomacy: Trade, Aid & Sanctions
- POSC 406Ìý-ÌýSeminar: The State and Political Violence
- POSC 407Ìý-ÌýSeminar: Media and International Relations
- POSC 416Ìý-ÌýSeminar: Democracy, Capitalism, and the Changing World Order
- POSC 421Ìý-ÌýSeminar: Information Warfare
- POSC 433Ìý-ÌýSeminar: Topics in Globalization
- POSC 434Ìý-ÌýSeminar: Immigrants, Refugees, and the Politics of Borders
- POSC 436Ìý-ÌýSeminar: Continuity and Change in International Politics
- POSC 437Ìý-ÌýSeminar: Democratization and Prospects for Peace and Prosperity
- POSC 451Ìý-ÌýSeminar: Africa in World Politics
- POSC 454Ìý-ÌýSeminar: The Cold War and After
- POSC 456Ìý-ÌýSeminar: War - Theories and Practices
- Other seminars in the Division of Social Sciences may count with permission of the program director.
Elective Courses
Two electives from the list below or students may substitute an additional core subfield course or IR seminar.
- ECON 219Ìý-ÌýChinese Economy
- ECON 233Ìý-ÌýEconomics of Immigration
- ECON 238Ìý-ÌýEconomic Development
- ECON 251Ìý-ÌýIntermediate Microeconomics
- ECON 252Ìý-ÌýIntermediate Macroeconomics
- ECON 351Ìý-ÌýInternational Finance and Open-Economy Macroeconomics
- ECON 356Ìý-ÌýEconomic Growth
- ECON 370Ìý-ÌýEuropean Economic Issues (London Study group)
- ECON 371Ìý-ÌýThe Economics of the European Union (London Study Group)
- ECON 438Ìý-ÌýSeminar in Economic Development
- ECON 450Ìý-ÌýSeminar in International Economics
- GEOG 310/PCON 310Ìý-ÌýGeopolitics Ìý
- HIST 105Ìý-ÌýIntroduction to the Modern Middle East
- HIST 209Ìý-ÌýThe Atlantic World, 1492 - 1800
- HIST 210Ìý-ÌýThe History of Health, Disease and Empire
- HIST 219Ìý-ÌýOceanic Histories
- HIST 232Ìý-ÌýThe Crusades
- HIST 237Ìý-ÌýEmpires and Global History:1400-1700
- HIST 238Ìý-ÌýEurope in the Age of the Renaissance and Reformation
- HIST 255Ìý-ÌýThe Ottoman Empire, 1300 - 1924
- HIST 263Ìý-ÌýCities of the Silk Road
- HIST 265Ìý-ÌýWar and Violence in East Asia
- HIST 269Ìý-ÌýThe Indian Subcontinent: Raj to Republics
- HIST 271Ìý-ÌýThe First World War
- HIST 272Ìý-ÌýWar and Holocaust in Europe
- HIST 284Ìý-ÌýDecolonization in Africa
- HIST 316Ìý-ÌýThe United States in Vietnam, 1945 - 1975
- HIST 337Ìý-ÌýPirates in the Atlantic World, 1500s - 1730
- HIST 346Ìý-ÌýGermany, Russia, Eastern Europe
- HIST 350Ìý-ÌýContemporary European History, 1945 to the Present
- HIST 358Ìý-ÌýConquest and Colony: Cultural Encounters in the Americas
- HIST 368Ìý-ÌýChina, the Great Wall, and Beyond
- HIST 370Ìý-ÌýThe Mongol Empire
- HIST 379Ìý-ÌýU.S. and Africa
- HIST 381Ìý-ÌýPre-Colonial Africa
- HIST 382Ìý-ÌýModern Africa
- HIST 385Ìý-ÌýDarfur in Historical Perspective
- HIST 489Ìý-ÌýSeminar on Problems in Military History
- POSC 214Ìý-ÌýComparative Politics: East and Southeast Asia (CO)
- POSC 215/MIST 215Ìý-ÌýComparative Politics: Middle East Ìý
- POSC 216Ìý-ÌýComparative Politics: Latin America (CO)
- POSC 304/MIST 304Ìý-ÌýIslam and Politics Ìý
- POSC 305Ìý-ÌýFrom Coconuts to iPhones: the Politics of Economic Development in East and Southeast Asia
- POSC 307Ìý-ÌýChina's Foreign Relations
- POSC 317Ìý-ÌýIdentity Politics
- POSC 330Ìý-ÌýPost-Mao China and World Development
- POSC 331 - Politics in Sub-Saharan AfricaÌý
- POSC 341/ PCON 341Ìý-ÌýWar and the Shaping of American Politics ÌýÌý
- POSC 350Ìý-ÌýAfrica in World Politics
- POSC 354Ìý-ÌýCapitalism, the State, and Development in Latin America
- POSC 358Ìý-ÌýTransnational Politics
- POSC 359/REST 359Ìý-ÌýPower in Russia from Gorbachev to Putin ÌýÌý
- POSC 367Ìý-ÌýThe European Union
- POSC 368Ìý-ÌýAmerican Foreign Relations with China
- POSC 371Ìý-ÌýWest European Politics
- POSC 390Ìý-ÌýSilent Warfare: Intelligence Analysis and Statecraft
Language Requirement
For both majors and minors, reading proficiency in a Western European language equal to that attained by completion of two 300-level courses with a grade of at least C.
Alternatively, for students interested in a non-Western European language, such as Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, Russian, etc., the requirement can be satisfied by reading proficiency equal to that attained by completion of two 200-level courses with a grade of at least C.ÌýStudents entering with AP credit in a non-Western language must take at least one language course at 49ͼ¿â.
Students seeking clarification regarding their current level of proficiency should contact the language department or program in question.
To receive credit for courses taken off campus, arrangements must be made in advance with the director of the IR program.
GPA Requirement
Satisfactory completion of the IR major requires (1) a minimum GPA of 2.00 in the nine IR-designated courses, and (2) a grade of C or better in POSC 232, ECON 151, and the seminar.
Honors
Students interested in pursuing honors can find the additional requirements on the International RelationsÌýprogramÌýpage.
International Relations Program
For more information about the department, including Faculty,Ìýtransfer credit, awards, etc.,Ìýplease visit theÌýInternational Relations programÌýcatalogÌýpage.