for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Political Science, International Relations Concentration

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International relations (IR) is the study of interactions across borders of nation-states. Students explore how global, regional, and domestic factors influence relations among states as well as non-state actors across the interstate system.

Students take advanced courses in two or more of the following topics: international law and organization, international cooperation, international political economy, globalization, foreign policy, diplomacy, political strategy in IR, conflict, interstate war, civil war, terrorism, global environmental politics, and international human rights.

See the Political Science BALAS page for departmental distinction information.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Political Science, International Relations Concentration

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See the Political Science Distinction page for departmental distinction information.

Students may count a maximum of six (6) hours of credit of any combination of hours from PS 494 toward the advanced hours requirement. Not more than 6 hours of individual study courses in political science (PS 490) or 6 hours of internships (PS 491) or 6 hours of supervised research (PS 492) may be included in the major; a student with any mix of independent study hours and internship hours and supervised research hours may include a maximum of 9 hours of such credit in the major. (PS 496) is reserved for those seniors doing honors theses for distinction in political science and may not be counted in the 45-hour minimum required for the major.

General education: Students must complete the Campus General Education requirements including the campus general education language requirement.

Minimum required major and supporting course work: Normally equates to 70 hours. Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level in the major must be taken on this campus.

Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.

International Relations Concentration Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
PS 100	Intro to Political Science	3
Select at least one course from the following:		3
PS 280	Intro to Intl Relations
PS 281	Intro to Intl Relations-ACP
PS 282	Governing Globalization
Select any additional 100- or 200-level Political Science courses		6
Select 300- or 400-level Political Science courses, at least nine hours of which come from the International Relations Concentration list (below). The other six hours may be any 300- or 400-level Political Science course.		15
Select any additional Political Science courses at any level.		6
Students will select a second major, or a minor, or a set of courses of at least 12 hours of thematically-related coursework outside political science, developed in conjunction with an academic advisor.		12
Total Hours		45

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
International Relations Course List
PS 180	IntroPolitics of Globalization	3
PS 230	Intro to Pol Research	3
PS 231	Strategic Models	3
PS 280	Intro to Intl Relations	3
PS 281	Intro to Intl Relations-ACP	3
PS 282	Governing Globalization	3
PS 283	Intro to Intl Security	3
PS 300	Special Topics (as appropriate)	3
PS 313	Congress and Foreign Policy	3
PS 340	Politics in Intl Development	3
PS 379	Intl Rel & Domestic Politics	3
PS 380	International Cooperation	3
PS 382	Intl Political Economy	3
PS 384	Politics of Globalization	3
PS 386	International Law	3
PS 387	National Security Policy	3
PS 390	American Foreign Policy	3
PS 391	Soviet & Post-Sov Foreign Pol	3
PS 392	Intl Organizations&Regionalism	3
PS 393	Diplomatic Studies Practicum	4
PS 394	Crisis Diplomacy	3
PS 395	International Organization	3
PS 396	International Conflict	3
PS 398	Strategic Interntl Relations	3
PS 399	Politics of International Treaties	3
PS 457	Dem Gov in a Global Setting	3 or 4
PS 480	Energy and Security	3
PS 494	Junior Honors Seminar (as appropriate)	3

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Political Science, International Relations Concentration

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department website: https://www.pol.illinois.edu

department faculty: Political Science Faculty

advising: Political Science advising

overview of college admissions & requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences

college website: https://las.illinois.edu/