Major and Minor Requirements
Major Requirements - 42 credits including:
- POLS 210 - Introduction to International Politics (4 credits)
- POLS 390 - Introduction to Comparative Politics (4 credits)
- ECON 210 - Principles of Economics (4 credits)
- POLS 490 - Senior Seminar (3 credits)
- Methods Requirement: POLS 230 or HIST 285 or SOAN 307 - 5 credits (subject to approval from HIST and SOAN, double-majors recommended)
- History Requirement: At least 4 credits in an upper division (300 level or above) international history course
- Theory and Practice of International Politics Requirement: 4 credits from POLS 361, POLS 362, POLS 370, POLS 371, POLS 384, or POLS 385, plus corresponding POLS 498 1 credit proseminar course (5 credits total)
- Comparative Culture, Philosophy, and Ethics Requirement: At least 4 credits from ANTH 111, POLS 220, PHIL 160, PHIL 180, PHIL 365, REL 210 (at least 3 credits)
- Foreign language proficiency through a second year level
- Successful completion of a foreign study abroad of at least one semester approved in advance for this purpose (courses taken abroad may count toward IR electives)
- At least 10 additional credits from the IR major elective list below, including at least one 300 level course or above. Students are encouraged to work closely with their advisor to ensure a focused course of study.
IR Major Elective List:
ANTH 111, ANTH 202, ANTH 450, ECON 331, ECON 332, ECON 333, ECON 341, ECON 342, ECON 365, HIST 120, 121, HIST 122, 123, HIST 124, 125, HIST 126, 127, HIST 144; Any other relevant upper division history course; MSCM 150, MSCM 333, MSCM 337, MSCM 340, MSCM 345; Any other relevant MDLA course; PHIL 150, PHIL 180, PHIL 250, PHIL 285, PHIL 306, PHIL 325, PHIL 360, PHIL 365, PHIL 375, POLS 201, POLS 220, POLS 330, POLS 361, POLS 362, POLS 370, POLS 371, POLS 384, POLS 385, RELS 115, RELS 140, RELS 210, SOCL 250, SOCL 370, TCCA 147, TCCA 230, TCCA 335; Any relevant internship course; any relevant study in DC or abroad; or any relevant January term course abroad.
Given the interdisciplinary nature of international relations, other courses may, on occasion, be approved to count toward the major. The student may therefore petition the coordinator of the International Relations program, expressing a rationale for the substitution. This rationale must include a signed agreement between the student and course instructor that the student’s major project, counting for at least 1/3rd of the course grade, will be devoted to an international relations issue. The IR coordinator must approve the petition before the Registrar will accept the substitution.
Double-majors with other disciplines are encouraged and two courses (up to 8 credits) may count toward both major requirements. Double-majors in Political Science and International Relations, however, are not permitted.
Minor Requirements - 24 credits including:
- POLS 210 - Introduction to International Politics (4 credits)
- ECON 210 - Principle of Economics (4 credits)
- A relevant upper division (300 level or above) POLS course
- A relevant upper division (300 level or above) HIST course
- At least 8 additional credits of approved IR major elective courses, including at least one at the 300 level or above
- One year of foreign language, see BA language requirement
Only two courses counted for the minor may be double counted toward major and LC requirements.