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International Relations
An Interdisciplinary Program
The study of international relations has been described by Karl W. Deutsch
as the attempt to answer several fundamental questions:
What are the relations among nations?
What are the causes of war and peace?
What is the nature of national power in international politics?
How do leaders and citizens perceive their own nations and the actions
of other nations?
How equitably are the things people value distributed throughout the world?
How concerned are people about the independence of their nation and the
freedom of the citizens of their country?
Who takes an active interest in politics?
When are governments likely to be overthrown?
How do people preserve their identities in the face of change?
The international relations program at Concordia enables the student to study these questions from the perspectives of a variety of disciplines. In consultation with his or her academic adviser and the chair of the International Relations Committee, the international relations student designs an interdisciplinary course of study from appropriate courses offered by the business and economics, history, political science, and sociology departments.
The requirements for an international relations major are Economics 357 (for which Economics 201 is a prerequisite); Political Science 341; Political Science 311 or History 410 and five additional course credits from the following list (at least two of which must be Political Science offerings):
| Economics 300 | May Seminar Abroad. Full course. MS. |
| History 111, 112 | United States in Perspective I and II. Full course. E. |
| History 131, 132 | European History I and II. Full course. E. |
| History 151, 152 | World in Perspective I and II. Full course. E. |
| History 300 | May Seminar Abroad. Full course. MS. |
| History 314/Political Science 352 | U.S. Foreign Policy. Full course. E1. |
| History 331 | Imperial Russia. Full course. E1. |
| History 332 | Twentieth-Century Russia. Full course. E2. |
| History 336 | Clash of Cultures: The World and the West. Full course. D. |
| History 342 | Modern East Asian History. Full course. D. |
| History 352 | The Rise of Modern Africa. Full course. E2. |
| History 365/Political Science 365 | Global Issues. Full course. D. |
| Political Science 300 | May Seminar Abroad. Full course. MS. |
| Political Science 311 |
Methods and Techniques of Political Analysis. Full course. E. |
| Political Science 354 | Canadian Government. Full course. D. |
| Political Science 356 |
Comparative Politics (for which Political Science 111 or 211 is a prerequisite). Full course. E1. |
| Sociology 217 | Cultural Anthropology. Full course. E2. |
| Sociology 319 | Collective Behavior and Social Movements. Half course. D. |
| Sociology 338 | Sociology of Religion. Half course. D. |
| Sociology 341 | Work and Organizations. Full course. E2. |
| Sociology/Economics 312 | Socioeconomics of Human Populations. Full course. E1. |
Committee
Peter C. Hovde, Chair
Larry J. Alderink
W. Vincent Arnold
Nicholas R. Ellig
Polly A. Fassinger
Jacqueline M. Fellows
Thomas W. Hiestand
Linda L. Johnson
David S. Moewes
Rebecca R. Moore
Debra F. Peterson
Max W. Richardson
David P. Sandgren
Bruce W. Stuart
The requirements for the international relations minor are Economics 357 (for which Economics 201 is a prerequisite); Political Science 341 and three additional course credits from the list of options given for the major. However, a minor in international relations may only be earned by a student whose major is economics, history, political science or sociology.
Students majoring in international relations should realize that their
degree will be taken more seriously by employers, graduate schools, etc.,
if they supplement their major with the following:
- a study abroad experience (such as a May Seminar or International Education
program through the International Education Office);
- competence in a modern non-English language;
- additional courses in economics, such as micro- and macroeconomic theory.
Many students pursue graduate degrees in international relations. See Thunderbird-Concordia Linkage Program, pages 46-47.
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Date of last update: 7/8/97
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