2024-2025 Catalog

International Affairs Major

Requirements

The major consists of a minimum of 12 courses:

In consultation with an adviser and the program chair, students will design a six-course interdisciplinary program of study that will focus on a region (at least three courses) and a theme (at least three courses).

Some of the courses for the concentration may be taken abroad with the approval of the adviser and program chair. All courses must be beyond the introductory level.

Students must demonstrate competency in a second language (via test or course work) through the advanced (211) level. The second language must be appropriate to the student's field of inquiry.

Three introductory courses from:

A&S 102Cultural Anthropology

ECON 101Principles of Economics

GOVT 102Introduction to International Politics

HIST 105History of the Modern World

REL 101Religions in World Cultures

Additional required courses:

IA 200Globalization and Its Critics

IA 280Research Methods in International Affairs

IA 400 Senior Capstone in International Affairs

Six IA Region and Theme electives

Students will have three options in designing their concentrations:

  1. A student may choose to take three courses each in faculty-developed region and thematic concentrations that are approved by the International Affairs Advisory Committee;
  2. A student may develop her/his own concentrations and propose them to the adviser and to program chair. The student must submit to his/her IA adviser a written statement that provides a rationale for how the set of courses contributes to her/his concentrations, and how the proposed theme and region are integrated;
  3. A student may combine a pre-approved concentration in a region/theme with a self-proposed concentration in a theme/region in consultation with his/her adviser and program chair. The student must submit to his/her IA adviser a written statement that provides a rationale for how the set of courses contributes to his/her proposed concentration, and how the proposed theme and region are integrated.

All International Affairs majors are strongly encouraged to study abroad.

Examples of Geographic Regions (courses from at least 2 departments): Africa, Asia, Western Europe, Latin America and Caribbean, Russia and Eastern Europe

Examples of Themes (courses from at least 2 departments): Conflict & Diplomacy, Development Studies, Gender Issues in a Changing World, Culture, Power and Identity in the Modern World

 

This page reflects the requirements for completing this major. General graduation requirements for all students can be found here