International Relations and Global Studies
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Welcome to International Relations and Global Studies, an interdisciplinary major launched in 2009 that offers undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts a wide-ranging introduction to the most important challenges facing the modern world. The IRG major reflects the understanding that many of today's most pressing concerns-security risks, climate change, human rights-are truly global in nature, rather than merely national or regional problems. This major also recognizes that students benefit from addressing these subjects through a variety of scholarly perspectives. As a result, IRG draws from numerous departments and specializations at UT-Austin, such as Government, History, Economics, Sociology, Anthropology, as well as area studies and languages, in order to fashion a broad, thematic-based course of study for undergraduate majors.
In selecting International Relations and Global Studies as a major, students have the opportunity to take a wide variety of courses on global issues. All majors must follow one of four thematic study tracks and concentrate on one of six regional areas, along with completing a study-abroad experience and additional foreign language courses. IRG majors also are required to complete a capstone research course, normally taken during their final year of study. Please see the program overview for a more specific set of degree requirements.
Student Features
Justin Rogers - Current Student
Year: Senior
Major: International Relations & Global Studies
Minor: Entrepreneurship
Track: Culture, Media, & the Arts
Area Study: Middle Eastern Studies
Language: Arabic
Advice: Don't give up keep trying and believe. Entrepreneurship is way more about what you
can build and it's so much more of a personal journey and personal growth.
IRG Alumni - Jonathan Armstrong
What is your current career path?
I received my B.A. in both IRG and Government at UT Austin. My research concentration dealt specifically with human rights advocacy and Latin American revolutionary history. I am currently studying for a master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) with a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual and Reproductive Health at Columbia University...
What experiences were particularly meaningful to you in the IRG program?
One of my favorite components of the IRG program was its focus on the inclusion of global perspectives. Many of my studies in the Government department often felt too specific to the political concerns of the United States; the interdisciplinary focus of the IRG program provided me with a meaningful opportunity to expand the scope of my analyses in ways that felt more holistic and inclusive...
What advice would you give to current students?
First, I would like to validate that you, as an individual in this program, do not need to push yourself beyond your limits to succeed...
