International Relations Major

Requirements

International Relations is an interdisciplinary major administered by the Government Department.  It consists of ten or more semester courses.  At least eight must be at the 200 level or above.  Three Government courses must be at the 300 level or above, at least one of which must be a 400-level Government seminar taken in the junior or senior year.  A 300- or 400-level individual study can also satisfy one of these requirements, except for the 400-level seminar, which is a required course. Courses must be taken from the departments of Government, History, and Economics.  Seven of the courses must be in government and three from related social science fields.  Of these three, one must be in Economics, and one must be in History. The third course must be taken outside the department from the approved list of courses below (or with the permission of the department). At least seven courses (eight for honors) must be taken at Connecticut College. Students writing an Honors Thesis will complete twelve courses in the major for graduation.


In addition to the College language requirement, majors must take at least one course in a modern foreign language beyond the intermediate level. For five of the languages taught at the College -- French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish -- the IRL major requires at least one course beyond their standard two-semester intermediate level. Relevant courses are identified in the next paragraph. Students taking Chinese, Japanese, or Arabic must complete the 200-level intermediate series. To become and remain fluent in the language, as well as to be competitive for certain graduate programs, students are encouraged to take language courses through the senior year.

Students taking French, German or Russian need a 300-level course that requires course 202. For Italian, any course that requires 202 would satisfy the requirement. Students studying Spanish must take a course at the 200 level or above.

Students are also encouraged to study abroad, especially if language immersion is involved.  To gain practical experience and to make professional contacts, students are encouraged to do an internship with a governmental or non-governmental organization concerned with international affairs.

In planning a schedule of courses, check the Catalog for prerequisites to courses.  For example, almost all of the Economics courses listed below require both Economics 111 and 112. 

The required Government courses are Government 113 and six others, of which at least three shall be at the 300-level or above, selected as follows:

Required Courses

GOV 113INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

4

<i>One course in Comparative Politics:</i>

GOV 112COMPARATIVE POLITICS

4

GOV 209CHINA'S RISE:POL,ECO & SOCIETY

4

GOV 220THE EUROPEAN UNION

4

GOV 224/ECO 224EMERGING ECON IN ASIA & LAT AM

4

GOV 225STATES & MARKETS IN E ASIA

4

GOV 238/GIS 238MIDDLE EAST POLITICS

4

GOV 240REVOLUTNS & REGIME TRANSITIONS

4

GOV 251/ES 251/SLA 251ENVIRON ACTIVISM/POL IMPACT

4

GOV 277EUROPEAN POLITICS

4

GOV 308NATNLISM/ETHNIC CONF IN EUROPE

4

GOV 309CHINESE POLITICS

4

GOV 310THE MAKING OF DEMOCRACIES

4

GOV 322DEMOCRACY IN LATIN AMERICA

4

GOV 337COMPARATIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

4

GOV 353EURO UNION AS TRANSN'L ACTOR

4

GOV 493E/SLA 448EMERGING MARKET ECON: BRICS

4

GOV 493T/ES 493T/GER 402THE GREENS IN EUR AND BEYOND

4

GOV 493U/ES 493UENVIRON JUST IN GLOBL PERSP

4

GOV 493V/SLA 490NAT'L DIVERSITY/GLOBL CAPIT

4

GOV 493WREBELS,ROGUES, & REVOLUTIONRS

4

GOV 493X/GER 470GERMANY:EUROPE'S LEADING POWER

4

GOV 493Z/GIS 400THE IRAQ WAR

4

<i>One course in Foreign Policy:</i>

GOV 206U.S. FOREIGN POL-LATIN AMER

4

GOV 215THE U.S. AND VIETNAM

4

GOV 227THE COLD WAR

4

GOV 252US FOREIGN POLICY

4

GOV 352ALTERN PERSP U.S. FOREIGN POL

4

GOV 493Z/GIS 400THE IRAQ WAR

4

or an appropriate advanced course

<i>One course in International Politics: </i>

GOV 203INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

4

GOV 206U.S. FOREIGN POL-LATIN AMER

4

GOV 215THE U.S. AND VIETNAM

4

GOV 220THE EUROPEAN UNION

4

GOV 222CC:TORTURE&HOLLYWOOD POST 9/11

4

GOV 223/AFR 224HUMAN RIGHTS, MEDIA & ACTIVISM

4

GOV 225STATES & MARKETS IN E ASIA

4

GOV 227THE COLD WAR

4

GOV 228TERRORISM

4

GOV 229UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING

4

GOV 232/ES 232GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS

4

GOV 239/ES 239/PHI 239GLOBAL JUSTICE

4

GOV 240REVOLUTNS & REGIME TRANSITIONS

4

GOV 252US FOREIGN POLICY

4

GOV 268INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

4

GOV 307/AFR 307THE POLITICS OF REFUGEES

4

GOV 308NATNLISM/ETHNIC CONF IN EUROPE

4

GOV 324HUMAN RIGHTS IN WORLD POL

4

GOV 325/GIS 325INT'L POLITICS OF THE MID EAST

4

GOV 329CIVIL WARS

4

GOV 331NEW VISIONS OF GLOBAL SECURITY

4

GOV 337COMPARATIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

4

GOV 339/ES 339OCEANS LAW AND POLICY

4

GOV 342INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ORGANIZ

4

GOV 343TRANSNATIONAL POLITICS

4

GOV 346INT'L HUMANITARIAN LAW

4

GOV 348INT'L POLITICAL ECONOMY

4

GOV 352ALTERN PERSP U.S. FOREIGN POL

4

GOV 353EURO UNION AS TRANSN'L ACTOR

4

GOV 493FTHEORIES OF INTERNAT'L RELATNS

4

GOV 493HINTL CONFLICT RESOLUTION

4

GOV 493QWOMEN AND WORLD POLITICS

4

GOV 493T/ES 493T/GER 402THE GREENS IN EUR AND BEYOND

4

GOV 493U/ES 493UENVIRON JUST IN GLOBL PERSP

4

GOV 493WREBELS,ROGUES, & REVOLUTIONRS

4

GOV 493Z/GIS 400THE IRAQ WAR

4

<i>Two other 200-, 300-, or 400-level Government course in the International Politics, Foreign Policy, or Comparative fields noted above. </i>

GOV 203INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

4

GOV 206U.S. FOREIGN POL-LATIN AMER

4

GOV 209CHINA'S RISE:POL,ECO & SOCIETY

4

GOV 215THE U.S. AND VIETNAM

4

GOV 220THE EUROPEAN UNION

4

GOV 222CC:TORTURE&HOLLYWOOD POST 9/11

4

GOV 223/AFR 224HUMAN RIGHTS, MEDIA & ACTIVISM

4

GOV 224/ECO 224EMERGING ECON IN ASIA & LAT AM

4

GOV 225STATES & MARKETS IN E ASIA

4

GOV 227THE COLD WAR

4

GOV 228TERRORISM

4

GOV 229UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING

4

GOV 232/ES 232GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS

4

GOV 238/GIS 238MIDDLE EAST POLITICS

4

GOV 239/ES 239/PHI 239GLOBAL JUSTICE

4

GOV 240REVOLUTNS & REGIME TRANSITIONS

4

GOV 251/ES 251/SLA 251ENVIRON ACTIVISM/POL IMPACT

4

GOV 252US FOREIGN POLICY

4

GOV 268INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

4

GOV 277EUROPEAN POLITICS

4

GOV 309CHINESE POLITICS

4

GOV 307/AFR 307THE POLITICS OF REFUGEES

4

GOV 308NATNLISM/ETHNIC CONF IN EUROPE

4

GOV 310THE MAKING OF DEMOCRACIES

4

GOV 322DEMOCRACY IN LATIN AMERICA

4

GOV 324HUMAN RIGHTS IN WORLD POL

4

GOV 325/GIS 325INT'L POLITICS OF THE MID EAST

4

GOV 329CIVIL WARS

4

GOV 331NEW VISIONS OF GLOBAL SECURITY

4

GOV 337COMPARATIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

4

GOV 339/ES 339OCEANS LAW AND POLICY

4

GOV 342INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ORGANIZ

4

GOV 343TRANSNATIONAL POLITICS

4

GOV 346INT'L HUMANITARIAN LAW

4

GOV 348INT'L POLITICAL ECONOMY

4

GOV 352ALTERN PERSP U.S. FOREIGN POL

4

GOV 353EURO UNION AS TRANSN'L ACTOR

4

GOV 493E/SLA 448EMERGING MARKET ECON: BRICS

4

GOV 493FTHEORIES OF INTERNAT'L RELATNS

4

GOV 493HINTL CONFLICT RESOLUTION

4

GOV 493QWOMEN AND WORLD POLITICS

4

GOV 493T/ES 493T/GER 402THE GREENS IN EUR AND BEYOND

4

GOV 493U/ES 493UENVIRON JUST IN GLOBL PERSP

4

GOV 493V/SLA 490NAT'L DIVERSITY/GLOBL CAPIT

4

GOV 493WREBELS,ROGUES, & REVOLUTIONRS

4

GOV 493X/GER 470GERMANY:EUROPE'S LEADING POWER

4

GOV 493Z/GIS 400THE IRAQ WAR

4

<i>A Government seminar taken at Connecticut College during the junior or senior year: A 400-level Government International Politics, Foreign Policy, or Comparative Politics seminar. </i>

Appropriate 400-level courses include: 

GOV 493E/SLA 448EMERGING MARKET ECON: BRICS

4

GOV 493FTHEORIES OF INTERNAT'L RELATNS

4

GOV 493HINTL CONFLICT RESOLUTION

4

GOV 493QWOMEN AND WORLD POLITICS

4

GOV 493T/ES 493T/GER 402THE GREENS IN EUR AND BEYOND

4

GOV 493U/ES 493UENVIRON JUST IN GLOBL PERSP

4

GOV 493V/SLA 490NAT'L DIVERSITY/GLOBL CAPIT

4

GOV 493WREBELS,ROGUES, & REVOLUTIONRS

4

GOV 493X/GER 470GERMANY:EUROPE'S LEADING POWER

4

GOV 493Z/GIS 400THE IRAQ WAR

4

Three additional, non-Government courses selected as follows:

One additional course selected from the following:

ANT 232/GWS 232SECURITY,TRAFFICKING,VIOLENCE

4

ANT 234/BOT 234/ES 234S AMER CULTURES & ENVIRONMENT

4

ANT 256/FRH 256“MIGRATION CRISIS” IN EUROPE

4

ANT 258ETHNOGRAPHY OF EUROPE

4

ANT 260/AFR 260ANTHROPOLOGY OF THE CARIBBEAN

4

ANT 307/ES 307ENVIRONMENTAL ANTHROPOLOGY

4

ANT 315/REL 314ANTHROPOLOGY OF RELIGION

4

ANT 320/GWS 320ANTHRO OF SEXUALITY & GENDER

4

ANT 328/FRH 334INDIGENEITY IN A GLOBAL WORLD

4

ANT 330ANTHROPOLOGY OF TOURISM

4

ANT 370/FRH 370THE ANTHROPOL OF SPACE & PLACE

4

ECO 203ECONOMIES OF THE MIDDLE EAST

4

ECO 208INFORMAL SECTOR IN VIETNAM

4

ECO 210INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS

4

ECO 216POL ECONOMY POSTWAR VIETNAM

4

ECO 220ECON OF MULTILATERAL ORGNZATNS

4

ECO 231COMPARATIVE ECONOMIC DEVLPMT

4

ECO 234ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

4

ECO 235GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT

4

ECO 237/SPA 237ECON GROWTH/DEVEL IN LAT AMER

4

ECO 258WHY NATIONS FAIL

4

ECO 311INTERNATIONAL TRADE

4

ECO 322GAME THEORY

4

ECO 330INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

4

ECO 332OPEN MACRO: EMERGING ECONOMIES

4

GWS 210BLACK WOMEN IN THE CARIBBEAN

4

GWS 216GENDER & GLOBALIZATION

4

GWS 223/AFR 223GEN/SEXLTY/RACE IN CARIBB CULT

4

GWS 224/CRE 224TRANSNATNL WOMEN'S MOVEMNTS

4

HIS 202/EAS 202EMPIRE/EXPAN E ASIA,1840-1950s

4

HIS 216MODERN LATIN AMERICA

4

HIS 219/CRE 219REVOLUTIONS IN LATIN AMERICA

4

HIS 220/GWS 222GENDER IN THE ANDES AND MEXICO

4

HIS 222/EAS 222WORLD WAR II & POST-WAR JAPAN

4

HIS 224/EAS 224/PHI 213/REL 215CONFUCIAN TRADITIONS

4

HIS 226MAKING MODERN SOUTH ASIA

4

HIS 228/AFR 228/GWS 228GEND/SEX/ID IN AFRICAN HIS

4

HIS 233/CRE 232/EAS 233GLOBAL CHINA

4

HIS 234/CRE 234MODERN EUROPE, 1790s-1990s

4

HIS 243/GER 243/JS 243DIFFCLT PAST:GER HIS,1850-2000

4

HIS 247/SLA 247SOVIET UNION & ITS LEGACIES

4

HIS 249/GIS 249EARLY ISLAMIC HISTORY

4

HIS 250ISS HIST MOD AFR 1884-PRES

4

HIS 252/CRE 252/ES 252/GWS 252SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ENVIRONMENT

4

HIS 253/AFR 253AFRICA IN THE AMERICAS

4

HIS 255/CRE 255S ASIA IN POSTCOLONIAL WORLD

4

HIS 262/EAS 262MOD CHINA:CHANGING NAT'L IDENT

4

HIS 263/GIS 263/REL 263ISLAM IN ASIA

4

HIS 264/SLA 264THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE,1700-1920'S

4

HIS 272/GER 272CC: BERLIN

4

HIS 274/REL 274SECULARISM IN GLOBAL CONTEXTS

4

HIS 278/EAS 278/PHI 214/REL 216DAOIST TRADITIONS

4

HIS 279/GWS 279GENDER/SEXLTY IN COLONIAL WRLD

4

HIS 281/SLA 281REVOLUTIONARY VOICES

4

HIS 306/ECO 305GLOBALIZATION OF URBAN POVERTY

4

HIS 312/GIS 312BORDER CONFLICTS IN SOUTH ASIA

4

HIS 319/AMS 319COLD WAR IN THE THIRD WORLD

4

HIS 324/EAS 324GLOBALIZING CHINESE ACTIVISM

4

HIS 325/EAS 325HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA

4

HIS 344/CRE 344/SPA 344DIALOGUE BET SPAIN & AMERICAS

4

HIS 346/AFR 346/GWS 346AFRICAN WOMEN IN COMP PERSP

4

HIS 361TERRORISM IN CONTEMP AFRICA

4

HIS 462/AFR 462TERRORISM IN CONTEMP AFRICA

4

PHI 232TOLERANCE, INTOLER, INTOLERBL

4

REL 222ISLAM IN THE MODERN WORLD

4

REL 248/JS 248HOLOCAUST/POST-HOL RESPONSES

4

REL 349/GIS 349ISLAM IN GLOBAL POLITICS

4

or an appropriate advanced course

or an appropriate Individual or Honors Study

 

 

 

<i>One course in Economics selected from:</i>

ECO 203ECONOMIES OF THE MIDDLE EAST

4

ECO 208INFORMAL SECTOR IN VIETNAM

4

ECO 210INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS

4

ECO 216POL ECONOMY POSTWAR VIETNAM

4

ECO 220ECON OF MULTILATERAL ORGNZATNS

4

ECO 234ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

4

ECO 235GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT

4

ECO 237/SPA 237ECON GROWTH/DEVEL IN LAT AMER

4

ECO 258WHY NATIONS FAIL

4

ECO 311INTERNATIONAL TRADE

4

ECO 322GAME THEORY

4

ECO 330INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

4

ECO 332OPEN MACRO: EMERGING ECONOMIES

4

or an appropriate advanced course

 

 

<i>One course in History selected from:</i>

HIS 202/EAS 202EMPIRE/EXPAN E ASIA,1840-1950s

4

HIS 216MODERN LATIN AMERICA

4

HIS 219/CRE 219REVOLUTIONS IN LATIN AMERICA

4

HIS 220/GWS 222GENDER IN THE ANDES AND MEXICO

4

HIS 222/EAS 222WORLD WAR II & POST-WAR JAPAN

4

HIS 224/EAS 224/PHI 213/REL 215CONFUCIAN TRADITIONS

4

HIS 226MAKING MODERN SOUTH ASIA

4

HIS 228/AFR 228/GWS 228GEND/SEX/ID IN AFRICAN HIS

4

HIS 233/CRE 232/EAS 233GLOBAL CHINA

4

HIS 234/CRE 234MODERN EUROPE, 1790s-1990s

4

HIS 243/GER 243/JS 243DIFFCLT PAST:GER HIS,1850-2000

4

HIS 247/SLA 247SOVIET UNION & ITS LEGACIES

4

HIS 249/GIS 249EARLY ISLAMIC HISTORY

4

HIS 250ISS HIST MOD AFR 1884-PRES

4

HIS 252/CRE 252/ES 252/GWS 252SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ENVIRONMENT

4

HIS 253/AFR 253AFRICA IN THE AMERICAS

4

HIS 255/CRE 255S ASIA IN POSTCOLONIAL WORLD

4

HIS 262/EAS 262MOD CHINA:CHANGING NAT'L IDENT

4

HIS 263/GIS 263/REL 263ISLAM IN ASIA

4

HIS 264/SLA 264THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE,1700-1920'S

4

HIS 272/GER 272CC: BERLIN

4

HIS 274/REL 274SECULARISM IN GLOBAL CONTEXTS

4

HIS 278/EAS 278/PHI 214/REL 216DAOIST TRADITIONS

4

HIS 279/GWS 279GENDER/SEXLTY IN COLONIAL WRLD

4

HIS 281/SLA 281REVOLUTIONARY VOICES

4

HIS 306/ECO 305GLOBALIZATION OF URBAN POVERTY

4

HIS 312/GIS 312BORDER CONFLICTS IN SOUTH ASIA

4

HIS 319/AMS 319COLD WAR IN THE THIRD WORLD

4

HIS 324/EAS 324GLOBALIZING CHINESE ACTIVISM

4

HIS 325/EAS 325HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA

4

HIS 344/CRE 344/SPA 344DIALOGUE BET SPAIN & AMERICAS

4

HIS 346/AFR 346/GWS 346AFRICAN WOMEN IN COMP PERSP

4

HIS 361TERRORISM IN CONTEMP AFRICA

4

or an appropriate advanced course

HIS 462/AFR 462TERRORISM IN CONTEMP AFRICA

4

Advisers: T. Borer, J. Dawson, A. Levin, D. Patton, C. Sayej, J. Tian