International Relations (BA)

To earn a bachelor's degree, students must:

• Complete at least 120 total credit hours.
  • At least 30 of the last 36 credit hours must be earned in residence at Webster University.
  • Credit for assessment of prior learning or departmental credit by exam is considered in residence.
• Earn a cumulative Webster University grade point average of 2.0 or better.
• Satisfy the requirements of a major.
• Meet the requirements of the Global Citizenship Program (GCP).

Bachelor's degrees are awarded in May, August and December.

Students must meet the requirements in effect at the time of their matriculation as degree-seeking students. Students leaving the University for more than one calendar year must be readmitted and will follow the requirements in effect at the time of their readmission.

• 36 required credit hours with the Department of History, Politics and International Relations
  Students are required to complete 36 credit hours within the department, including methods, a research requirement (fulfilled by taking the seminar, Bachelor thesis, or a designated upper-division course) and senior overview, which is satisfied by the seminar course, INTL 4600. A minimum of 18 credit hours of international relations at Webster University is required. At least 12 credit hours of upper-level (3000-level or above) coursework in the department with an international focus must be completed in addition to methods and overview.
• Study abroad residency requirement of at least one term (eight weeks)
• 12 international language credit hours (or advanced proficiency)
• Applicable University Global Citizenship Program hours
• Electives

Study Abroad

To satisfy the study abroad residency, students may study at one of Webster University’s international campuses or at an approved alternative location. International students who have lived outside of the country of their home campus are exempt from this requirement.

International Language

Students are required to have significant international language experience. This requirement can be met by completing the full elementary and intermediary sequence in a single foreign language (usually consisting of four 3-credit hour sequential courses), completing a 3000-level or 4000-level course in a foreign language with a grade of C- or better, or by passing an advanced-level proficiency examination. This requirement will be waived for students whose native language is not English and who are studying in English. Their mastery of English as a second language fulfills the requirement.

The 36 credit hours required for the international relations major include the following:

• INTL 1050/POLT 1050 Introduction to International Relations (3 hours)
• POLT 1070 Introduction to Political Theory (3 hours)
  or INTL 2680 International Relations Theory (3 hours)
• POLT 1080 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 hours)
  or POLT 1060 Introduction to American Politics (3 hours)
  or POLT 2250 Politics in the Industrialized World (3 hours)
  or POLT 2550 The Politics of the Developing World (3 hours)
• INTL 2700 Methods of Political Inquiry (3 hours)
  or POLT 2600 Research Methods and Approaches in Political Science (3 hours)
• INTL 1500 The World System since 1500 (3 hours)
• A 2000-level or above HIST course with an international focus (3 hours)
• Three of the following sub-field courses (9 hours)
  • INTL 2030 International Law (3 hours)
  • INTL 3100 International Political Economy (3 hours)
  • POLT 3310 Conduct of Foreign Policy (3 hours)
  • INTL 3800 International Security (3 hours)
  • INTL 3500 Environmental and Energy Security (3 hours)
  • INTL 3700 International Organizations: Structure and Political Conflict (3 hours)
  • INTL 4600 International Relations Seminar (3 hours)
• INTL 4000 Research Requirement (to be taken in conjunction with a designated 3000-level or 4000-level course) (0 hours)
• INTL 4620 Overview (0-1 hours)
• INTL/POLT/HIST electives (15 hours, 9 of which must have an international focus)

*42 major credit hours is equivalent to 84 ECTS plus required GCP credit hours and electives for degree completion is 120 credit hours equivalent to 240 ECTS.

With permission of the student's advisor, the following courses offered by other areas of study at Webster University may be applied toward the 42 credit hours required in international relations:

• HRTS 1100 Introduction to Human Rights (3 hours)
• ECON 3700 Economics of Development (3 hours)
• JOUR 3080 Global Journalism (3 hours)
• MNGT 3320 Business Law: International (3 hours)
• BUSN 4650 International Business (3 hours)

Courses in the emphases (international economics; migration and refugee studies) are also considered pre-approved electives for the international relations major. Qualified students may take selected graduate-level courses in international business and international relations as part of an international relations major with permission of the department and the instructor of the course.