Course Sequence - Class of 2018 and Beyond
| Freshman Year | |
| Conversatio I | Conversatio II |
| Freshman English (or Other Core Requirement) | Freshman English (or Other Core Requirement) |
| Language | Language |
| Comparative Politics | International Relations |
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:
- PO 104 - Comparative Politics
- PO 106 - International Relations
- PO 232 - International Political Economy
- PO 203 - Political Science Research Methods
- PO 478 - Senior Seminar
Students may substitute
Students may substitute one of the following courses for PO232: EC247 (International Economics*prerequisite); or BU 324 (Business in Developing and Emerging Markets*prerequisite); or EC441 (Special Topics: Economic Development*prerequisite). Students may alternatively substitute a three course sequence of EC141, EC142, and BU272 (International Business Management).
History, Comparative Politics, and Regional Studies
Students must complete two courses in the following area (at least one of which must be an upper-level History course):
- PO 227 - European Politics
- PO 228 - East Asian Politics
- PO 229 - Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa
- PO 230 - The Politics of Rich and Poor States
- PO 326 - Latin American Politics
- PO 327 - Middle East Politics
- PO 328 - Politics of South Asia
- PO 329 - Russian Area Politics
- PO 360 - Comparative Democratization
- HI 226 - Modern European History
- HI 175 - Asian Civilization
- HI 326 - Modern Britain
- HI 329 - Modern Germany
- HI 330 - Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century
- HI 332 - Modern France
- HI 333 - Europe since 1945
- HI 355 - Modern American Foreign Relations
- HI 376 - Modern Latin American History
- HI 377 - Modern Russia
- HI 378 - Modern China: 1600-Present
- HI 379 - Modern Japan: 1600-Present
- HI 382 - History of the Middle East
- HI 384 - British Empire
- HI 385 - Vietnam War
- HI 386 - World War II
- HI 391 - The History of Southern Africa
- HI 399 - Special Topics: Special Areas Cold War
Students must complete one course in each of the following areas:
Global Governance
- PO 214 - International Law
- PO 224 - International Organization and Global Governance
- PO 275 - Human Rights
International Relations Theory
- PO 320 - International Relations Theory
- PO 322 - Justice and War in International Relations
Security Studies
- PO 205 - Diplomacy
- PO 235 - American Foreign Policy
- PO 332 - Political Violence
- PO 333 - Peacemaking, Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding
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.
