International Relations

The Program in International Relations (IR) is an interdisciplinary undergraduate program that studies the interaction of actors in international politics, including states and non-state actors, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, Amnesty International, and other NGOs.

The program equips students with the analytical tools to examine a wide range of global issues, preparing them for impactful careers in the government, nongovernment, and private sectors. Additionally, the IR curriculum provides strong preparation for admission into graduate programs, including law, international policy, business, political science, economics, and journalism.

Academic Programs and Global Training

The Program in International Relations offers flexible, interdisciplinary academic pathways designed to foster analytical depth and global awareness:

• Undergraduate Major: Enabling students to analyze the modern international system and focus on specific international challenges through a comprehensive course of study.

• Undergraduate Minor: Allowing students majoring in other disciplines to build a foundational understanding of international dynamics.

• Honors Program: Providing undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in advanced, independent research on international topics.

• Coterminal Master’s Program: Enabling eligible undergraduate majors to work simultaneously toward a coterminal master’s degree in related fields, such as the M.A. programs in International Policy, Public Policy, the M.S. program in Computer Science, among others.

Research Frontiers and Global Issues

Students in the International Relations program can focus their coursework and intellectual inquiry on a wide variety of key global issues and regional dynamics:

• Security and Development: Examining international security, democratization, and political and economic development across the globe.

• Global Trade and Finance: Analyzing the systems of international trade and finance that shape the modern global economy.

• Human Rights and Policy: Investigating human rights, global health, and humanitarian policy in diverse contexts.

• Climate and Environment: Exploring the international dimensions of climate change and environmental cooperation.

• Regional Studies: Studying the politics, history, and cultures of other countries and world regions to understand how domestic factors shape international relations.