Program Overview

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International Relations Major Requirements - Bachelor of Science

The Bachelor of Science in International Relations (IR-B.S.) is designed for students who wish to develop a deep understanding of today’s complex international politics. The major offers a broad range of courses on conflict, political economy, international development, international organization, comparative institutions, identity, and regional politics in East Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, among other topics. The IR-B.S. track emphasizes a rigorous, social scientific study of the most pressing challenges currently facing the world, including climate change, pandemics, and economic crises. The Bachelor of Science in International Relations provides students with the tools to produce political science research focused on international relations and comparative politics through advanced training in political methodology and data analysis.

Major Components

There are five major components of the IR-B.S. major:

• Benchmark courses
• Foundational Courses
• Methods Requirement
• GVPT Courses of Choice
• Skills Requirements

All major requirements must be taken under the regular grading method and must be completed with a grade of C- or higher. No course may be used to satisfy more than one major requirement. Additionally, at least 12 upper-level GVPT credits (4 upper-level GVPT courses) for the major must be completed in-residence at UMD.

Benchmark Requirements

Benchmark 1

Students must complete the following four courses within two semesters of entering the major:

• GVPT170: American Government with a grade of C- or higher
• GVPT201: Scope and Methods for Political Science Research with a grade of C- or higher
• One of STAT100, MATH107, MATH113, MATH115, MATH120, MATH135, MATH136, or MATH140 with a grade of C- or higher
• Academic Writing with a grade of C- or higher

Benchmark 2

Students must complete the following course within one semester of completing Benchmark 1:

• GVPT320: Advanced Empirical Research with a grade of C- or higher

Foundational Courses

All students must complete the following foundational courses (9 credits total):

• GVPT200: International Political Relations (3 credits)
• GVPT280: The Study of Comparative Politics (3 credits) or GVPT282: The Politics of Global Development (3 credits)
• 1 GVPT IR/Comparative Course of Choice, lower-level (100/200) (3 credits) from approved list

Courses used to satisfy the Foundational Courses requirement may not be double-counted as GVPT Courses of Choice.

Methods Requirements

• 1 GVPT Methods Course, upper-level (300/400) from the following list (3 credits total)
• 1 GVPT IR/Comparative Quantitative Methods Course, upper-level (300/400) from the following list (3 credits total)
• 1 GVPT Quantitative Methods Course, upper-level (300/400) from the following list (3 credits total)

GVPT Courses of Choice

• 3 GVPT IR/Comparative Courses of Choice, upper-level (300/400) from approved list (9 credits total)

Skills Requirements

The skills category for the Bachelor of Science track has four components:

1. ECON200: Principles of Microeconomics
2. Entire level of elementary foreign language
3. Quantitative Skills-B.S. track course
4. Additional Skills Requirement

Students may not apply courses used to fulfill the skills category toward any other major requirement.

1. All students must complete ECON200: Principles of Microeconomics.
2. Elementary Foreign Language
   • Students must complete a foreign language through the entire elementary level.
   • The entire elementary level of a language can be 4-12 total credits, depending on the language.
   • If the entire elementary level of the language is comprised of multiple courses, students must complete all courses in the elementary sequence to satisfy this requirement, not just the first.
3. Quantitative Skills-B.S. Track Requirement
   • Students must choose a quantitative skills course from the approved list of B.S. track options.
   • This course cannot be the same course that was used to satisfy the math benchmark requirement.
4. Additional Skills Requirement
   • To satisfy Additional Skills, students must complete an additional Quantitative Skills - B.S. Track course from the approved list or students must complete an intermediate level foreign language course.

Foreign Language Exemption

Students proficient in a foreign language may exempt from the elementary and/or intermediate foreign language requirement(s) via the options below.

• High School Proficiency - Elementary only
  • Students who have completed the full level 3 of a foreign language in high school with a “C-” or higher may be exempted from the Elementary Foreign Language skills requirement.
• Completion of an intermediate level course (or higher)
  • Students who complete or bring in transfer credit for an intermediate language course will be waived from the Elementary Foreign Language requirement.
• Demonstrating Proficiency
  • Students proficient through the elementary level of a foreign language may seek an exemption from the requirement by identifying a testing center or submitting official documents as evidence.