Marcheta L. Birch, Department of Political Science, Director.
This program, which includes a major and a minor, features a multi- and inter-disciplinary approach to the study of global affairs. Its goals are to provide a firm grounding in the theory and actual operation of the global system and to cultivate necessary skills in research and writing. Depending on career objectives, each student’s program is structured to maximize options upon graduation. Drawing on the resources of at least five departments, the program prepares students for graduate school and for careers in government, business, education, and international organizations. Completion of the major program will lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations.
Admission
The International Relations major and minor are open to any student who has completed PSC 140 with a minimum grade of C.
A minimum overall average of 2.00 in all courses taken to complete the major or the minor is required for program completion. Students must obtain the signature of the program director verifying that they have completed all requirements.
International Relations Curriculum:
| 1. |
ENG 101, ENG 102, PHI 101, RST 101 |
(4 courses) |
(12) |
| 2. |
Area Studies: Two courses from each of these areas: I, III, V, VI, VII |
(10 courses) |
(30) |
| 3. |
Major course requirements: |
(18 courses) |
|
| |
HIS 107 |
History of Modern Europe to 1815 |
|
| |
HIS 108 |
History of Modern Europe since 1815 |
(6) |
| |
OR |
|
|
| |
HIS 109 |
History of Asia to 1800 |
|
| |
HIS 110 |
History of Asia since 1800 |
|
| |
OR |
|
|
| |
HIS 131 |
Latin American History to 1830 |
|
| |
HIS 132 |
Latin American History since 1830 |
|
| |
OR |
|
|
| |
PSC 103 |
Constitutional Foundations of American Government |
|
| |
PSC 150 |
Comparative Politics |
|
| |
PSC 140 |
Introduction to International Relations |
(3) |
| |
PSC 217 (SOC 342) Research Methods |
|
|
| |
OR |
|
(3) |
| |
HIS 221 |
History Methodology |
|
| |
PSC 353 |
Conceptualizing Global Relations |
(3) |
| |
HIS 365 |
U.S. Latin American Relations |
(3) |
|
OR |
|
|
| |
PSC 245 |
U.S. Foreign Policy |
|
|
|
(any one of the three above) |
|
| |
HIS 345 (PSC 357) Soviet Union: 1917 and After |
|
|
| |
OR |
|
(3) |
| |
HIS 350 (PSC 350) 20th Century Eastern Europe |
|
|
| |
PSC 442 |
Seminar in International Relations |
|
| |
OR |
|
(3) |
| |
Senior seminar authorized by Program Director |
|
|
| |
ECO 101 |
Principles of Macroeconomics |
(3) |
| |
Business: one 300 or 400-level international |
|
|
| |
business course |
|
(3) |
| |
Major electives: four courses chosen from approved list |
|
|
| |
in History, Political Science, and Economics – |
|
|
| |
not more than six hours from any one discipline |
|
(12) |
| |
Non-European World: one 300 or 400-level course |
|
(3) |
| |
Modern language training through the advanced level |
|
(12) |
| 4. |
Electives: Modern-language training beyond the |
|
|
| |
advanced level is recommended for those students |
|
|
| |
contemplating graduate studies in international |
|
|
| |
relations. Students are encouraged to take QNT 101 or |
|
|
| |
computer skills workshops offered by the |
|
|
| |
Computer Science Center |
(7 courses) |
(21) |
| Total |
|
(40 courses) |
(120) |
Recommended Schedule:
| Fall |
|
Spring |
|
| Freshman Year |
|
|
|
| ENG 101 |
3 |
ENG 102 |
3 |
| HIS 107 or HIS 109 or |
|
HIS 108 or HIS 110 or |
|
| HIS 131 or PSC 103 |
3 |
HIS 132 or PSC 150 |
3 |
| Modern Language |
3 |
ECO 101 |
3 |
| AS |
3 |
Modern Language |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
AS |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
Total |
15 |
| Sophomore Year |
|
|
|
| PHI 101 |
3 |
RST 101 |
3 |
| PSC 240 |
3 |
PSC 353 |
3 |
| Modern Language |
3 |
Modern Language |
3 |
| PSC 217 or HIS 221 |
3 |
AS |
3 |
| AS |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
Total |
15 |
| Junior Year |
|
|
|
| HIS 364 or HIS 365 or PSC 245 3 |
|
Major Elective |
3 |
| Business or Non-European |
|
Non-European World or |
|
| World: 300-400 level course |
3 |
Business: 300-400 level |
3 |
| AS |
3 |
HIS 345 (PSC 357) or |
|
| Major elective |
3 |
HIS 350 (PSC 350) |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
AS |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
Elective |
3 |
| |
|
Total |
15 |
| Senior Year |
|
|
|
| Major elective |
3 |
PSC 442 |
3 |
| AS |
3 |
Major elective |
3 |
| AS |
3 |
AS |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
AS |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
Total |
15 |
| Total |
120 |
|
|
International Relations Minor: 2
| PSC 140 |
Introduction to International Relations |
(3) |
| International/Global System elective: one of the |
|
|
| following: PSC 241, PSC 242, PSC 353, ECO 360, MGT 472, MGT 475 |
|
(3) |
| Geographic Region electives: two 100/200 level |
|
|
| courses approved by the program director |
|
(6) |
| International Relations electives: three 300/400 level courses |
|
|
| approved by the program director and taken from the following |
|
|
| areas: History, Modern Languages, Political Science, Religious |
|
|
| Studies. No more than two courses may be taken from the |
|
|
| same area |
|
(9) |
| Total |
(7 courses) |
(21) |
Other Programs:
Majors are strongly encouraged to gain additional educational experience through a variety of complementary programs offered at Canisius.
Dual major programs have been developed, particularly in cooperation with the departments of Modern Languages, Political Science, Economics, and History. Special concentrations of courses, e.g. in the Wehle School of Business, are typical of the options that a student may include in a particular program of study.
Participation in the wide variety of study-abroad academic programs enhances a student’s linguistic skills and substantive knowledge about other cultures and societies.
The International Relations program offers a wide variety of internship programs in the Buffalo area, as well as the foreign policy Washington Semester program at American University. Each is designed to permit students to broaden their international relations education through contact with the diverse political participants. The Washington program includes both an academic and an internship component.
Opportunities for independent study are made available for upperclass students desiring to study particular topics in global relations.
Finally, the Women’s Studies program will provide majors with a distinctive educational opportunity to examine their international relations studies from yet another perspective. WST 201: Introduction to Women’s Studies (Spring) begins this process. It is an interdisciplinary course that explores the experience of women from a variety of perspectives, including history, literature, and the natural and social sciences.
1 Area II is automatically fulfilled because this program is in the Social Sciences. Area IV is fulfilled by the required History courses in this program. Area VIII is fulfilled by the Modern Language requirement.
2 The language requirements must be completed through the intermediate level.