International Relations

Noelle Norton, Ph.D., Chair
Del Dickson, J.D., Ph.D.
Casey B. K. Dominguez, Ph.D.
Patrick F. Drinan, Ph.D.
Emily Edmonds-Poli, Ph.D.
Virginia Lewis, Ph.D.
Vidya Nadkarni, Ph.D
Lee Ann Otto, Ph.D.
Michael R. Pfau, Ph.D.
David Shirk, Ph.D.
J. Michael Williams, J.D., Ph.D.
Randy Willoughby, Ph.D.

The International Relations Major

The international relations (IR) major is an interdisciplinary field of study designed for students who seek a holistic understanding of international affairs. The curriculum is rooted in political science and provides students with a strong background in international relations and comparative government. At the same time, the curriculum reflects the recognition that international political phenomena are best understood from a variety of perspectives and includes courses from disciplines such as history, economics, religious studies, fine arts and literature. In order to complement their academic training with first-hand experience in a foreign country, students are also required to complete 3 units in a study abroad program. Graduates from the IR program are well prepared for careers in government, private industry, law, education and the nonprofit sector, as well as for graduate study in political science and international affairs.

Preparation for the Major

POLS 125D, 175, and 250; Any non-U.S. History course; ECON 101 and 102.

Major Requirements

33 units of upper-division work to include:

A. Core Courses
6 upper-division units (you must take both of the following courses):
POLS 350 Comparative Politics / 3 units
POLS 370 Theories of International Relations / 3 units

B. International and Comparative Politics
15 upper-division units (five courses) from among the following:
POLS 306 Political Ideology / 3 units
POLS 307 Politics and Religion / 3 units
POLS 326 Comparative Law / 3 units
POLS 327 International Law / 3 units
POLS 329 Law of the Sea / 3 units
POLS 349 Politics and the Environment / 3 units
POLS 352 Comparative Politics of Developing Countries / 3 units
POLS 354 Revolutionary Change / 3 units
POLS 355 Politics in Western Europe / 3 units
POLS 356 Politics in East-Central Europe / 3 units
POLS 357 Politics in Latin America / 3 units
POLS 358 Politics in South Asia / 3 units
POLS 359 Politics in the Middle East / 3 units
POLS 360 Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa / 3 units
POLS 361 Politics in South Africa / 3 units
POLS 362 Politics in the United Kingdom / 3 units
POLS 363 Politics in France / 3 units
POLS 364 Politics in Germany / 3 units
POLS 365 Politics in Russia / 3 units
POLS 366 Politics in Mexico / 3 units
POLS 367 Politics in Japan / 3 units
POLS 368 Politics in China / 3 units
POLS 371 American Foreign Policy / 3 units
POLS 372 Russian Foreign Policy / 3 units
POLS 374 U.S.-Latin American Relations / 3 units
POLS 375 Comparative Foreign Policy / 3 units
POLS 376 U.S. National Security / 3 units
POLS 377 Regional Security / 3 units
POLS 378 Transnational Crime and Terrorism / 3 units
POLS 380 International Political Economy / 3 units
POLS 382 International Human Rights / 3 units
POLS 383 International Organizations / 3 units
POLS 480 Model United Nations / 1 Unit
POLS 485 Washington, D.C.: Directed Study in International Relations / 3 units
POLS 486 Washington, D.C.: Internship in International Relations / 3 units
POLS 487 Washington, D.C.: Class in International Relations / 3 units
POLS 494 Special Topics in International Relations / 3 units
POLS 498 Internship in International Relations / 1-6 units
POLS 499 Independent Study in International Relations / 1-3 units

C. Humanities and Social Sciences
9 upper-division units (three courses) with no more than 3 units (one course) taken from one department. The following courses are all acceptable. Other upper-division courses with predominantly international or comparative content can be used upon specific approval by the department chair.

Anthropology
ANTH 328 Caribbean Cultures / 3 units
ANTH 332 Mesoamerican Archaeology / 3 units
ANTH 334 South American Archaeology / 3 units
ANTH 335 Nautical Archaeology / 3 units
ANTH 339 Post Medieval Seafaring and Empire / 3 units

Art History
ARTH 333 Modern Art: 1780-1920 / 3 units
ARTH 334 Art of the 20th Century in Europe and the Americas / 3 units

Business
FINA 405 International Financial Management / 3 units
MGMT 309 International Comparative Management / 3 units

Communication
COMM 380 International Media / 3 units

Economics
ECON 333 International Economics / 3 units
ECON 335 Economic Development of Latin America / 3 units
ECON 337 Economic Development of Asia / 3 units

English
ENGL 364 Postcolonial Studies / 3 units
ENGL 366 Modern European Literature / 3 units
ENGL 368 Modern British Literature / 3 units

History
HIST 340 World War I / 3 units
HIST 341 World War II / 3 units
HIST 345 Topics in Military History / 3 units
HIST 347 Topics in Modern Europe / 3 units
HIST 348 Modern France / 3 units
HIST 351 Modern Britain / 3 units
HIST 352 The British Empire / 3 units
HIST 356 Russia Since 1917 / 3 units
HIST 357 Topics in Russian and East European History / 3 units
HIST 358 Topics in Modern World History / 3 units
HIST 359 Modern Middle East / 3 units
HIST 361 Modern Latin America / 3 units
HIST 362 Topics in Latin American History / 3 units
HIST 363 History of Brazil / 3 units
HIST 364 Topics in Asian History / 3 units
HIST 365 History of China / 3 units
HIST 366 History of Japan / 3 units
HIST 368 History of Africa / 3 units
HIST 369 Issues in Modern Africa / 3 units
HIST 376-377 United States Foreign Relations / 3 units
HIST 384 History of Mexico / 3 units
HIST 387 History of Baja California / 3 units

French
FREN 410 French Theater / 3 units
FREN 411 French Prose / 3 units
FREN 412 French Novel / 3 units
FREN 413 French Poetry / 3 units
FREN 414 French Women Writers / 3 units

German
GERM 302 Readings in German Literature / 3 units
GERM 312 German Literature from 1900 to the Present / 3 units
GERM 494 Topics in German Literature / 3 units

Italian
ITAL 304 Survey of Italian Literature / 3 units
ITAL 411 Masterpieces of Italian Literature / 3 units
ITAL 494 Topics in Italian Literature / 3 units

Spanish
SPAN 303 Introduction to Hispanic Literature / 3 units
SPAN 320 Survey of Spanish Literature / 3 units
SPAN 427 Twentieth Century Spanish Literature / 3 units
SPAN 429 Cinema of Spain / 3 units
SPAN 448 Latin American Short Story / 3 units
SPAN 449 Latin American Novel / 3 units
SPAN 451 Latin American Poetry / 3 units
SPAN 453 Mexican Literature and Culture / 3 units
SPAN 457 Latin American Cinema / 3 units
SPAN 494 Topics in Hispanic Literature / 3 units

Music
MUSC 331 Music History II: 1600-1830 / 3 units
MUSC 440 Topics in World Music / 3 units

Philosophy
PHIL 338 Environmental Ethics / 3 units
PHIL 340 Ethics of War and Peace / 3 units
PHIL 472 Studies in Modern European Philosophy / 3 units
PHIL 474 Studies in Contemporary Continental Philosophy / 3 units
PHIL 476 Studies in Asian Philosophy / 3 units

Sociology
SOCI 351 China in the 21st Century / 3 units
SOCI 362 Social Change: Global Perspectives / 3 units
SOCI 425 The Black Atlantic / 3 units
SOCI 455 Cities in a Global Context / 3 units

Theology
THRS 312 Hindu Faith and Practice / 3 units
THRS 313 Jewish Faith and Practice / 3 units
THRS 314 Buddhist Faith and Practice / 3 units
THRS 315 Islamic Faith and Practice / 3 units
THRS 321 Afro-Latin Religions / 3 units
THRS 368 U.S. Latino/a and Latin American Theologies / 3 units
THRS 390 The Holocaust: Death of God or Death of Humanity? / 3 units

D. Political Science

3 upper-division units (one course). Students may take any upper-division course offered by the department of political science and international relations, including: political theory, American politics, international politics, comparative politics, or internship.

E. Study Abroad

Students must take at least 3 units outside of the United States, as part of a study abroad experience. These units may be in any academic discipline, and may be either upper or lower division units. This requirement does not add to the overall number of units required for the major.

International Relations Research Seminar
International relations majors have the option of taking an international relations research seminar, offered each fall. This will help students to conduct research and write scholarly papers on a variety of international and/or comparative political topics.

• All honors students who are international relations majors are required to enroll in the research seminar the semester before their honors thesis seminar.
• All international relations majors who plan to go on to graduate school are strongly encouraged to enroll in the research seminar during their junior or senior year.
• All students who would like to write a senior thesis, or who want to conduct independent research in international relations, should enroll in the research seminar in lieu of independent study.

The International Relations Minor

POLS 125D, 175, and either 350 or 370, plus 9 additional upper-division units of international and/or comparative politics, to be selected in consultation with an advisor from the political science/international relations faculty.