International Affairs
Degree ..BA
With the increasing importance of world issues to the United States, employment opportunities in government, international organizations, and business have expanded enormously. Today there is an urgent need for college graduates with a strong background in international affairs. To meet this need the University of Colorado offers a comprehensive and flexible interdisciplinary program in international affairs leading to the BA degree.
The undergraduate degree in international affairs emphasizes knowledge and awareness of:
- major political, economic, social, and cultural problems facing the international community, including international economic relations, world population, and resource utilization;
- the international political system in the broadest global context, international organizations and alliances, and foreign political systems and processes;
- ethical issues involved in international relations;
- patterns of conflict and cooperation among nations;
- chief historical factors that give rise to existing international institutions and processes; and
- problems and issues in United States foreign policy.
In addition, students completing the degree in international affairs are expected to acquire the ability and skills to:
- analyze an international problem from a political, economic, historical, and cultural perspective;
- read, critically evaluate, and synthesize information obtained from international affairs literature;
- analyze international phenomena critically so as to separate the essential from the irrelevant and identify the probable; and
- communicate, orally and in writing, findings to other students of international affairs and to a broader audience.
Bachelor's Degree Program +
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and a minimum of 47 hours of specified courses with a grade of C- or better (none may be taken pass/fail), distributed as follows:
| Required Courses | Semester Hours |
Lower-Division (14-18 hours) +
| ECON 1000 Introduction to Economics or ECON 2010 Principles of Microeconomics and ECON 2020 Principles of Macroeconomics | 4-8 |
| IAFS 1000 Global Issues and International Affairs | 4 |
| PSCI 2012 Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| PSCI 2223 Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
Upper-Division +
Complete the requirements listed below for general upper-division categories and the requirements for an area of concentration, foreign language, and critical thinking seminar. There are three options.
| Option I. Complete one course from each of the following seven categories and complete 9 hours of upper-division courses concentrating on a region outside the United States. | |
| Option II. Complete one course from six of the following seven categories and complete 12 hours of upper-division courses concentrating on a region outside the United States. | |
| Option III - Functional Specialization. Four courses from one of the following functional categories: | |
| I. Development and Culture | |
| II. The Global Economy | |
| III. International Security | |
| Three more courses; one each from a different category. | |
| Nine upper-division credits in student's area of geographic concentration. | |
| No more than four courses out of the seven categories may be from one department. IAFS 3000 Special Topics in International Affairs could count for one or more upper-division class for the major. | |
| Development and Culture (Functional Specialization I) | 3 |
| ANTH 4500 Cross-Cultural Aspects of Socioeconomic Development or ANTH 4510 Applied Cultural Anthropology or ECON 3545 Environmental Economics or ECON 4606 Introduction to Demography or ECON 4774 Economic Reform in Developing Countries or GEOG 3672 Gender and Global Economy or GEOG 3682 Geography of International Development or LING 3545 World Language Policies or GEOG/ECON 4292 Migration, Urbanization, and Development or PSCI 4012 Global Development or PSCI 4732 Critical Thinking in Development. | |
| International Economics/Business (Functional Specialization II) | 3 |
| ECON 3403 International Economics and Policy or ECON 4413 International Trade or ECON 4423 International Finance or INBU 4200 International Financial Management or INBU 4300 International Business and Management | |
| Political Economy (Functional Specialization II) | 3 |
| ECON 4433 Economics of the Pacific Area or ECON 4784 Economic Development or ECON 4999 Economics in Action (approved sections only) or MKTG 4400 International Business and Marketing or PSCI 4272 Capitalist Democracies in a Global Economy, or FNCE 4410 London Summer in International Finance | |
| Political Geography (Functional Specialization III) | 3 |
| GEOG 4712 Political Geography | |
| International Relations/Behavior (Functional Specialization III) | 3 |
| ANTH 4580 The Holocaust or PSCI 3123 War, Peace, and Strategic Defense; or PSCI 3143 Problems in International Relations or PSCI 3193 International Behavior | |
| Foreign Policy (Functional Specialization III) | 3 |
| HIST 4050 The World War II Era or HIST 4126 U.S. Diplomatic History since 1940 or HIST 4166 The War in Vietnam and Its Legacy or PSCI 3191 National Security Organization and Policy Making or PSCI 3163 American Foreign Policy or PHIL 3190 War and Morality | |
| Regimes, Norms, and Institutions | 3 |
| PHIL 3260 Philosophy and the International Order or PSCI 3062 Revolution and Political Violence or PSCI 4173 International Organization or PSCI 4183 International Law or PSCI 4213 Europe in the International System or PSCI 4783 Global Issues | |
Area of Geographic Concentration +
International affairs majors should choose an area of geographic concentration, and a language appropriate to that area of geographic concentration, no later than the beginning of their junior year.
Requirements. International affairs majors are required to complete courses concentrating on the whole or part of a region outside the United States, including sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America, or the Middle East.
The area of geographic concentration will include three or four classes, depending on whether option I, II, or III is chosen. It should be primarily in the social sciences, must include one course in contemporary history, and can include a 3-hour course of contemporary literature (taught in the foreign language).
Language Requirement +
A third-year university-level proficiency in a foreign language appropriate to the area of concentration is required. This requirement may be met by completion of one or two semester-long, third year, university-level grammar courses (depending on the language) with a grade of C- or better, or by certification from the appropriate department of such competence.
Critical Thinking Seminar +
Recommendations +
- All international affairs majors should have a good command of the English language.
- Students should choose electives with a view to their relevance to this program.
- During the semester prior to graduation, students must complete a statement of major status obtained from their advisor.
- Students in the international affairs program are encouraged to consider the possibility of participating in one of the Study Abroad programs affiliated with the University of Colorado. Students wishing to participate in such a program should contact their advisor to work out an appropriate program. Some variation in the general requirements are permitted in these cases.
- Internships are a useful experience for students seeking a career in international affairs. The Internship in International Affairs (IAFS 4930) provides the opportunity for earning academic credit for appropriate internships in the field. This course is generally offered during the spring and summer sessions; enrollments are limited. Interested sophomores, juniors, or seniors should consult with their academic advisor and the director of the Internship Program. IAFS 4930 could count for an upper-division category and/or for an area of geographic concentration class with approval from the internship director.
- The Departmental Honors Program offers the opportunity to learn and apply research skills for a select number of IAFS majors. Entry into the IAFS Honors Program is limited to seniors with a 3.4 major GPA and a 3.3 overall GPA. The Honors Seminar in International Affairs (IAFS 4800 - offered each fall semester) provides instruction in research methods and facilitates the development of a sound research project. Research continues into the spring semester under the guidance of individual faculty members and through the continuation course, Honors in International Affairs (IAFS 4810). Interested and eligible students should consult with their academic advisor and the director of the Honors Program before the end of their junior year. IAFS 4810 could count for either an upper-division category or for an area of geographic concentration class with approval from the honors director.
- Students interested in international affairs may want to consider the Smith Hall International Program offered through the residence halls. See Residential Academic Programs for information.
The specific courses that may be counted to meet the requirements in this program are determined by the committee on international affairs and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Graduating in Four Years +
Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in international affairs, students should meet the following requirements:
| Declare the major by the beginning of the second semester. | |
| Begin language study by the third semester. | |
| Complete the lower-division requirements by the end of the sophomore year. | |
| Begin area of geographic concentration courses in first semester of the junior year. | |
| Begin upper-division general international affairs requirements in the first semester of the junior year. | |
| Successfully complete any remaining major requirements by the end of the eighth semester. |
International Media Certificate +
An International Media Certificate is available to students majoring in international affairs or enrolled in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. This certificate offers international affairs majors courses in the journalism school that present the basics of journalism and the practice of news gathering and dissemination internationally. It provides journalism students with courses in the College of Arts and Sciences that offer context and perspective on contemporary global issues.
The certificate requires 24-25 credit hours (depending on the lower-division courses chosen). Fifteen of the credit hours must be upper-division courses. Students majoring in international affairs or enrolled in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication are eligible to apply for admission to the certificate program if they have completed 45 credit hours with a GPA of 2.75 or better. For more information consult www.colorado.edu/IAFS or www.colorado.edu/journalism.
