International relations major (34 semester hours +)
The international relations major at Calvin consists of 34 semester hours plus nine cognate hours of course work or an approved off-campus semester program. See graduation requirements for more specific information about which courses you must take.
Admission to the program
Graduation requirements
Internship experience
Honors
Sample Curriculum - International Relations Major
Admission to the program
To be admitted to the international relations major you must have completed one (non interim term) political science course with a minimum grade of C (2.0).
Graduation requirements
To graduate with an international relations major, you must:
Complete the following courses
- Introduction to International Politics (207)
- International Peace and Security (304)
- International Political Economy (319)
- Global Democracy (272)
Complete three of the following courses with minimum of three semester hours from each of the two categories
Category A: International Politics
- Model U.N. (285)
(note: not sufficient for minimal requirement for IR; may not count as the only course in this category) - Terrorism (307)
- American Foreign Policy (308)
- International Organizations and Law (309)
- The Global Politics of Human Rights (328)
- The Christian Faith and Public Life (399)*
Category B: Comparative Politics
- Canadian Politics (102)
- Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective (271)
- Global Democratization (272)
- European Politics (275)
- Latin American Politics (276)
- Asian Politics (277)
- African Politics (279)
- The Christian Faith and Public Life (399)*
*399 (The Christian Faith and Public Life) may count in either international politics (category A) or comparative politics (category B).
NOTE: An advisor approved interim course may be counted as an elective in the major.
Complete a foundational economics course
- Principles of Economics (Econ 151) or
- Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 221) and Principles of Macroeconomics (Econ 222)
Complete a required skill
- Methods of Political Analysis (251) or
- 3 semester hours of foreign language beyond the 202 level (can be met in study abroad context)
Complete a course in American politics
- American Politics (101)
- Urban Politics (208)
- American Public Policy (212)
- Constitutional Law and Judicial Process (310)
- The President and Congress (314)
Complete a course in political thought
Complete one of following two options related to supporting courses
Option 1: Take any three of the following courses:
- HIST 233 – Modern Middle East
- HIST 238 – Latin American History
- HIST 242 – Modern Africa 1800 to the Present
- HIST 246 – East Asia since 1800
- HIST 267 – Twentieth-Century Europe
- HIST 271 – War and Society
- HIST 272 – Contemporary World
- HIST 331 – Studies in Middle Eastern History
- HIST346 – Modern China
- ECON 337 – World Poverty and Economic Development
- ECON 338 – International Economics
- BUS 269 – Global Business
- ECON xxx – Regional Economics Course #1 (should such a course be proposed and passed)
- ECON xxx – Regional Economics Course #2 (should such a course be proposed and passed)
- IDS 201 – Intro to International Development Studies
- IDS 395 – Senior Seminar in International Development Studies
- CAS 330 – Global Media, Global Culture
- SOC 253 – Intercultural Communication
- GEOG 110 – World Regional Geography
- GEOG 230 – The Geography of the Global Economy
- GEOG 240 – The Geography of Latin America
- GEOG 242 – The Geography of Africa
- One interim course related to an international issues, requires approval of advisor
***Other courses, not listed here, may, with the approval of the advisor/Department, be applied toward meeting this requirement.
Option 2: Complete an approved off-campus semester program
- A Calvin-sponsored semester-long off-campus study program
- The Henry Semester in Washington, D.C. Program (if internship placement is appropriate for IR major)
- Any Level 1 Calvin-endorsed semester abroad program
Internship experience
International relations majors, particularly those who do not anticipate pursuing either law school or some graduate program shortly after graduation, are encouraged to enroll in internship programs.
The department offers 8 semester hours of internship credit in state and local government (380), as well as internships through our Washington, DC semester program.
Honors
Information on the specifics and guidelines for graduating with honors can be found on the political science department 's honors page.
Sample Curriculum - International Relations Major
N.B.: This plan does not take into account possible core exemptions or AP credits. If you have either, you might have even more room for electives, a second major or a minor.
First Year - 12-15 credits per semester; approximately 24-30 credits plus interim
- Core: English 101 (3cr)
- Core: FIT (1cr)
- Core: IDIS 149 Prelude (1)
- HIST 152 – core requirement (4cr)
- Core: CAS 140 (Communication and culture) (3cr)
- POLS 101 – American Politics (3cr) (also fulfills Core: Societal Structures in North America)
- POLS 207 – Introduction to International Relations (best second semester; also fulfills Core: Global and Historical Studies) (3cr)
- ECON 221 (3cr) (if choosing to do the 221-222 sequence instead of ECON 151)
- Core courses: Biological or physical science (4cr)
- One foreign language course each semester if not exempt (4cr + 4cr)
Interim – DCM (3cr)
Second Year – 26-32 credits
- POLS 240 – Political Ideas in Historical Perspective (3cr)
- POLS 251 – Research Methods (3cr) [unless choosing to study a foreign language beyond the 202 level]
- POLS 272 – Democratization (3cr)
- POLS 304 – International Peace and Security( 3cr)
- PHIL 153 – core requirement (3cr)
- REL 121 or 131 – Core: Biblical or Theological Foundations I (3cr)
- One foreign language course each semester (4cr + 4cr)
- Core: Health and Fitness: one course from PER 101-112 (1cr)
- ECON 151 or ECON 222 if student took ECON 221 (microeconomics)
- Apply for semester in Washington D.C. the spring of your sophomore year, if planning to go your junior year.
Interim: choice of one elective (3cr); if it is a Political Science interim, it can count toward the major; many off-campus abroad interims also meet Cross-Cultural Engagement requirement.
Third Year – 26-32 credits
- POLS 275 – European Politics (3cr) OR
- POLS 276 – Latin American Politics (3cr) OR
- POLS 279 – African Politics (3cr)
- POLS 241 – preparatory course for Study in Washington D.C. (1cr) (Fall semester)
- Core: MATH 143 Statistics (4cr)
- Core: Biblical or Theological Foundations II (3cr)
- Core: Biological or physical science (4cr)
- Core: Health and Fitness: one course from PER 120-159 (1cr)
- Semester in Washington DC (14cr) or another off-campus program (Britain, Hungary, Ghana, France, Spain, etc.)
Interim: take off, so as to be able to plan better for Washington DC or study abroad.
Fourth Year – 26-32 credits
- POLS 399 – Capstone course (3 cr.) (Fall semester)
- POLS 319 – International Political Economy (3cr)
- POLS 307—Terrorism (3cr) OR
- POLS 308 – American Foreign Policy (3cr) OR
- POLS 309 – International Organizations and Law (3cr) OR
- POLS 328 – The Global Politics of Human Rights (3cr)
- Core: Literature (3cr.)
- Core: The Arts (3cr.)
- Core: Health and Fitness: one course from PER 160-189, PER 223 (1cr)
- Any remaining major or minor requirements, and electives.
Interim: choice of one elective (3cr).
