Students entering the University of San Diego and/or declaring a major during 2020-2021, should follow information contained in the printed course catalog (also known as the "catalog of record") published on April 1, 2020. Access the catalog of record at https://catalogs.sandiego.edu.
The International Relations Major
Preparation for the Major
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 120 | Introduction to American Politics | 3 |
| POLS 150 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLS 170 | Introduction to International Relations | 3-4 |
| Total Units | 9-10 | |
Major Requirements
42 units of upper-division work to include (note: course descriptions are listed under the Political Science major):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| 12 upper-division units (POLS 330 is a prerequisite for POLS 495): | 12 | |
| Research Methods in Political Science (typically offered Fall and Spring) | ||
| Theories of Comparative Politics (typically offered in Fall) | ||
| Theories of International Relations (typically offered in Spring) | ||
| Theories of International Political Economy (typically offered in Fall and Spring) | ||
| International and Comparative Politics | ||
| Select 15 upper-division units (five courses) from among the following: | 15 | |
| Comparative Law | ||
| International Law | ||
| Law of the Sea | ||
| Education, Citizenship and Politics in South Africa | ||
| Culture & Environmental Politics | ||
| Indigenous Peoples and the Environment | ||
| Politics and the Environment | ||
| Comparative Politics of Developing Countries | ||
| Revolutionary Change | ||
| Politics in Europe | ||
| Politics in Latin America | ||
| Politics in South Asia | ||
| Politics in the Middle East | ||
| Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa | ||
| Politics in South Africa | ||
| Politics in the United Kingdom | ||
| Politics in France | ||
| Politics in Germany | ||
| Politics in Russia | ||
| Politics in Mexico | ||
| Politics in Japan | ||
| Politics in China | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| U.S.-Latin American Relations | ||
| U.S. National Security | ||
| Regional Security | ||
| Transnational Crime and Terrorism | ||
| International Political Boundaries and Border Policies | ||
| Migration & Immigration Politics and Policy | ||
| International Human Rights | ||
| International Organizations | ||
| Model United Nations | ||
| Washington, DC: Directed Study in International Relations | ||
| Washington, DC: Internship in International Relations | ||
| Washington, DC: Class in International Relations | ||
| Special Topics in International Relations | ||
| Internship in International Relations | ||
| Independent Study in International Relations | ||
| Political Science | ||
| Three upper-division POLS units 1 | 3 | |
| Capstone 2 | ||
| POLS 495 | Senior Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences | ||
| Nine upper-division units (three courses) with no more than three units (one course) taken from one department. Students must take one course from the History Department (from those listed below). Other upper-division courses with predominantly international or comparative content can be used upon specific approval by the department Chair. Note: Some of the courses listed below may have additional prerequisites. 3 | 9 | |
Anthropology | ||
| South American Indian Cultures | ||
| Caribbean Cultures | ||
| South American Archaeology | ||
| Nautical Archaeology | ||
| Post Medieval Seafaring and Empire | ||
| Piracy in the New World | ||
| Indigenous Religions | ||
| Cultural Diversity | ||
| Native Peoples of Northwest Europe | ||
| Social Change: Global Perspectives | ||
Art History | ||
| Contemporary Architecture | ||
or ARTH 322 | Contemporary Architecture | |
| Biographies of World Cities | ||
or ARTH 340 | Biographies of World Cities | |
| Memory, Monument, Museum: Politics of Display | ||
| Art in Public Spaces | ||
| Modern Art: 1780-1920 | ||
| Art of the Twentieth and Twenty First Centuries in Europe and the Americas | ||
| The Avant-Garde and Mass Culture: Art and Politics | ||
| Art Since 1960 | ||
| Asia Modern | ||
| Chinoiserie and Japonisme | ||
| Study Abroad in Art History | ||
| Art at El Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain | ||
| Asian Studies | ||
| Topics in Asian Studies | ||
Business | ||
| Sustainable Global Supply Chain Management | ||
| Latin America Business Environment | ||
| Introduction to International Business | ||
| Negotiation in a Global Business Environment | ||
| International Financial Management | ||
| Organizational Theory and Global Leadership | ||
| International Comparative Management | ||
| Global Marketing | ||
Communication | ||
| International Media | ||
| Advanced Topics in International Media | ||
| Media and Conflict | ||
Economics | ||
| International Economics | ||
| Economic Development of Latin America | ||
| Economic Development of Asia | ||
English | ||
| Dante | ||
| Modern And Contemporary Poetry | ||
| Modern And Contemporary Drama | ||
| Global Literature and Culture | ||
| Modern and Contemporary European Literature | ||
| Modern And Contemporary British Literature | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Fiction | ||
History | ||
| History of South Africa | ||
| African Feminisms: History, Negotiation, Belonging | ||
| Africa in the Western Imagination | ||
| Queering Colonialism: Bodies, Negotiation, Belonging | ||
| Topics in African History | ||
| Greek Civilization | ||
| Roman Civilization | ||
| The Fall of the Roman Empire | ||
| Castles and Crusades: Medieval Europe, 1050-1450 | ||
| Medieval Woman | ||
| Christians, Muslims and Jews in Medieval Spain | ||
| The Global Renaissance | ||
| Role-Playing the Renaissance | ||
| Europe 1600-1800 | ||
| The Victorians in Literature & Film | ||
| Americans in Paris through War and Peace | ||
| World War I | ||
| World War II | ||
| From Subjects to Citizens: Nation Building in France and India | ||
| History of Germany Since 1945 | ||
| Topics in Medieval and Early Modern Europe | ||
| Topics in Modern Europe | ||
| France in Revolution and War | ||
| The Vietnam Wars | ||
| History of the British Isles | ||
| Modern Britain | ||
| Victorian Britain and the World | ||
| Topics in Russian and East European History | ||
| History of Spain | ||
| Ancient Near East | ||
| Topics in Modern World History | ||
| Modern Middle East | ||
| Modern Latin America | ||
| Topics in Latin America History | ||
| History of Brazil | ||
| Topics in Asian History | ||
| China: Rise to Global Power | ||
| Japan: Samurai to Subaru | ||
| Women's Lives in East Asia | ||
| United States-East Asia Relations | ||
| Armed Conflict and American Society | ||
| U.S. Foreign Relations in the Long 19th Century | ||
| Twentieth Century U.S. Foreign Relations | ||
| The History of World War I and World War II through Literature and Film | ||
| History of Mexico | ||
| Language | ||
Arabic | ||
| Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture | ||
Chinese | ||
| Contemporary China: Culture, Politics and Society | ||
| Media Chinese: Internet, Television and Film | ||
| Professional Chinese: Language and Culture | ||
| Chinese Cinema:Postsocialism and Modernity | ||
| Special Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture | ||
| Topics: Chinese Language III | ||
French | ||
| Introduction to the Analysis of French Literary Texts | ||
| Cultural Backgrounds of French Civilization | ||
| Survey of French Literature I: Middle Ages to 18th Century | ||
| Survey of French Literature II: 19th to 21st Centuries | ||
| Survey of Francophone Literature | ||
FREN 347 | ||
| Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture | ||
| Contemporary French Civilization | ||
| Contemporary African Francophone Theatre | ||
| French Theater | ||
| French Prose | ||
| French Novel | ||
| French Poetry | ||
| French Women Writers | ||
| Topics in French Literature, Language or Culture | ||
German | ||
| Readings in German Literature | ||
| Cultural Backgrounds of German Civilization | ||
| German Literature from 1900 to the Present | ||
| Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture | ||
| Topics in German Literature | ||
Italian | ||
| Contemporary Italy: Culture, Politics and Society | ||
| Introduction to Italian Literature and Culture I: From the Middle Ages to the 17th Century | ||
| Introduction to Italian Literature and Culture II: From the Enlightenment to Today | ||
| Topics in Italian Literature, Film and Culture | ||
| Topics in Italian Literature, Film and Culture-Global Focus | ||
| Topics in Italian Literature, Film and Culture in Translation | ||
| Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture | ||
| Studies in Italian Film | ||
| Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Italy | ||
| Studies in Modern and Contemporary Italy | ||
| Italian Literature of Migration | ||
| Dante and His Times | ||
| Topics in Italian Literature and Culture | ||
| Topics in Literature, Language, or Culture | ||
Japanese | ||
| Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture | ||
| Special Topics | ||
Spanish | ||
| Cultural History of Spain | ||
| Introduction To Cultural Analysis | ||
| Cultural History of Latin America | ||
| Survey of Spanish Literature | ||
| Survey of Latin American Literature | ||
| Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture | ||
SPAN 410D | ||
| Studies in Medieval Spanish Literature | ||
| Studies in Spanish Literature of the Golden Age | ||
| Don Quijote de la Mancha | ||
| Studies in 18th and 19th Century Peninsular Literature and Culture | ||
| Studies in 20th and 21st Century Peninsular Literature and Culture | ||
| Studies in Hispanic Film | ||
| The "New" World | ||
| Topics in Literature, Film and Culture | ||
| Topics in Literature, Film and Culture-Global Focus | ||
| Latin American Short Story | ||
| Latin American Novel | ||
| Latin American Poetry | ||
| Mexican Literature and Culture | ||
| Humans Rights in Latin American Cultural Production | ||
| Jewish Latin America | ||
| Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture | ||
| Latin American Studies | ||
| Special Topics in Latin American Studies | ||
Music | ||
| Music History II: 1600-1830 (Monteverdi-Beethoven) | ||
| Music History III: 1830-Present (Schubert to Philip Glass) | ||
| Topics in World Music | ||
| Religion and the Performing Arts in Bali | ||
Philosophy | ||
| Social Ethics | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Ethics of War and Peace | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Studies in Modern European Philosophy | ||
| Twentieth Century Continental Philosophy | ||
| Studies in Asian Philosophy | ||
Sociology | ||
| Social Change: Global Perspectives | ||
| Environmental Inequality and Justice | ||
| Criminalizing Immigration | ||
Theology and Religious Studies | ||
| Jewish Faith and Practice - Advanced Writing | ||
| The Hindu Tradition | ||
| Jewish Faith and Practice | ||
| Buddhist Thought and Culture | ||
| Islamic Thought and Culture | ||
| The Daoist Tradition | ||
| Religions of China | ||
| Islam, Women and Literature | ||
| Afro-Latin Religions | ||
| Religion and the Performing Arts in Bali | ||
| Liberation Theology | ||
| The Prophetic Tradition of Israel | ||
| The Holocaust: Religious Questions | ||
| Total Units | 42 | |
| 1 | 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. |
| 2 | International Relations majors are required to complete the Senior Capstone Seminar. The purpose of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to apply and integrate what they have learned as a International Relations major. Students will have the opportunity to choose from Senior Capstone Seminars that focus on completing a research project, a community project, or a simulation project. |
| 3 | Other upper-division courses with predominantly international or comparative content can be used upon specific approval by the department Chair. Note: Some of the listed humanities and social sciences courses may have additional prerequisites. |
Study Abroad
A study abroad experience is required for the IR major. Students must take at least three units outside the United States as part of a study abroad experience. These units may be either lower or upper division and in any academic discipline. This requirement does not add to the overall number of units required for the major.
No more than six units taught by non-USD faculty may be applied toward the IR/Comparative Politics category of the major.
Internship
Students are highly encouraged to participate in an internship while at USD. No more than 3 units of internship (POLS 436, 448, 486, 498) may be applied to the requirements of the major, and no more than 6 units may be applied toward the requirements of the BA degree.
Recommended Program of Study, International Relations
| Freshman Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester I | Units | |
| Fall LLC Class | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to American Politics | ||
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| CC or electives | 6-9 | |
| Semester II | Hours | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to American Politics | ||
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| CC or electives | 9-12 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Semester I | Hours | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to American Politics | ||
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| CC or electives | 9-12 | |
| Semester II | Hours | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Theories of Comparative Politics | ||
| Theories of International Relations | ||
| Theories of International Political Economy | ||
| Upper-Division IR/POLS | 3 | |
| CC or electives | 6-9 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| Semester I | Hours | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Theories of Comparative Politics | ||
| Theories of International Relations | ||
| Theories of International Political Economy | ||
| Research Methods in Political Science (or Upper-Division IR) | ||
| Upper Division IR/POLS | 3-6 | |
| Upper-Division Humanities | 3 | |
| CC or electives | 3-6 | |
| Semester II | Hours | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Theories of Comparative Politics | ||
| Theories of International Relations | ||
| Theories of International Political Economy | ||
| Research Methods in Political Science (or Upper-Division IR) | ||
| Upper Division IR/POLS | 3-6 | |
| Upper-Division Humanities | 3 | |
| CC or electives | 3-6 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Semester I | Hours | |
| POLS 495 | Senior Capstone Seminar (or Upper-Division IR) | 3 |
| Upper-Division Humanities | 3 | |
| Upper Division IR/POLS | 3-6 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Semester II | Hours | |
| POLS 495 | Senior Capstone Seminar (or Upper-Division Humanities ) | 3 |
| Upper-Division POLS | 3 | |
| Electives | 9 | |
*The study abroad requirement is three units and is recommended during the junior year or in the summer following the sophomore or junior year.
Students entering the University of San Diego and/or declaring a major during 2020-2021, should follow information contained in the printed course catalog (also known as the "catalog of record") published on April 1, 2020. Access the catalog of record at https://catalogs.sandiego.edu.
The International Relations Minor
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 150 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLS 170 | Introduction to International Relations | 3-4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Theories of Comparative Politics | ||
| Theories of International Relations | ||
| Theories of International Political Economy | ||
| Select nine 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. | 9 | |
| Total Units | 18-19 | |
Department of Political Science and International Relations
College of Arts and Sciences
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San Diego, CA 92110