The BA Program offers several specialization areas so that students may structure their curriculum based on specific aspects of international studies. Within the various specializations, students not only gain depth of knowledge and perspectives within the field of international affairs, but they also acquire diverse skill sets with which to view and analyze the world. The narrowing of interests and lenses through which students study international affairs proves useful within our degree program and also translates into concrete skills that are vital in a globalized job market.
Global Political Economy
Today's economy is rapidly integrating across international boundaries, and students
of contemporary global affairs must have a clear appreciation for how this new integration
affects economic prosperity, development, and social welfare. The courses in this specialization
area prepare students to understand the complexities of the contemporary international
economic environment and the ways in which societies, cultures, politics, and people
shape the current world. From theoretical perspectives on globalization to policy
analysis, this specialization area provides students with a well-rounded background
of major economic debates and concerns.
Skills and Perspectives: Political Science, Political Economy, Global Economics
International Development & Health
In recent years, no set of issues has emerged on the international agenda with more urgency than international poverty alleviation and global health. In little more than a decade, the AIDS pandemic threatened nearly 50 years of progress in human development. Protracted conflict and complex humanitarian crises have shown that development, health, social, political, and environmental stability go hand-in-hand and seldom respect national boundaries. Security debates now focus on the provision of human security and building human capabilities as a key element in building peace. . This specialization area offers an in-depth look at the intersection of 21st century development and health issues from both practical/policy-oriented and theoretical perspectives. Skills and Perspectives: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Sociology, Public Health
International Organizations, Law & Human Rights
Since 1948 with the founding of the United Nations, the world has had a universal
global organization to help create and enforce international law and to "end the scourge
of war." The creation of international organizations such as the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, International Criminal Court and the World Trade Organization
bear witness to the fact that new problems in the international society demand treatment
in law and coordination in world forums. This specialization area provides students
with an understanding of how contemporary international relations are shaped by norms,
institutions, customs, and laws.
Skills and Perspectives: Political Science, Law
International Security & Conflict Resolution
Though concerns about international conflicts and security are not novel in international
politics, some have argued that the 20th century was the most bloody and strife-ridden
period in all of human history. In addition to two major world wars, other forms of
violence including civil wars and ethnic conflicts have come to inform the age-old
search for peace and stability. In the 21st century, the international community will
continue to confront these concerns, along with new and evolving challenges such as
terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, which often pose barriers to lasting international
peace. This specialization area explores the problems of violence on the world stage
and the myriad ways in which states, international organizations, and non-governmental
organizations seek to respond to the challenges of promoting peace and security, both
domestically and internationally.
Skills and Perspectives: Political Science, Law, Security Studies, Conflict Resolution
