The International Relations Honors Major
Professor Shanker Satyanath, Director
Shanker.Satyanath@nyu.edu
Recent trends in economic integration, technological diffusion, cultural and social developments, and environmental awareness have produced a sense that the world is getting smaller. This has led to an increased awareness that decisions made in one country have implications that transcend national borders and involve a wide variety of private and public-sector actors. Local as well as national policy-makers, small as well as multinational business leaders, need to think about the global context in which they operate. Understanding the resulting array of complex transnational relationships requires both advanced analytical skills and substantive knowledge across numerous traditional disciplines, including politics, economics, history, anthropology, and sociology.
The International Relations major seeks to provide students with an understanding of the global system's past, the tools to function effectively in the present, and the ability to foresee and respond to developments. The major recognizes and critically engages the changing nature of the contemporary political and economic environment and seeks to lay an interdisciplinary basis for understanding these changes. It provides students with an opportunity to study the complex web of transnational politics in an in-depth, interdisciplinary fashion. The breadth of courses is designed to match the breadth of knowledge and skills that the field requires. Fluency in a foreign language and a semester of study abroad at a site where that language is spoken are required of all majors to help ensure that they acquire a deeper understanding of a country's culture and institutions. Majors are also encouraged, though not required, to take advantage of the many internship opportunities that are available in New York City to students of international relations.
The requirements of the International Relations major are those of an honors major, and it is expected that students will complete an honors thesis in their senior year. Because it is an honors major, the number of students who can be admitted to it is limited to 20-30 per year. Therefore, interested students need to submit a formal application, between the end of their freshmen year and October 15th of their sophomore year. Criteria for admission include a strong academic record at NYU (minimum G.P.A. of 3.65); progress toward or completion of the foreign language requirement; and demonstrated commitment to the field. By the time of application, students should also have completed both International Politics (V53.0700) AND either Economic Principles I OR Economic Principles II.
Major Requirements (fourteen courses)
A. Core (four courses)
Majors must complete all three of the following courses:
V53.0700 International Politics
V31.0001 Economic Principles I
V31.0002 Economic Principles II
And one of the following four courses in social science research methods:
V53.0800 Quantitative Methods in Politics Science
V53.0800 Doing Political Science
V31.0018 Introductory Statistics (Economics)
V93.0302 Statistics for Social Research (Sociology)
V89.0009 Statistical Reasoning for the Behavioral Sciences
**For GSP students we will accept V08.1001 (Economics I) and Y08.1002 (Economics II)
B. The International Relations Environment (four courses)
Majors must complete four of the following courses. These courses are subject to change and may not be offered ever semester:
V31.0238 International Economics
V31.0330 International Finance
V31.0335 International Trade
V31.0336 International Finance Theory
V31.0323 Economic Development
V31.0324 Topics in Global Economy
V31.0370 Growth and Development
V53.0710 U.S. Foreign Policy
V53.0712 National Security
V53.0720 Diplomacy and Negotiation
V53.0730 International Organization
V53.0736 Business and American Foreign Policy
V53.0740 International Law
V53.0741 War, Peace, and World Order
V53.0742 Terrorism
V53.0760 International Politics of the Middle East
V53.0770 International Relations of Asia
V53.0775 International Political Economy
V53.0780 Inter-American Relations
V53.0795 Undergraduate Field Seminar: International Relations
V53.0511 Immigration and Politics of Western Europe
V53.0844 Games, Strategy, Politics
V57.0813 The Search for Peace in the Nuclear Age
C. Regional Specialization (two courses)
Majors must complete two 4-point courses focusing on a particular world region. These courses should normally be taken during the term abroad. Whether taken at NYU or abroad, both courses must be approved in advance by the director of the program.
D. Foreign Language (two courses beyond the intermediate level)
The language should in most cases be related to the regional specialization and the study abroad site (but not, e.g., if the site is London). We encourage students who are already fluent in English and another language to study an additional language at the advanced level. If a student considers him/herself fluent in a foreign language he/ she can a) complete the requirement with a third language or b) take two advanced courses (literature or advanced translation) in the foreign language of his/her fluency. In either case the student would have to take the two courses past the intermediate level.
E. Senior Honors (two courses)
The major constitutes, in effect, an honors track, and students must complete the requirements for departmental honors by taking the senior seminar and writing a thesis.
V52.0990 International Relations Senior Seminar (fall term)
V52.0991 International Relations Senior Thesis (spring term)
F. Study Abroad (one semester)
Students spend a semester, usually in the junior year, at one of the six NYU programs abroad or at one of the eighteen universities around the world with which NYU has an exchange agreement. Permission to study at any other site must be petitioned in advance in the Office of the Associate Dean for Students, a process that presupposes the approval of the program director.
H. Internship (optional)
Students are encouraged, but not required, to take an internship, whether for academic credit or not for credit, at one of the many international institutions or agencies located in New York City. They can pursue internship possibilities through the Politics Department, the Metropolitan Studies Program, and the NYU Office of Career Services.
Advising
Before submitting an application to the IR major, please speak with Emily Mitchell-Marell during her drop-in advising hours, Monday through Thursday, 10:00am-1:00pm and 2:00pm to 5:00pm.
Application for Admission to the IR Honors Major:
If you would like to apply, you may download an application from the IR Major website http://www.nyu.edu/fas/program/ir/index.shtml. Please submit your application electronically to Emily.mm@nyu.edu or in person to Ms. Emily Mitchell-Marell, Advisor to the IR program, 19 West 4th, 2nd floor.
