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

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

1. International Relations
2. Principles of Economics
3. International Economics
4. The Historical Dimension
5. Theories of Society and Culture

Core Requirement #1: International Relations
PS 61 presents the major philosophical, theoretical, and methodological approaches to the study 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.

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Core Requirement #2: Principles of Economics
EC 5 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.

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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, but attention is also given to economic history, philosophy, and strategic analysis 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)

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Core Requirement #4: The Historical Dimension
A core course in the historical dimension is a broad and introductory course that serves to emphasize 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. Appropriate courses will include narratives that deal with the origin and development of regional, national, and ethnic cultures as they relate to the shaping of international and transnational relations, and the historical development of ideologies that have had an important impact on contemporary international affairs.
(choose one course from below)

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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)

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Major Summary |  Approved Thematic Concentration Courses |  Language Requirement