With the increasing importance of world issues to the United States, employment opportunities in government, international organizations and business continue to expand. Today there is an urgent need for college graduates with a strong background in international affairs. To meet this need, the University of Colorado offers a comprehensive and flexible interdisciplinary program in international affairs leading to the BA degree.
Requirements
Required Courses and Credits
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and a minimum of 49–51 credit hours of specified courses with a grade of C- or better (none may be taken pass/fail).
Introductory Courses (10 credit hours)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IAFS 1000 | Global Issues and International Affairs | 4 |
| PSCI 2012 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| PSCI 2223 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 10 | |
In addition to introductory courses, complete the requirements listed below for:
- Functional area
- Geographic concentration
- Economics/methods
- Off-campus experience
- Foreign language
- Senior seminar
IAFS 3000 Special Topics in International Affairs can be repeated up to 9 credit hours for different topics.
Functional Area (18 credit hours)
Students are required to complete one upper division class in each of the four functional areas and complete two additional upper division classes in any functional area. Students cannot apply more than four functional area classes from any one department.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Development and Culture (Functional Area I) | ||
| ANTH 4020 | Explorations in Anthropology (approved topics only) | 3-6 |
| ANTH 4500 | Cross-Cultural Aspects of Socioeconomic Development | 3 |
| COMM 3410 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| ECON 3784 | Economic Development and Policy | 3 |
| ECON/GEOG 4292 | Migration, Immigrant Adaptation, and Development | 3 |
| ECON 4774 | Topics in Economic Development, History and Political Economy | 3 |
| ECON 4784 | Economic Development | 3 |
| ECON 4794 | Economic Growth | 3 |
| GEOG/WGST 3672 | Who Runs the World? Sex, Power, and Gender in Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 3682 | International Development: Economics, Power, and Place | 3 |
| GEOG 3692 | Introduction to Global Public Health | 4 |
| GEOG 4632 | Development Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 4852 | Health and Medical Geography | 3 |
| IAFS/JWST 3600 | Contemporary Jewish Societies | 3 |
| IAFS/SCAN 3631 | Arctic Society and Culture | 3 |
| IAFS/ENVS 3640 | Data Analysis for Global Environmental Affairs | 3 |
| IAFS 3670/GEOG 3622 | Cities of the Global South | 3 |
| LING 3545 | World Language Policies | 3 |
| MDST 3201 | Media, Culture and Globalization (International Media Certificate students only) | 3 |
| MUEL 3862 | Music and Global Health | 3 |
| PACS 3860 | Environmental Conflict and Conflict Resolution | 3 |
| PSCI 4012 | Global Development | 3 |
| PSCI 4283 | International Migration and Policy | 3 |
| PSCI 4732 | Critical Thinking in Development | 3 |
| SOCY 3002 | Population and Society | 3 |
| SOCY/WGST 3012 | Gender and Development | 3 |
| SOCY 4007 | Global Human Ecology | 3 |
| SOCY 4052 | Social Inequalities in Health | 3 |
| WGST 3500 | Global Gender Issues | 3 |
| WGST 4300 | Sex, Power, Politics: International Perspectives | 3 |
| International Economics, Business, Political Economy (Functional Area II) | ||
| ECON 3403 | International Economics and Policy | 3 |
| ECON 3545 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| ECON 4413 | International Trade | 3 |
| ECON 4423 | International Finance | 3 |
| ECON 4504 | The New Institutional Economics: Institutions, Contracts and Economic Outcomes | 3 |
| ECON 4545 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| FNCE 4060 | Special Topics in Finance | 1-6 |
| INBU 3300 | International Business and Management | 3 |
| INBU 3450 | International Business and Marketing | 3 |
| INBU 4200 | International Financial Management | 3 |
| PSCI 3092 | Comparative Political Economy | 3 |
| PSCI 3213 | International Political Economy | 3 |
| Political Geography, International Security, Foreign Policy (Functional Area III) | ||
| ANTH/JWST 4580 | The Holocaust: An Anthropological Perspective | 3 |
| GEOG 3742 | Place, Power, and Contemporary Culture | 3 |
| GEOG 4712 | Political Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 4742 | Topics in Environment and Society (approved topics only) | 3 |
| GEOG 4762 | Geographies of Political Islam | 3 |
| HIST 4050 | A Global History of World War II | 3 |
| HIST 4126 | History of U.S. Foreign Relations Since 1941 | 3 |
| HIST 4146 | U.S. Military History since 1898 | 3 |
| HIST 4166 | The Vietnam War in US Politics and Culture | 3 |
| IAFS 3010 | Islam, Geopolitics and Society: Gender, Identity and Place | 3 |
| IAFS 3500/HIST 4190 | French Connections: Contemporary France and America in Historical Context (Global Seminar) | 3 |
| IAFS/JWST 3650 | History of Arab-Israeli Conflict | 3 |
| PACS 3800 | Security Studies | 3 |
| PHIL 3190 | War and Morality | 3 |
| PSCI 3123 | War, Peace, and Strategic Defense | 3 |
| PSCI 3143 | Current Affairs in International Relations | 3 |
| PSCI 3163 | American Foreign Policy | 3 |
| PSCI 3193 | International Behavior | 3 |
| PSCI 4243 | Modern Warfare: Terrorism, Ideology, Identity | 3 |
| International Institutions, Rights and Norms (Functional Area IV) | ||
| ANTH 4525 | Global Islams | 3 |
| HIST 4820 | Human Rights: Historical Perspectives | 3 |
| IAFS 3630/SCAN 3301 | Radical Nationalism in Contemporary Northern Europe | 3 |
| INVS 4402 | Nonviolent Social Movements | 3 |
| JRNL 4411 | International Media and Global Crises (International Media Certificate students only) | 3 |
| MUEL 3882 | Music and Violence | 3 |
| PACS 3850 | International Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding | 3 |
| PACS 3870 | Nonviolent Civil Resistance: Movements and Strategies | 3 |
| PHIL 3260 | Philosophy and the International Order | 3 |
| PRLC 3810 | Global Issues in Leadership | 3 |
| PSCI 3062 | Revolution and Political Violence | 3 |
| PSCI 3183 | International Law | 3 |
| PSCI 4173 | International Organizations | 3 |
| PSCI 4252 | Politics of Ethnicity and Nationalism | 3 |
| PSCI 4783 | Global Issues | 3 |
| SOCY/ENVS 4027 | Inequality, Democracy, and the Environment | 3 |
| SOCY 4121 | Sociology of Religion | 3 |
| WGST 3220 | Women in Islam | 3 |
| WGST 3712 | Topics in Global Gender and Sexuality Studies (SS) | 3 |
| WGST 4010/SOCY 4000 | Gender, Genocide and Mass Trauma | 3 |
| WGST 4500/PSCI 4391 | Gender Politics and Global Activism | 3 |
Geographic Concentration (9 credit hours)
Students are required to complete three upper-division classes concentrating on one of the four following global regions: Africa/Middle East, Asia, Europe/Eurasia or Latin America. Students should choose a geographic concentration and a language appropriate to that geographic concentration no later than the beginning of their junior year.
Geographic concentration coursework should be mainly in the social sciences, must include one course in contemporary history and can include a maximum of three credit hours of regional literature and arts (taught in the foreign language whenever possible).
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Africa/Middle East Geographic Concentration | ||
| ANTH 3100 | Africa: Peoples and Societies in Change (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| ANTH 4630 | Nomadic Peoples of East Africa | 3 |
| ARAB/WGST 3410 | Gender, Sexuality and Culture in the Modern Middle East | 3 |
| ARAB 3340 | Representing Islam | 3 |
| FREN 3800 | France and the Muslim World | 3 |
| GEOG 4762 | Geographies of Political Islam | 3 |
| GEOG 3862 | Global Africa: Environment, Development, and Culture | 3 |
| HIST 4218 | Lost Kingdoms & Caliphates: West Africa to 1900 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4238 | History of Southern Africa (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4258 | Africa under European Colonial Rule (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4328 | The Modern Middle East, 1600 to the Present (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4329 | Islam in the Modern World: Revivalism, Modernism, and Fundamentalism, 1800-2001 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4338 | History of Modern Israel/Palestine (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4339 | Borderlands of the British Empire (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4349 | Decolonization of the British Empire (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4359 | The Global History of Modern Arabia (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| IAFS 3010 | Islam, Geopolitics and Society: Gender, Identity and Place | 3 |
| IAFS 3520/JWST 4302 | Global Seminar: Justice, Human Rights and Democracy in Israel | 6 |
| IAFS/RLST 3530 | Global Seminar: Jews and Muslims - The Multiethnic History of Istanbul | 3 |
| IAFS/JWST 3650 | History of Arab-Israeli Conflict (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PHIL 3040 | African Philosophy: Personhood and Morality | 3 |
| PSCI 3082 | Political Systems of Sub-Saharan Africa (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PSCI 4242 | Middle Eastern Politics | 3 |
| RLST 3060 | Fundamentalism and Islam | 3 |
| RLST 3100 | Judaism | 3 |
| WGST 3520 | Gender and Sexuality in Africa | 3 |
| Africa/Middle East Regional Literature and Arts | ||
| ARAB 3231 | In the Footsteps of Travelers: Travel Writing in Arabic Lit | 3 |
| ARAB 3330 | The Arabic Novel | 3 |
| FREN 4170 | Francophone Literature | 3 |
| Asia Geographic Concentration | ||
| ANTH 3160 | Peoples of the South Pacific (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| ANTH 4750 | Culture and Society in South Asia | 3 |
| ANTH 4760 | Ethnography of Southeast Asia and Indonesia | 3 |
| GEOG 3822 | China’s Diverse Geographies: Environment, Society, Politics | 3 |
| HIST 4109 | World War II in Asia and the Pacific (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4339 | Borderlands of the British Empire (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4349 | Decolonization of the British Empire (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4528 | Islam in South and Southeast Asia (1000 to the Present) (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4538 | History of Modern India (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4548 | Women in Modern India (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4558 | Buddha to Gandhi: A History of Indian Nonviolence (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4628 | Modern China: Collapse of Imperial Brilliance, 1644-1949 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4638 | Contemporary China: Radicalism and Reform, 1949 to Present (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4648 | Inventing Chinese Modernity, 1800 to Present (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4658 | Between Beijing and Baghdad: China and Islam (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4728 | Japan’s Empire: Birth and Death (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4758 | Japan after World War II (fulfills Contemporary History ) | 3 |
| PSCI 3072 | Government and Politics in Southeast Asia (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PSCI 3102 | South Asian Politics | 3 |
| PSCI 4022 | Chinese Foreign Policy (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PSCI 4052 | Chinese Politics (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| RLST 3060 | Fundamentalism and Islam | 3 |
| RLST 3200 | Yoga, Castes and Magic: Hindu Society and Spirituality | 3 |
| RLST 3300 | Foundations of Buddhism | 3 |
| RLST 3800 | Chinese Religions | 3 |
| WGST/HIST 4619 | Women in East Asian History (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| Asia Regional Literature and Arts | ||
| CHIN 4110 | Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese 1 | 3 |
| CHIN 4120 | Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese 2 | 3 |
| JPNS 3881 | Environment, Nature and Disaster in Japanese Literature and Culture | 3 |
| JPNS 4110 | Advanced Readings in Modern Japanese 1 | 3 |
| JPNS 4120 | Advanced Readings in Modern Japanese 2 | 3 |
| Europe/Eurasia Geographic Concentration | ||
| ECON 4514 | Economic History of Europe (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| FREN 3500 | French Current Events: Conversation and Composition | 3 |
| FREN 3800 | France and the Muslim World | 3 |
| GEOG 3882 | Geography of the Former Soviet Union | 3 |
| GRMN 3150 | Issues in German Politics, Literature and Media | 3 |
| GRMN/WGST 4301 | Gender, Race and Immigration in Germany and Europe | 3 |
| HIST 4053 | Britain and the Empire, 1688-1964 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4233 | History of France since 1815 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4412 | Europe, 1890-1945 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4422 | World War I in Europe (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4423 | German History 1848-1989: Weimar Republic, Nazism, State Socialism (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4424 | Modern European Thought and Culture, 1870-Present (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4433 | Nazi Germany and the Holocaust (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4442 | Europe since 1945 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4623 | History of Eastern Europe Since 1914 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4723 | Imperial Russia (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4733 | The Russian Revolution and the Soviet Regime (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| IAFS 3500/HIST 4190 | French Connections: Contemporary France and America in Historical Context (fulfills Contemporary History, Global Seminar) | 3 |
| IAFS 3621/REES 4481 | Rogues to Revolutionaries: Russian Rebels, Past and Present | 3 |
| IAFS 3622/REES 4871 | Understanding Ukraine: Culture, Diversity, Conflict | 3 |
| IAFS 3630/SCAN 3301 | Radical Nationalism in Contemporary Northern Europe | 3 |
| IAFS/SCAN 3631 | Arctic Society and Culture | 3 |
| IAFS/GRMN 3681 | Refugees in German Culture | 3 |
| ITAL 4250/HIST 4313 | History of Modern Italy (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| ITAL 4730 | Italian Feminisms: Culture, Theory, and Narratives of Difference | 3 |
| PSCI 3022 | Russian Politics (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PSCI 3172 | Democracy and Its Citizens in the US and EU | 3 |
| PSCI 4002 | Western European Politics (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PSCI 4062 | East European Politics (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PSCI 4213 | Europe and the International System | 3 |
| PSCI 4302 | European Union Politics | 3 |
| REES 3601 | Russian Culture Past and Present (Global Seminar) | 3 |
| REES 4221 | Stalinism: Culture and Society | 3 |
| REES 4301 | American-Russian Cultural Relations | 3 |
| REES/WGST 4471 | Women in 20th-21st Century Russian, East European and Eurasian Cultures | 3 |
| SPAN 3200 | Spanish Culture | 3 |
| Europe/Eurasia Regional Literature and Arts | ||
| FREN 3120 | Main Currents of French Literature 2 | 3 |
| FREN 4480 | 20th Century French Novel | 3 |
| ITAL 3140 | Main Current of Italian Culture and Literature 3 | 3 |
| GRMN 3110 | 3 | |
| REES 4210 | Topics in Russian, East European and Eurasian Culture | 3 |
| RUSS 4230 | Russian Cultural Idioms | 3 |
| SPAN 3310 | 20th Century Spanish Literature | 3 |
| Latin America Geographic Concentration | ||
| ANTH 3110 | Ethnography of Mexico and Central America (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| GEOG 3812 | Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| GEOG 4812 | Political Ecology & Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 4118 | History of Mexico to 1821 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| HIST 4128 | The History of Modern Mexico Since 1821 (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PSCI 3032 | Democracy, Inequality and Violence in Latin America (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PSCI 3052/WGST 3650 | Gender and Politics in Latin America (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| PSCI 4012 | Global Development | 3 |
| PSCI 4792 | Issues in Latin American Politics (fulfills Contemporary History) | 3 |
| SOCY 3161 | Global Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| SPAN/PORT 3220 | Latin American Culture: Spanish America and Brazil | 3 |
| Latin America Regional Literature and Arts | ||
| ANTH 4730 | Latin American Politics and Culture through Film and Text | 3 |
| SPAN 3340 | 20th Century Spanish American Literature | 3 |
| SPAN 4180 | Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Latin America: 1900-Present | 3 |
Economics/Methods (6–8 credit hours)
Students are required to complete 6–8 credit hours in economics/methods. Choose two courses from the following list. Some of the courses listed may have required or recommended prerequisites.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 4000 | Quantitative Methods in Anthropology | 3 |
| ECON 2010 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4 |
| ECON 2020 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 4 |
| GEOG 3023 | Statistics and Geographic Data | 4 |
| GEOG 4023 | Advanced Quantitative Methods for Spatial Data | 4 |
| IAFS/ENVS 3640 | Data Analysis for Global Environmental Affairs | 3 |
| PSCI 2075 | Quantitative Research Methods | 3 |
| PSCI 3035 | Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods | 3 |
| PSCI 3075 | Applied Political Science Research | 3 |
| SOCY 2061 | Introduction to Social Statistics | 3 |
| WGST 3020 | Feminist Methods of Inquiry and Praxis | 3 |
Off-Campus Experience (3 credit hours)
Complete 3 upper-division credit hours to fulfill the off-campus experience requirement from one of the following: IAFS 4930 Internship in International Affairs; a CU Boulder study abroad course; a CU in DC course; or other credit-bearing off-campus experience approved by the program. The 3 credits that fulfill the off-campus experience requirement cannot be applied to any other International Affairs major requirement. Fulfillment of the off-campus experience requirement through study abroad is subject to the student's final transcript from the Office of Education Abroad. Students should contact their advisor with questions.
Language Requirement
A third year, university-level proficiency in a foreign language appropriate to the geographic concentration is required. This requirement may be met by completion of one or two semester-long, third year, university-level grammar courses (depending on the language) with a grade of C- or better, while also satisfying language department requirements for advancement through the sequence. See the International Affairs Program website for more information.
Senior Seminar (3 credit hours)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Post-Cold War World | ||
| Honors Seminar in International Affairs | ||
| Senior Seminar: Research in Conflict Contexts (for IAFS majors in PACS only) | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 3 | |
Recommendations
- All international affairs majors should have a good command of the English language.
- Students should choose electives with a view to their relevance to this program or usefulness as prerequisites for upper-division work.
- Students in international affairs are encouraged to consider the possibility of participating in one of the Study Abroad programs affiliated with the University of Colorado. Students wishing to participate in such a program should contact their advisor to work out an appropriate program.
- Internships are a useful experience for students seeking a career in international affairs. The (Internship in International Affairs (IAFS 4930)) provides the opportunity to earn academic credit for appropriate internships in the field. This course is generally offered during the spring and fall semesters and during summer sessions. Interested sophomores, juniors or seniors should consult with the director of the Internship Program. An application is required for admission to the Internship Program; see the International Affairs Program website for more details. IAFS 4930 could count for the off-campus experience with approval from the internship director.
- The IAFS Honors Program offers the opportunity to learn and apply research skills for a select number of IAFS majors. Entry into the IAFS Honors Program is limited to seniors with a 3.40 major GPA and a 3.30 overall GPA. The Honors Seminar in International Affairs (IAFS 4800—offered each fall semester) provides instruction in research methods and facilitates the development of a sound research project. Research continues into the spring semester under the guidance of individual faculty members and through the continuation course, Honors in International Affairs (IAFS 4810). Interested and eligible students should consult with their academic advisor and the director of the Honors Program before spring break of their junior year. An application is required for admission to the Honors Program; see the International Affairs Program website for more details. IAFS 4810 could count for either an upper-division functional area and/or a geographic concentration class with approval from the honors director.
- Students interested in international affairs may want to consider the Global Studies Residential Academic Program offered through the residence halls. See Residential Academic Programs for information.
-
International affairs majors who wish to minor in political science must apply the following additional rules:
- No more than 9 credit hours toward the PSCI minor can come from courses that count toward another major
- International affairs majors must take at least one upper-division course in American politics and one course (lower- or upper-division) in political theory, in addition to the regular minor requirements.
The specific courses that may be counted to meet the requirements in this program are determined by the committee on international affairs and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Graduating in Four Years
Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in international affairs, students should meet the following requirements:
- Declare the major by the beginning of the second semester
- Begin language study by the third semester
- Complete the introductory requirements and any lower-division economics/methods requirements by the end of the sophomore year
- Begin geographic concentration and any upper-division economic/methods courses by the first semester of the junior year
- Begin upper-division general international affairs requirements by the first semester of the junior year
- Successfully complete any remaining major requirements by the end of the eighth semester
- See your IAFS advisor by the end of sophomore year to plan study abroad, the off-campus experience, and language requirements
Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study
Through the required coursework for the major, students will fulfill all 12 credits of the Social Sciences area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement. Depending on the courses selected within the major, students can also potentially complete some or all credits toward the Arts & Humanities area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement and both categories in the Gen Ed Diversity Requirement. The off-campus experience should be completed in the third or fourth year through an Education Abroad program, IAFS 4930 with an approved internship, or other off-campus experience course approved by IAFS.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours | |
| IAFS 1000 | Global Issues and International Affairs | 4 |
| PSCI 2223 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
| Beginning Foreign Language 1 (if needed, does not fulfill IAFS major course requirements) | 4-5 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Lower-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14-15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Lower-division Economics/Methods course (if needed; see IAFS website for options) | 3-4 | |
| Beginning Foreign Language 2 (if needed, does not fulfill IAFS major course requirements) | 4-5 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: QRMS) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences with Lab) | 4 | |
| Credit Hours | 14-16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Lower-division Economics/Methods course (if needed; see IAFS website for options) | 3-4 | |
| Intermediate Foreign Language 1 (If needed; does not fulfill IAFS major course requirements) | 3-5 | |
| Gen. Ed Distribution/Diversity course (example: Arts & Humanities/US Perspective) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15-18 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSCI 2012 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| Intermediate Foreign Language 2 (If needed; does not fulfill IAFS major course requirements) | 3-5 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Arts & Humanities) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15-17 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Upper-Division Foreign Language (if needed; see IAFS website for options) | 3-5 | |
| Upper-Division Economics/Methods course (if needed; see IAFS website for options) | 3-4 | |
| IAFS Functional Area 1 - Development & Culture, e.g. (see IAFS website for options) | 3 | |
| IAFS Geographic Concentration - Contemporary History (see IAFS website for options) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Upper-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15-18 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Upper-Division Foreign Language (if needed; see IAFS website for options) | 3-5 | |
| Upper-Division Economics/Methods course (if needed; see IAFS website for options) | 3-4 | |
| IAFS Functional Area 2 - International Economics, e.g. (see IAFS website for options) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Arts & Humanities/Global Perspective) | 3 | |
| IAFS Geographic Concentration - Africa/Middle East, Asia, Europe/Eurasia, or Latin America (see IAFS website for options) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15-18 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| IAFS 4500 or IAFS 4800 Senior Seminar | 3 | |
| IAFS Functional Area 3 - Political Geography, e.g. (see IAFS website for options) | 3 | |
| IAFS Functional Area 4 - International Institutions, e.g. (see IAFS website for options) | 3 | |
| IAFS Geographic Concentration - Africa/Middle East, Asia, Europe/Eurasia, or Latin America (see IAFS website for options) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective or Upper-division Elective (if needed) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| IAFS 4930 | Internship in International Affairs (or other approved course to fulfill off-campus experience if not studying abroad) | 3 |
| IAFS Additional Functional Area (1 of 2 required; see IAFS website for options) | 3 | |
| IAFS Additional Functional Area (2 of 2 required; see IAFS website for options) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Arts & Humanities) - Upper-division (if needed) | 3 | |
| Elective or Upper-division Elective (if needed) | 3 | |
| Elective if needed to reach 120 total credits | 0-3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15-18 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121-138 | |
Learning Outcomes
The undergraduate degree in international affairs gives students the knowledge and skills to:
- Understand and examine fundamental issues, interdisciplinary theories and approaches to the study of international affairs.
- Analyze international challenges from a political, economic, historical and cultural perspective.
- Consider issues related to a specific geographic region of the world, including historical factors that give rise to regional institutions and processes.
- Communicate, orally and in writing, about international affairs to scholars in the field and to a broader audience, including in other cultural contexts.
- Develop grammar-based proficiency in a foreign language.