Program Overview

Intro International Relations & Global Studies

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies. IRG 301 has a prerequisite of completing at least twenty-four semester hours of college coursework, which makes it a sophomore level course.

Foundations of International Relations & Global Studies

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge in International Relations and Global Studies, providing a link between the introductory course (IRG 301) and capstone seminar (IRG 378) or honors thesis (IRG 678) for IRG majors. The scope and the theme of the course cross-cut the broad subject areas of the major’s four tracks. IRG 320F is generally a junior year level class with a prerequisite of upper-division standing (approximately 60 hours of college coursework).

Capstone Research in International Relations & Global Studies

The IRG capstone research seminar is a one-semester organized course designed for students typically in their final year of coursework. The purpose of the seminar is to have students complete an independent research project on a subject that builds upon previous IRG major requirements. The specific case study may be narrowly focused in a geographic and chronological sense, but it should address a broader contemporary debate in international and global affairs. Students in the capstone seminar engage in a few weeks of common reading, develop a research proposal and outline, write draft pages and review fellow students’ work, present their findings in an oral presentation, and submit a final paper of around 25 pages.  

Students may choose to apply for IRG Honors, a 6-hour, 2-semester course that takes the place of the Capstone course. See Honors for more information.

Students in the 18-20 catalog or earlier who complete a one-year honors thesis in a second major may be able to substitute that thesis course for the IRG Capstone course. Students are encouraged to consult with an IRG advisor as early as possible to ensure that their thesis will meet the necessary conditions to substitute.

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An Area Studies requirement in one of six regional concentrations:

• African and African Diaspora Studies*
• Asian Studies
• European Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Middle Eastern Studies, or
• Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies

*AFR-approved courses must focus on continental Africa

IRG majors must also complete 12 hours of upper-division coursework in one of four interdisciplinary study Tracks:

• Culture, Media, and the Arts
• International Security
• Science, Technology, and the Environment or
• International Political Economy

Unlike most of the other Liberal Arts majors, the IRG major requires more language than the Intermediate proficiency that the College of Liberal Arts asks for. IRG requires 6 credit hours of upper-division foreign language taught in that language. Language courses taught in English are excluded and will not count towards the major requirement. See the Foreign Language section for more details and language options.

Every language requires a different number of courses and each course may be a different number of hours. Most of the intro courses are going to be 6 credit hours, but you may also see 5 or 4 credit hours depending on the language. Examples include:

• RUS 406
• GER 506
• KOR 606

Some languages are going to have what is called a Bridge Course. This Bridge Course is a lower division course that is not required for the Liberal Arts proficiency requirement, but still a prerequisite to advance to upper-division foreign language for the IRG requirement. Examples include:

• SPN 314
• FR 317C
• JPN 317C

Students are allowed to use credit by exam through a UT exam or from AP, IB, or Dual Credit to satisfy the Liberal Arts requirement. However, most exams will not satisfy the upper-division IRG langauge requirement. Students should plan to take exams as soon as possible and not wait. Students also often take these languages while abroad. If you are interested in taking language courses while participating in a study abroad program, please consult your advior!

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• IRG 301: Introduction to International Relations and Global Studies
• ECO 301: Introduction to Economics or ECO 304L: Introduction to Macroeconomics or ECO 304K: Introduction to Microeconomics (20-22 Catalog only)
• GRG 305: The Human World: Introduction to Human Geography
• HIS 301J: Globalization: A Modern History
• ANT 302: Cultural Anthropology orSOC 302: Introduction to the Study of Society
• IRG 320F: Foundations in International Relations and Global Studies
• IRG 378: Capstone Research in International Relations and Global Studies
• Area Studies: 9-hours of coursework in one of six regional areas of concentration:
  • African and African Diaspora Studies (AFR from approved list)
  • Asian Studies (ANS)
  • European Studies (EUS)
  • Latin American Studies (LAS)
  • Middle Eastern Studies (MES)
  • Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (REE)
• 12-hours coursework in a single Track
• 6-hours upper division in a single foreign language
• Study abroad experience

• IRG 301: Introduction to International Relations and Global Studies
• ECO 301: Introduction to Economics or ECO 304L: Introduction to Macroeconomicsor ECO 304K: Introduction to Microeconomics (20-22 Catalog only)
• GRG 305: The Human World: Introduction to Human Geography
• ANT 302: Cultural Anthropology orSOC 302: Introduction to the Study of Society
• IRG 320F: Foundations in International Relations and Global Studies
• IRG 378: Capstone Research in International Relations and Global Studies
• Area Studies: 9-hours of coursework in one of six regional areas of concentration:
  •        African and African Diaspora Studies (AFR from approved list)
  •        Asian Studies (ANS)
  •        European Studies (EUS)
  •        Latin American Studies (LAS)
  •        Middle Eastern Studies (MES)
  •        Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (REE)
• 12-hours coursework in a single track
• 6-hours upper division in a single foreign language
• Study abroad experience

• IRG 301: Introduction to International Relations and Global Studies
• ECO 301: Introduction to Economics, or ECO 304K: Introduction to Microeconomics,or ECO 304L: Introduction to Macroeconomics
• GRG 305: The Human World: Introduction to Human Geography
• One course in World History - 3 hours
• One of the following:
  • ANT 302: Cultural Anthropology
  • ECO 304L: Introduction to Macroeconomics
  • SOC 302: Introduction to the Study of Society
• IRG 320F: Foundations in International Relations and Global Studies
• IRG 378: Capstone Research in International Relations and Global Studies
• Study Abroad Experience
• Minor Requirement:  IRG majors in the 14-16 catalog and prior must complete a 12-hour minor in one of six regional areas of concentration:
•        African and African Diaspora Studies (AFR from appoved list)
  •        Asian Studies (ANS)
  •        European Studies (EUS)
  •        Latin American Studies (LAS)
  •        Middle Eastern Studies (MES)
  •        Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (REE)

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