International Relations - U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security Concentration (BA)

College Breadth Requirements:

The College Breadth requirements are in addition to the University Breadth requirement. Up to three credits from each of the University Breadth Requirement categories may be used to simultaneously satisfy these College of Arts and Sciences Breadth Requirements. Minimum grade C- required for courses used to satisfy College Breadth.

• GROUP A: Creative Arts and Humanities  (Nine credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units)
• GROUP B: History and Cultural Change  (Nine credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units)
• GROUP C: Social and Behavioral Sciences  (Nine credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units)
• GROUP D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology  (Ten credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units and including a minimum of one course with an associated laboratory)

*If the grade earned is sufficient, a course may be applied toward more than one requirement (e.g., breadth and major requirements), but the credits are counted only once toward the total credits for graduation. If all but one course in a group has been taken in one department or program, a course cross-listed with that program will not satisfy the distribution requirement.

Foreign Language:

• Completion of the intermediate-level course (107 or 202) in an ancient or modern language with minimum grades of D-.
  • The number of credits (0-12) needed and initial placement will depend on the number of years of high school study of foreign language.
  • Students with four or more years of high school work in a single foreign language, or who have gained proficiency in a foreign language by other means, may attempt to fulfill the requirement in that language by taking an exemption examination  through the Languages, Literatures and Cultures Department.

Mathematics:

The math requirement must be completed by the time a student has earned 60 credits. Students who transfer into the College of Arts and Sciences with 45 credits or more must complete this requirement within two semesters.

Complete one of the following four options (minimum grade D-):

Second Writing Requirement:

A Second Writing Requirement  approved by the College of Arts and Sciences. This course must be taken after completion of 60 credit hours, completed with a minimum grade of C-, and the section enrolled must be designated as satisfying the requirement in the academic term completed.

Required Introductory Course:

• POSC 240 - Introduction to Global Politics Credit(s): 3

One of the Following Introductory Courses:

• POSC 150 - Introduction to American Politics Credit(s): 3
• POSC 270 - Introduction to Comparative Politics Credit(s): 3

Interdisciplinary Core Courses:

• ECON 101 - Introduction to Microeconomics Credit(s): 3
• One Languages, Literatures and Cultures course beyond the intermediate level taught in the relevant language (three credits)

One of the Following World History Courses:

• HIST 102 - Europe and the World since 1648 Credit(s): 3
• HIST 104 - World History since 1400 Credit(s): 3

One of the Following Geography Courses:

• GEOG 102 - Human Geography Credit(s): 3
• GEOG 120 - World Regional Geography Credit(s): 3
• GEOG 203 - Introduction to Cultural Geography Credit(s): 3

Concentrations:

Students must choose one of four IR concentrations: (1) Development and International Political Economy, (2) Diplomacy and Global Order, (3) Societies and Beliefs, or (4) U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security. Concentrations require 15 hours of course work. Each concentration has a required POSC course. The  Development and International Political Economy Concentration has a required ECON course, ECON 311  or ECON 340 .

Students must take at least three approved Political Science and International Relations courses. One three-credit course from IR concentration course lists other than the student’s IR concentration may be used to fulfill a student’s chosen concentration (does not apply to the two required courses for each concentration). At least three courses must be taken at the 400-level in each concentration. Courses used to meet concentration requirements cannot be used to fulfill specialization requirements.

Restricted Electives:

Note: Three credit hours of POSC 464  (approved Internship), POSC 466  (approved Independent Study), POSC 468  (approved Undergraduate Research), or POSC 498  (approved Capstone Internship) may count once towards completion of either the concentration or specialization.

Specializations:

Students must pick or choose one of five regional specializations: (1) Africa, (2) Asia, (3) Europe, (4) Latin America, (5) Middle East. Specializations require nine hours of course work. At least one course must be in POSC and at least one course must be at the 400-level in each specialization.