The major consists of a minimum of 48 credits selected in consultation with one of the program committee members or a faculty member in one of the departments that contribute to the international relations major. No more than 50 percent of the required units for any particular component of the international relations major (i.e., political science, economics, history) can be satisfied through off-campus programs. Credits earned by international relations majors through the Washington Semester program are subject to this limitation.
Majors are required to complete the equivalent of the fourth semester of a foreign language at the college level. Participation in an off-campus study program is strongly encouraged and usually can be scheduled for the junior or senior year. Students who wish to pursue a minor in economics, history, or foreign language should contact the program director.
Because Political Science courses are an integral part of the international relations major, students are not permitted to major in both political science and international relations.
The Major
The major consists of a minimum of 48 credits selected in consultation with an advisor. At least 28 credits for the major must be taken at the University of Redlands. Participation in a study abroad program, international/global internship or field experience is strongly encouraged and should usually be scheduled for the junior or senior year.
Major Requirements
Students must complete 48 units, distributed as follows:
Foundation (2 courses)
IR 201 Introduction to International and Global Studies
IR 200 International Relations Theory
Interdisciplinary Core (3 courses)
HIST 102 World History since 1450
SOAN 102 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
ECON 100 Economics and Society or ECON 101 Principles of Economics (students choosing the Global Political Economy and Economic Development concentration should complete ECON 101)
Methodologies (2 courses from different departments and programs)
Choose from:
ECON 202 Game Theory
ECON 310 Research Methods in Economics
EVST 399 Research Methods for Environmental Scientists
HIST 290 Seminar in Historical Theories and Methods
POLI 200 The Study of Politics
POLI 202 Statistical Analysis and Mapping of Social Science Data
POLI 203 Playing Politics
SOAN 300 Research Methods and Design
SOAN 301 Fieldwork and Ethnographic Methods
SOAN 303 World Ethnographies
SOAN 305 Mapping People Mapping Place
SPA 110 Introduction to Spatial Analysis and GIS
or other courses approved by the advisor
Concentration (4 courses)
Students choose four courses to take within a concentration. No more than one may be a lower division course. Courses must be taken from at least two, and preferably three, different departments. Students negotiate the appropriate classes with their advisors. Concentration courses can be found on the International Relations Concentrations page.
Global Political Economy and Economic Development (GPED)
Global Environment, Health, and Natural Resources (GEHN)
Global Institutions and Society (GLIS)
International Politics, Peace, and Security (IPPS)
Capstone (1 course)
IR 400 International Relations Capstone.
Related Field Requirement
Foreign Language: Pass at least one course at or above the 300 level in a non-English language.
Courses in the Concentrations
Possible courses for each concentration within International Relations are listed; however, there will be other courses whose topics fall within the scope of the concentration. Students should discuss all concentration course choices in consultation with their advisor, as well as any topics courses not listed and relevant Study Abroad programs/courses.
Global Political Economy and Economic Development (GPED)
ECON 222 International Political Economy
SOAN 222 Development and Change in the Americas
HIST 344 The Pacific Rim: Economic Dynamism and Challenge for America
POLI 322 Political Change
GLB 336 International Business
ECON 424 International Economics
Global Environment, Health, and Natural Resources (GEHN)
EVST 242 Food and Nature
POLI 207 Environmental Politics and Policy
PHIL 215 Bioethics: Doctors and Patients
EVST 391 Environmental Hydrology
REST 334 Native American Environmental Issues
ECON 455 Environmental Economics
Global Institutions and Society (GLIS)
ECON 221 Economics of Development
SOAN 256 Middle Eastern Women
HIST 330 Rise of the Anglo-Atlantic World 1500-1815
SOAN 326 Charity and Helping Others
SOAN 405 Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
International Politics, Peace, and Security (IPPS)
HIST 152 The Emergence of Modern Africa
ECON 221 Economics of Development
POLI 226 Middle East and African Politics
POLI 244 International Security
POLI 346 Foreign Policies of Russia and the Former Soviet States
SOAN 337 Ethnicity, Nationalism, and Conflict
General Education Requirements
General Education is a broad description of the curriculum that embodies our commitment to a liberal arts education at the University of Redlands. Our general education conveys the range of fields of study, ways of thinking, and practices of scholarship and creativity that enable students to graduate as critical thinkers capable of innovatively and collaboratively adapting to challenges that come their way in the future.
Our general education is comprised of a Liberal Arts Inquiry (LAI) or Liberal Arts Foundation (LAF) curriculum.
Entering first-year students and transfer students arriving with fewer than 32 credits in Fall 2018 will follow the LAI curriculum.
All transfer and returning students with 32 credits or more (i.e., sophomores, juniors, and seniors) in Fall 2018 will follow the LAF curriculum.
