International Relations Major

Requirements for the Major in International Relations

1. Introductory core courses. Introduction to International Relations (POLI 008 PO ), U.S. Foreign Policy (POLI 007 PO ), International Economics (ECON 123 PO ), Statistics for Politics and International Relations (POLI 090 PO ) and an approved modern history course, such as: Modern Europe: Since 1789 (HIST 071 PO ); The New Asia: China, Japan, India and Indonesia in the Modern Era (HIST 061 CM ); Latin America Since Independence (HIST 032 CH ); History of Africa from 1800 (HIST 041 AF ). ECON 051 PO  and ECON 052 PO  are prerequisites for ECON 123 PO . Courses taken in fulfillment of the history core course requirement other than the ones listed above and the two advanced electives must be approved by a faculty advisor from the IR program in conjunction with the IR coordinator.
2. Intermediate International Relations Seminar. IR 100 PO  is a theory-oriented seminar to be taken by majors in their second or third year. Students must take IR 100 PO  after POLI 008 PO  and before IR 190 PO  (the senior seminar taken in the fall of senior year). If possible, students are encouraged to take IR 100 PO  while they are juniors.
3. Advanced electives. At least two courses with international content must be selected in consultation with the IR Coordinator and an advisor from the IR program. Students may petition to have advanced courses taken at other Claremont Colleges or in study abroad programs that meet this requirement.
4. Language requirement. Students must achieve third-year level proficiency in one modern language or second-year level proficiency in two modern languages.
5. Study Abroad. Students are required to spend at least one semester in a study abroad program in the second or third year.
6. Senior Thesis. This is a two-course sequence. The student must complete IR 190 PO  during the first semester of the senior year. This thesis seminar emphasizes relevant IR theories, research design and methodology; the main objective is a finished thesis research proposal. Students enroll in IR 191 PO  in the second semester during which the student writes a substantial and original research paper under the supervision of two faculty readers.