Curricular Information

Course Requirements, Select Electives For All Majors, and Additional Select Electives for Students with a dual major in Economics, History, Political Science

Students accepted into International Affairs take the following courses. Students majoring in Economics, History and Political Science must also take additional courses (see below * and Select Electives). Click here for a Curriculum Review Form.

Economics

Economics 101 Introduction to Economics

Economics 201 - 239  One Regional Economics Elective

Economics 251 International Economics 

History

History 110 Twentieth Century World 

One Select Elective (SE) in History at the 200 or 300 Level (See SE listings). 

Political Science

Political Science 103 Introduction to International Relations 

Political Science  242 U.S. Foreign Policy 

One Select Elective in Political Science (See SE listings).

IA 400 Capstone Senior Seminar:

A senior capstone seminar that draws on the program's multi- and inter-disciplinary features to examine an issue of international significance.  The topic of the seminar for 2007-2008 is Health and Development.  Previous seminars examined, Contemporary Civil Conflict, and Global Health.

*Additional Select Electives for Majors in Economics, History and Political Science

All Economics, History and Political Science Majors must also take three additional Select Electives outside of their major program because the core courses they take in their major discipline are counted in their major requirements. SE courses are listed for each academic year.

Minor Option

IA minors are not available.  Students can only minor in a discipline that offers a minor. For example, a student can be a dual major in IA and Economics and minor in Political Science or be a dual major in IA and Spanish and minor in history.

Interdisciplinary and Special Majors

Students who opt for the special major will normally not be able to dual major in IA because of the former's lack of a major discipline and the latter's number of departmental requirements. Students pursuing an interdisciplinary major such as Japanese Studies, Globalization Studies, or Women's Studies will be considered on a case by case basis.

Courses in Quantitative Analysis

Because the study of international relations includes some experience in empirical and quantitative analysis, students who are not majors in Economics, Political Science, Sociology or Management are strongly encouraged to take one of the following courses: Economics 241 Introductory Economic and Business Statistics; Sociology 302 Sociological Research Methodology; or Political Science 215 Political Science Research Methods.

Language Courses and Off Campus Programs

All students in the IA program are strongly encouraged to participate in a one-semester overseas program. Students who are not language majors are strongly encouraged to continue with a language beyond the intermediate level.

Off-Campus Courses and Transfer Courses

All IA students are encouraged to study abroad; however, the structure and substance of the Concentration requires that no more than 2 courses, each of which must be in a different Group, will normally be counted toward the dual major. This two course rule pertains to all off-campus activity (i.e. one or two semesters) as well as to students transferring into the College. Exceptions for particular off-campus programs will be made on a case by case basis. The provision for transfer credit for core courses will be made on a case by case basis.

Internships

IA students are encouraged to participate in department sponsored internship programs, especially those pertaining to international relations. Internships will be credited as part of the 32 course College graduation requirement which is the procedure currently followed by most departments.