International Relations Minor

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The International Relations Minor provides the interested student the opportunity to gain a substantive and analytical background in foreign affairs. The program affords the student the opportunity to study the significant domestic and international factors affecting relations among countries with particular emphasis on the political and economic dimensions of these relations and their implications for American policy in the world. The program provides both the fundamental background in international relations and the chance for students to specialize in an area. Opportunities for participation in Model United Nations, study abroad, and Washington internships in the area of international relations may be available to qualified students.

Successful completion of the program prepares students for career possibilities in the Federal foreign affairs and defense community, international business, or related areas. The program would also prepare students for graduate study in international relations, business, or area studies.

The program offers an interdepartmental selection of courses from Political Science, School of Business, Anthropology, Communication, Geography, History, Psychology, and Sociology. The student is required to complete 24 credits: 12 credits of basic required courses and 12 elective credits selected by the student from among the International Relations thematic cluster tracks listed above.

Total Required Credits: 24 Credit Hours

Basic Requirements (12 Credit Hours)

PLSC 120 - S/Comparative Politics Credit(s): 3
PLSC 140 - S/International Politics Credit(s): 3
PLSC 246 - S/U.S. Foreign Policy Credit(s): 3
ECON 110 - Introductory Microeconomics Credit(s): 3

Electives (12 Credit Hours)

Four courses chosen from any one International Relations Track*

Footnotes

* No more than two courses from any academic department; at least two at the 300-level and no more than one at 100-level.

Related Requirements (0-12 Credit Hours)

Students completing the minor will be required to demonstrate competence through the intermediate level or its equivalent.

The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by one of the following:

satisfactory completion of course work through the 202 or 203-level
satisfactory score on the Foreign Language Placement Test.
a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement ETS Examination

Footnotes

Political Science majors must choose their electives outside Political Science; Economics and Management majors must choose two of their electives outside the School of Business.