International Relations (IR)

IR 6000X. Continuous Graduate Enrollment. 0 Semester Hours.

IR 6300. International Relations Research Methods. 3 Semester Hours.

This course is designed to introduce graduate students to the principles of social science research design and the various statistical techniques used to manipulate social science data. Students are introduced to various research techniques and methods utilized in all facets of the discipline from behavioral research to public policy analysis.

IR 6301. Internship. 3 Semester Hours.

Credit is awarded for work with a U.S. or foreign private business, non-governmental agency or governmental organization that is involved in international activity or research. Three hours of course credit may be earned by working 150 hours in a semester. May be repeated once for credit. A member of the Department faculty coordinates the internship. The internship student submits a weekly log of activities and prepares at least one paper or project integrating theory with the internship experience. The faculty supervisor will secure the internship supervisor’s evaluation of the student’s performance. This course is evaluated on a Satisfactory/Non-Satisfactory basis.

IR 6302. Internship. 3 Semester Hours.

Same description as IR 6301; used if student is enrolling for additional 3 hours of internship.

IR 6305. Research Design. 3 Semester Hours.

An advanced application of social science research design applied to international relations issues. Prerequisite: IR 6300.

IR 6309. Topics in International Development. 3 Semester Hours.

A special topics seminar that focuses on critical issues related to sustainable development within the context of the international arena. The specific topics may vary and students may take the course more than once if topic is different and with permission of the Program Director.

IR 6311. Topics in Inter-American Studies. 3 Semester Hours.

A special topics seminar that focuses on issues of politics, economics, security, or social and cultural history as they relate to Latin, Central, or South America. The specific topics may vary and students may take the course more than once if topic is different and with permission of the Program Director.

IR 6312. International Relations Theory. 3 Semester Hours.

This course provides students with an understanding of the diversity of approaches to the study of international relations, along with an appreciation of key concepts and frameworks. Another aim is to identify themes and issues that have enduring importance rather than those which are of the moment.

IR 6313. Topics in International Conflict Resolution. 3 Semester Hours.

A special topics seminar that focuses on various issues related to resolution of conflict, intra-state and/or inter-state within context of the international arena. The specific topics may vary and students may take the course more than once if topic is different and with permission of the Program Director.

IR 6314. Topics in Security Issues. 3 Semester Hours.

A special topics seminar that focuses on issues related to national and international security issues. The specific topic can vary and students may take the course more than once if topic is different and with permission of the Program Director.

IR 6315. United States Foreign Policy. 3 Semester Hours.

History of the United States’ foreign policy; consistencies and variations. Analysis of the role of vital interests of the United States in the world today.

IR 6320. Research and Writing in International Relations. 3 Semester Hours.

Introduction to research and writing assignments required in the program. General knowledge of the learning objectives and requirements for graded exercises. Understanding the research process and the steps to producing original research and a quality written product. Fall and Summer semester matriculants must enroll in this course during their first Fall semester. Spring matriculants must enroll in this course during their first Spring semester.

IR 6324. National Security. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines the politics and economics of national security issues. Special emphasis is given to the changing international paradigm (i.e., post cold War) and the impact on domestic political and economic decision making.

IR 6340. International Political Economy. 3 Semester Hours.

This course stresses the human, strategic, and political dimensions of managing international economic change. The interrelatedness of the state, multinationals, NGOs, and international institutions will be examined as they impact North-North and North-South competition.

IR 6342. Inter-American Security Issues. 3 Semester Hours.

This course will examine the politics and economics of current security issues in the Americas. Military and non-military security issues will be discussed. Examples are: narco-trafficking, role of the military, human rights, environmental policies, population, etc.

IR 6346. International Law & Treaties. 3 Semester Hours.

Study of rules governing the community of nations, their nature, sources and development; international treaties and the agencies responsible for their development, interpretation, and administration.

IR 6352. Human Rights. 3 Semester Hours.

To understand what it means for a human being to make a claim that she or he has rights, how the idea of human rights has evolved over time, why the ability to make a claim to institutions with moral, legal, and political power matters, and how far humanity still has to go before human rights claims are fully recognized and enforced by governments.

IR 6398. Thesis Research. 3 Semester Hours.

The first of a 2-course series. Prior to writing a Master’s thesis, students are required to develop and defend a review of the pertinent literature, and an explanation and defense of the proposed methodology. The thesis proposal will be orally defended before the Thesis Committee comprised of three faculty. The Thesis supervisor and committee must be determined in the semester before the course begins. Upon successful completion of IR 6398, the student will then register for IR 6399 Thesis. Pre-Requisites: Grade of A- in IR 6320 Research and Writing in International Relations; 3.8 Program GPA.

IR 6399. Thesis. 3 Semester Hours.

The second course of a two-course series. Upon successful completion of IR 6398, the student will register for IR 6399. The thesis is a culminating experience which provides a record of a student’s achievement in the program. The thesis requires research leading to the discovery of new knowledge or enhancement of existing knowledge in the field of interest. A project that helps solve a practical problem may also be acceptable. The thesis is a complete documentation of the research study, including the theoretical background, description of the problem, the method used to investigate or solve the problem, presentation of results, interpretation of results, and explanation of the significance of the results. Successful completion of IR 6399 will satisfy the comprehensive examination requirement for the MA in International Relations degree. Pre-requisite: IR 6398 Thesis Research.

IR 6601. Internship in International Relations. 6 Semester Hours.

Credit is awarded for work with a U.S. or foreign private business, non-governmental agency, or governmental organization that is involved in international activity or research. Six hours of course credit may be earned by working 300 hours in a semester. A member of the Department faculty coordinates the internship. The internship student keeps a weekly log of activities and prepares at least one paper or project integrating theory with the internship experience. The faculty supervisor will secure the internship supervisor’s evaluation of the student’s performance. This course is evaluated on a Satisfactory/Non-Satisfactory basis.

IR 7101. Directed Studies in International Relations. 1 Semester Hour.

The course emphasis will vary according to area of study, perceived needs, or research interest. Course must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.

IR 7201. Directed Studies in International Relations. 2 Semester Hours.

The course emphasis will vary according to area of study, perceived needs, or research interest. Course must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.

IR 7300. Ethical Issues in International Relations. 3 Semester Hours.

This course discusses the ethical dimension of international relations from an interdisciplinary perspective. Prerequisite: IR 6320. This prerequisite is waived for students in the J.D. – M.A., International Relations joint degree program.

IR 7301. Directed Studies in International Relations. 3 Semester Hours.

The course emphasis will vary according to area of study, perceived needs, or research interest. Course must be approved the Graduate Program Director.

IR 7320. Asian Security Issues. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines the politics and economics of current security issues in Asia. Both military and non-military security issues are discussed. Examples are: collective security organizations, environmental security issues, technological transfers, the arms trade, and immigration/refugee patterns.

IR 7325. Development, Conflict and Critical Human Security. 3 Semester Hours.

Development, Conflict and Critical Human Security is premised on the conviction that human security, international development and is premised on the conviction that human security, international development and the presence of peace/conflict are interrelated and mutually constitutive. As such the course reflects a changing world in which western notions of human security, peace-building and socioeconomic progress translate differently into local settings before, during and after conflict. Students will gain a foundation in the principles of human security and international development and then apply them to pre and post-conflict settings, studying the processes of democratization, the militarization of aid, and transitional justice, particularly as they play out in weak or fragile states. Particular attention is paid to vulnerable populations caught in the middle of these changes or even created by them, such as child soldiers and refugees.

IR 7340. Middle East Security Issues. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines the politics and economics of current security issues in the Middle East. Both military and non-military security issues are discussed. Examples are: regional balance of power politics, the role of international agencies, environmental security issues such as water, technological transfers, and immigration/refugee patterns.

IR 7350. European Security Issues. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines the politics and economics of current security issues in Europe. Military and non-military security issues are discussed. Examples are: the changing role of NATO, a united European defense system, environmental security issues, technological transfers, and immigration/refugee patterns.

IR 7380. African Security Issues. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines the politics and economics of current security issues in Africa. Military and non-military security issues are discussed. Examples are root causes of regional conflict, the international arms trade, environmental security issues, technological transfers, and immigration/refugee patterns.

IR 7390. Topics in Border Studies. 3 Semester Hours.

A special topics seminar that focuses on asylum, migration, human trafficking, drug trafficking, human security, or other issues related to border regions. The specific topics may vary and students may take the course more than once if topic is different and with permission of the Program Director.

IR 7392. Border Security and Immigration Regulation. 3 Semester Hours.

Border security, immigration enforcement, and citizenship regulations are interconnected. In the United States, the prospect of comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants living in the country has been connected in past immigration reform proposals to the “achievement and maintenance of effective control in high risk border sectors along the Southern border.” But what would it require to achieve effective control of unauthorized immigration? How do our strategies compare to the European Union and other areas of the world that are struggling to facilitate the free movement of people while safeguarding their states against security threats? In this course, we will take a big picture approach to understanding border security and immigration regulation. Throughout the course, we will consider possible legal and political alternatives for reshaping existing immigration policies to balance the tensions between the desire of states to safeguard their sovereignty, national identity, and labor markets with the interests of citizens and migrants to profit from mobility and the ability to pursue economic and personal relationships across borders.

IR 7394. Citizenship and Global Inequality. 3 Semester Hours.

How should legal systems weigh the needs of immigrants against the needs of the state and its individual citizens? In this course, we join policymakers, legal scholars, and philosophers in tackling difficult questions about society and belonging. Should citizenship be a status that can be earned by immigrants, or should it be primarily distributed as an inheritance at birth by blood or soil? Are the rights of citizens inalienable? Or should citizens regard their legal and political freedoms as privileges that can be forfeited if they infringe on the freedoms of other citizens, violate the laws of their country, or undermine international society through affiliation with anti-state terrorist groups? These are some of the questions that we will examine in this course.

IR 8300. Theories on the Causes of War. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines current theories on the root causes of war and violent conflict, both civil and international. Causal actors such as ethnicity, race, religion, territory, water, population migration/refugees, arms race/militarism, personality of leaders, etc. are researched.

IR 8305. Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies. 3 Semester Hours.

This course introduces students to the concept of conflict transformation; it examines how this concept differs from conflict resolution, management and prevention. Through readings, collaborative analysis, writing assignments and weekly discussions, we will analyze the fundamental causes of violent conflict and the theoretical and practical approaches to preventing and resolving this type of conflict. A better understanding of the field of conflict transformation requires an understanding of the sources and consequences of inter- and intra-state conflicts. We will analyze several case studies in Africa, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. Finally, we will explore the relevance of empowering and investing in people in order for them to take ownership of reconciliation process.

IR 8307. Sustainable Development. 3 Semester Hours.

How are the benefits and costs of socioeconomic development shared across different sets of stakeholders? By analyzing the relationship between social organization, technology and the environment, this course examines different models for the provision of basic needs for present and future generations, particularly those most vulnerable to further impoverishment through displacement, loss of livelihood through environmental degradation and other challenges to sustainable development.

IR 8308. Development Project Design for NGOs and Non-Profits. 3 Semester Hours.

This course will provide students with the opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of key concepts and technical skills essential to effective program development and project management in international affairs. Students will learn key elements of strategic design, such as needs assessment, project proposal, report writing, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and advocacy.

IR 8309. Foundations of International Aid. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines international aid programs originating in donor countries. The decision-making process regarding program/resource allocation and assessment will be analyzed as well as designing donor nation participation in this process.

IR 8310. Social Suffering and the Scholarship of Witness. 3 Semester Hours.

This course examines ethnographic, social, historical, biographical and fictional accounts of major forms of social suffering, or collective experiences of hurt and trauma driven by deep poverty, ethnic cleansing, dislocation and disease, and gendered forms of violence, to name a few. These narratives reveal the interplay of social, political and economic factors that shape acts of atrocity. In addition to powerlessness and loss, many of these accounts also underscore the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative capacity of suffering, including our own sensibilities as witnesses. This exploration also raises challenging ethical dilemmas for which there are no easy answers, including issues of personal, national and international accountability.

IR 8311. Religion, Identity and Global Politics. 3 Semester Hours.

Religion, Identity and Global Politics addresses the opportunity for dialogue and the tensions that emerge between cultures and religious traditions as they come into contact through immigration to the West, and diplomatic and military intervention in nonWestern countries and societies. This course examines these issues in detail, in addition to focusing on religions as sources of belief and identity. Prerequisite: IR 6320. This prerequisite is waived for students in the J.D. – M.A., International Relations joint degree program.

IR 8313. Cultural, Feminist, and Critical Approaches to International Development. 3 Semester Hours.

Development aid is rarely a neutral process. Alongside innovations in technology and income generation, the flow of technical support and financial assistance affects/is affected by local values, customs and power relations, to name a few. This course equips students with the analytic tools and historical, political and ethnographic perspectives with which to develop an understanding of international aid from a cultural, feminist and critical perspective (postcolonial and post-structuralist). A combination of theoretical frameworks and case-studies is used to demonstrate how the efficacy of socioeconomic development projects is strengthened, or conversely, weakened at the local level when culture, gender and other considerations are not adequately incorporated into the development process.

IR 8321. From Persecution to Asylum: The Refugee Experience. 3 Semester Hours.

What comprises the refugee experience? This course traces the refugee journey from home to sanctuary and places in-between. The course begins by examining international criteria for persecution, and the conditions producing it. The process of forced migration is then analyzed, with an emphasis on the challenges faced by stateless populations, including the risks of flight, the costs of prolonged residence in refugee camps and other holding centers, and the tolls of legal liminality. The course concludes with an analysis of the asylum procedure. Students in this class will gain an understanding of the complex matrix of political, economic and social processes that commingle at the local and global level to produce refugees. The class will also provide an overview of how national and international actors (such as state governments, intergovernmental agencies and NGOs) shape the refugee dilemma over time through humanitarian measures and political responses.

IR 8328. Intelligence Gathering and National Security. 3 Semester Hours.

An examination of the role intelligence agencies play in defining national security interests and in the making of foreign policy (i.e., the relationship between the intelligence communities, the NSC, Congress, and the White House).

IR 8342. Ethical Issues in International Development. 3 Semester Hours.

This course will examine ethical issues in economic development and globalization. Students will be asked to apply ethical theory/reasoning to hard cases related to environment, free trade, marketing practices in poor countries, tax policies, outsourcing, etc.

IR 9300. Topics in International Relations. 3 Semester Hours.

A special topics seminar that can focus on a variety of issues that cannot be limited to any one focus area. Topics can include a systematic consideration of politics, economics, security and/or social and cultural history as related to a specific topic in international relations. The specific topic can vary and students may take the course more than once if topic is different and with permission of the Program Director.

IR 9301. Topics in International Relations International Field Study. 3 Semester Hours.

The primary focus of the course is sustainable economic development and a second focus is the relationship of sustainable economic development to security and conflict resolution. The course is normally taught in Summer 1 or Summer 2 and includes a required international field trip that is designed to give students an exposure to governmental, not-for-profit, educational, microentrepreneurial, small business, and cooperative organizations in less-developed countries that are struggling with sustainable economic development. The specific topic can vary and students may take the course more than once if topic is different and with permission of the Program Director.

IR 9396. Grant Proposal Writing (same as CM 7334). 3 Semester Hours.

This course is designed to teach the fundamental process of grant development for the beginning grant writer. Participants will be expected to develop a complete grant proposal suitable for submission to a funding agency. Those registering for the course should have conducted preliminary, independent research about a potential grant development project suitable for a major grant submission. Projects may be related to education, public works, museum programs, art, research, or similar areas. Specific projects are normally developed during the first two weeks of the course.