Program Overview

Program Overview

The Political Science: International Security option at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) offers a focused exploration of global conflict, emerging threats, and state relations in a rapidly changing world. This program allows students to examine critical challenges from terrorism and nuclear proliferation to climate security and pandemic response, guided by faculty experts specializing in regional dynamics from Latin America to China.

Program Details

• Degree: Bachelor of Arts
• Location: Durham, NH
• Courses: 10
• Credit Hours: 128
• Full-time: 4 years
• Part-time: Varies

Curriculum and Requirements

The International Security option in major allows students to focus their electives on contemporary international security issues. The program requires a minimum of 128 credits, with 32 credits taken at UNH and a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Degree Requirements

• Minimum Credit Requirement: 128 credits
• Minimum Residency Requirement: 32 credits must be taken at UNH
• Minimum GPA: 2.0 required for conferral
• Core Curriculum Required: Discovery & Writing Program Requirements
• Foreign Language Requirement: Yes

Major Requirements

The Political Science major option in International Security consists of at least 10 courses (40 credits). The minimum grade requirement is C- per course, and the required minimum overall GPA for major coursework is 2.0.

Course List

• Requirements:
  • POLT 401: Politics and Society
  • POLT 402: American Politics and Government
  • POLT 403: United States in World Affairs
• Subfield Courses: Select three 500-level subfield courses, one from each of three different subfields:
  • Subfield: American Politics
  • Subfield: Political Thought
  • Subfield: Comparative Politics
  • Subfield: International Politics
  • Subfield: Methods
• International Security Option Requirements:
  • POLT 568: International Security
  • Electives: Select two courses from the following:
    • POLT 548: Drug Wars
    • POLT 551: Ethnicity, Violence, Democracy
    • POLT 554: Revolution and Protest in Latin America
    • POLT 559: Comparative Politics of the Middle East
    • POLT 562: Strategy and National Security Policy
    • POLT 566: International Security in Asia
    • POLT 569: The Rise of China
    • POLT 592: Selected Topics in International Politics
• Capstone: Select one course from the following:
  • POLT 740: States and Societies in the Middle East
  • POLT 742: Beyond Bollywood: Politics of India & South Asia
  • POLT 751: Comparative Environmental Politics and Policy
  • POLT 797C: Seminar in Comparative Politics
  • POLT 797E: Seminar in International Politics

Student Learning Outcomes

The program fosters the development of a strong empirical foundation through multiple levels of courses. The option in major allows students to focus their elective coursework on critical international security issues.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge Base: A proficient knowledge base of the five subfields of Political Science, including American Government, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Methods.
• Research Skills: Advance the students' abilities to understand and use basic political science research skills.
• Critical Thinking: Enhancement of student cognitive abilities and critical thinking.
• Communication Skills: Enhance the written and oral communication skills of our students.
• Professional Socialization and Support for Post-Graduate Training and Placement: Give students the requisite skills, preparation, and knowledge base to become capable and responsible political actors in their chosen professional careers and future goals.
• Inspire Curiosity and Enthusiasm for Inquiry: Foster a spirit of inquiry and stimulate curiosity about the political world.

Potential Career Areas

• Foreign Policy Analyst
• International consulting firms
• USAID, International Rescue Committee, or other aid organizations
• Government agencies (e.g., CIA, DoD, State Dept)
• Researcher (think tanks)
• Risk analysis
• Journalism