School of Arts and Sciences
International Relations Program

Core Requirements

The five Core Requirements constitute the foundation of knowledge needed by all majors in International Relations, regardless of thematic or disciplinary concentration. They are broad introductory courses that cover the major themes and debates within each discipline on the study and substance of international affairs.

All majors in International Relations must complete the following five Core Requirements:

Core Requirement 1: Introduction to International Relations

PS 61 presents the major philosophical, theoretical, and methodological approaches to the study of international relations from the perspective of political science. At the thematic level, it introduces concepts including nationalism, sovereignty, power, conflict, and interdependence. At the theoretical level, it introduces debates between approaches including classical and recent (neo) variants of liberalism, realism, and political culture theory, and applies these approaches to such diverse problems as war and peace, world order, deterrence, imperialism, international trade, international environmental cooperation, and arms control.

  • PS 0061/CVS0061 Introduction to International Relations

Core Requirement 2: Principles of Economics

Principles of Economics introduces students to the fundamentals of microeconomic and macroeconomic analysis. Topics covered in microeconomics include (1) how markets determine the composition and pricing of outputs and inputs and (2) how individual consumers and businesses respond to market forces. Topics covered in macroeconomics include (1) the determinants of economic growth and (2) the effects of fiscal and monetary policy on unemployment, inflation, and capacity utilization.

Choose ONE course from below:

  • EC 0005 Principles of Economics
  • EC 0008 Principles of Economics with Environmental Applications

Core Requirement 3: International Economics

A core course in international economics is a broad and introductory course that acquaints students with the evaluation of international commercial arrangements. The main areas addressed include trade, finance, development, comparative, and environmental economics. Economic history, philosophy, and strategic analysis are discussed where relevant to analysis of international relations. All courses presume a previous foundation in principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics (i.e., EC 5).

Choose ONE course from below:

  • EC 0060 International Economics
  • EC 0161 International Trade
  • EC 0162 International Finance

Core Requirement 4: The Historical Dimension

A core course in the historical dimension is a broad and introductory course that emphasizes the way international relations are deeply grounded in identities, values, and prejudices that are themselves the products of long historical processes and the interaction of different peoples. These courses include narratives that deal with the origin and development of regional, national, and ethnic cultures as they relate to the shaping important impact on contemporary international affairs.

Choose ONE course from below:

  • CLS 0079/0179/HIST0080/0170 War and Diplomacy in the Ancient World
  • HIST 0001 International Relations: The Historical Perspective
  • HIST 0002 Globalization
  • HIST 0003 World in Motion
  • HIST 0004 Empires and Nations
  • HIST 0005 History of Consumption
  • HIST 0010/CST0011 Colonialism in Global Perspective
  • HIST 0012/STS0012 Science & Technology in World History
  • HIST 0013/AFR0013 Africa to 1800
  • HIST 0014/AFR0014 Africa since 1800
  • HIST 0028 U.S. Foreign Relations to 1900
  • HIST 0029 U.S. Foreign Relations since 1900
  • HIST 0058/CLS0039 The Byzantines and Their World
  • HIST 0060 Global Communism
  • HIST 0065 Great Britain and the British Empire
  • HIST 0070 Middle East to World War I
  • HIST 0071 Middle East and North Africa since World War I
  • HIST 0072 World of Islam
  • REL 0063/HIST0009 Global History of Christianity through the Middle Ages
  • REL 0064/CST0037/HIST0015 Global History of Christianity since the Middle Ages

Core Requirement 5: Theories of Society and Culture

A core course in theories of society and culture is a broad and introductory course that provides meta-narratives and theoretical frameworks for analyzing enduring issues of cultural, religious, and political life both within societies and between political communities. It will focus on the normative considerations—such as the role of the individual in the community, views on the meaning and highest forms of human existence, and the relationship between the government and the governed—that are necessary for a well-rounded understanding of international relations.

Choose ONE course from below:

  • ANTH 0027/CVS0057 Human Rights and Justice in Cultural Context
  • ANTH 0130 History of Anthropological Thought
  • MUS 0038 Music in Global Perspectives II (Note: MUS 38 and MUS 1 temporarily have the same title, but they are different courses)
  • PHIL 0024/CVS0014 Introduction to Ethics
  • PHIL 0048 Feminist Philosophy
  • PS 0041/CLS0041/CVS0018/PHIL0041 Western Political Thought I
  • PS 0042/PHIL0042/CVS0082 Western Political Thought II
  • PSY 0013/CVS0035 Social Psychology
  • REL 0001/CVS0015 Introduction to Religion
  • SOC 0050 Globalization and Social Change

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No.

  • No. Courses taken abroad and at other domestic institutions may count towards core requirements. To have these courses considered for credit in the major and to learn more about transfer of credit policies in the major, consult the IR Transfer of Credit page.

  • Yes. You may fulfill one Core requirement with a course taken while studying abroad. To have a course considered for Core credit in the major and to learn more about transfer of credit policies in the major, consult the IR Transfer of Credit page.