Rationale
All IR majors will "cap" their study by taking a seminar or by completing a research alternative. You should be aware that, at Tufts, a seminar is not merely another course. We require seminars because they provide you with an opportunity to interact closely with faculty, and because we consider it very important that you develop the speaking and writing skills that can only be addressed in a small-group setting. You should choose a seminar that builds on your courses and knowledge acquired in the Thematic Concentration requirement.

Students who do not find a suitable seminar to fulfill the IR Seminar/Research Requirement or who for other reasons wish to satisfy the requirement through research may choose either: a one-semester Directed Research Project or a two-semester Senior Honors Thesis. Please click for more information about seminars and research alternatives.

Please Note: Approved seminars may also be used toward corresponding concentrations; however they may not double count. For example, PS 171 may be used toward the concentration Foreign Policy Analysis or to fulfill the seminar requirement but not both.

1. Foreign Policy Analysis
2. Regional and Comparative Analysis
   1. Europe and the Former Soviet Union
   2. East and Southeast Asia
   3. Africa
   4. Middle East and South Asia
   5. Latin America
3. Global Conflict, Cooperation and Justice
4. International Economic and Environmental Affairs
5. Nationalism, Culture and Identity

Below is the list of all the IR Seminars Tufts has offered over the past few years. The Historical Core Requirements list and Historical Thematic Concentration list are also available. This is not the list of currently available seminars. For currently available courses, please see the Course Announcement on the courses page.

1. Foreign Policy Analysis

The concentration in Foreign Policy focuses on intermediate and upper-level coursework on the strategic interactions and diplomatic histories of countries and regions in the 19th and 20th centuries.

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2. Regional and Comparative Analysis

Thematic concentrations in regional and comparative analysis focus primarily on courses which examine independently and comparatively the history, politics, economics, cultures, literature, fine arts* of geographic regions outside the United States. Particular emphasis is placed on coursework covering the modern era. (*Applied/studio art courses will not count for completion of Thematic Concentration 2 requirements.)

2A. Europe and the Former Soviet Union

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2B. East and Southeast Asia

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2C. Africa

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2D. Middle East and South Asia

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2E. Latin America

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3. Global Conflict, Cooperation and Justice

Courses in this concentration focus mainly on theories of the causes and consequences of global conflict and on efforts to achieve cooperation and justice. Attention is paid to anthropological, economic, literary, philosophical, political, psychological, religious and sociological approaches to conflict and conflict resolution, with theoretical and methodological treatment of these themes receiving priority over historical or regional narrative approaches. General categories of issues include force, strategy and arms control, international law and organizations, global political economy, racial, religious, nationalistic and ethnic conflict, social movements, human rights and political philosophy.

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4. International Economic and Environmental Affairs

The purpose of the international economics concentrations is to allow students a more in-depth study of economics and to acquaint students with the evaluation of international commercial arrangements.

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5. Nationalism, Culture and Identity

Students in this concentration will focus on increasingly important aspects of subnational and transnational relations which concentrate on one or more of the following: culture, ethnicity, religion, class, gender and the formation of group and personal identities as situated in the interaction between global and local social forces.

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Historical Core Requirement list ] Historical Thematic Concentration list ] Language Requirement ]