Program Overview

Program Overview

The Political Science Major, International Politics Specialization is a program offered by Washington University in St. Louis. This program is designed for students who wish to specialize in international politics.

Program Requirements

• Total Units Required: 30
• Grade Requirement: C or better

Required Courses

• Substantive Introductory Courses: 6 graded units must come from two 1000-level introductory courses.
• Methodology Course: 3 graded units must come from either POLSCI 2400 Data Science for Politics or POLSCI 3630 Quantitative Political Methodology.

Elective Courses

• Distribution Requirement: Students must complete at least one 3-unit course at the 2000, 3000, or 4000 level in three of the following subfields: American politics, comparative politics, international politics, political methodology, or political theory.
• Upper-Level Requirement: 18 graded units must come from any six 3000- or 4000-level courses, including at least one 4000-level capstone course.
• Other Courses: A student's remaining graded units may be earned by any Political Science course or independent study.

Capstone

All majors must complete at least one 4000-level, home-based course in Political Science as a capstone experience. Students writing a senior thesis satisfy this requirement by completing POLSCI 4905 Research Design and Methods.

Limitations

• No more than 6 units from the following may count toward the major: internship, directed reading, directed research, or teaching practicum.
• No more than 6 units from the following may count toward the major: study abroad, summer school, the School of Continuing & Professional Studies, or transfer credit.

Requirements for the International Politics Specialization

Students may specialize in International Politics by completing three courses within the International Politics subfield.

Course List

• POLSCI 3043: Topics in International Politics: East Asian Economic Miracles (3 units)
• POLSCI 3043: Topics in International Politics: U.S. Law and Foreign Relations (3 units)
• POLSCI 3095: Civil War and Peace / The Scientific Study of War (3 units)
• POLSCI 3096: Politics of the European Union (3 units)
• POLSCI 3173: International Political Economy (3 units)
• POLSCI 3177: International Organization (3 units)
• POLSCI 3189: Topics in Politics: International Environmental Politics (3 units)
• POLSCI 3189: Topics in Politics: Political Economy of Immigration (3 units)
• POLSCI 3242: Topics in Politics: Politics, Risk, and Banking Crises (3 units)
• POLSCI 3286: Topics in Public Policy: Politics of International Trade (3 units)
• POLSCI 3288: Topics in International Political Economy: Integration in the Americas (3 units)
• POLSCI 3288: Topics in International Political Economy: Political Economy of Inequality and Redistribution (3 units)
• POLSCI 3320: Topics in Politics: Terrorism & Counterterrorism (3 units)
• POLSCI 3242: Topics in Politics: International Organizations (3 units)
• POLSCI 3720: Global Political Economy (3 units)
• POLSCI 3720: Topics in International Politics: Ethnic Conflict: Causes and Remedies (3 units)
• POLSCI 3720: Topics in International Politics: Politics of International Finance (3 units)
• POLSCI 3784: Terrorism and Political Violence (3 units)

Additional Information

Specializations

Political science majors may specialize in a subfield of political science by taking (as part of their distribution requirement) three courses with the same subfield distribution in any one of the five subfields (American politics, comparative politics, international politics, political methodology, or political theory).

Senior Thesis

The department encourages students to pursue independent research by working toward a senior thesis. Students admitted to this program work closely with a faculty advisor for a full calendar year, beginning at the end of their junior year.

Senior Honors

There are two tracks for graduating with Latin Honors: honors by thesis and honors by coursework. For either track, students must complete POLSCI 4905 during their junior year.