Major requirements include six required core courses (18 credit hours) followed by nine area studies courses (27 credit hours) in Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution, International Law and Organizations, International Political Economy, and International Relations and History, and one (3 credit hours) capstone. A cumulative major GPA of at least 2.00 in the major courses is required to earn an undergraduate degree in international relations.
Core Courses (18 credit hours)
The core requirements constitute the foundation of knowledge that is needed by all majors in international relations regardless of field concentrations. They are comprised of broad introductory courses that introduce the students to the major themes and debates within the discipline of international relations. These six courses are as follows:
| HIST 105 |
World History Since 1900 |
(3)[S] |
| HIST 201 |
History and Politics of Kuwait |
(3)[S] |
| IR 101 |
Introduction to International Relations |
(3)[S] |
| IR 210 |
Methods of Research in International Relations |
(3)[S] |
| OR |
| PLSC 210 |
Methods of Research in Political Science |
(3)[S] |
| IR 202 |
Trends in International Relations |
(3)[S] |
| IR 206 |
International Political Economy |
(3)[S] |
Field Concentration Courses (27 credit hours)
Students are also expected to take nine (27 credit hours) additional upper-level (300-level or above) courses, three courses from each of the three fields in which the student chooses to concentrate. Students may select, with the approval of their advisor, special topic courses in either history (HIST 389) or international relations (IR 389) or American studies (AMST 389) to fulfill field concentration requirements.
Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution
Students pursuing the concentration in diplomacy and conflict resolution study the evolution of international diplomacy and conflict resolution and examine the practices of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, preventive diplomacy and the efforts of conflict resolution (‘track two diplomacy’, mediation, negotiation, and facilitation). This concentration endeavors to go beyond traditional conceptions of diplomacy (i.e. as the preserve of states) and conflict resolution by investigating the emergence and activities of new actors, such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), multinational corporations, armed groups, international experts and technocrats, and private citizens. Also, students taking the concentration are exposed to the complex relationship between religion and diplomacy, conflict management, prevention, and resolution. The learning goals are obtained through course readings, class discussion, case studies, papers, article reviews, presentations, internships, and exams.
Students who complete the Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution track will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of diplomacy and conflict resolution theory, including bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, preventive diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, and non-state diplomatic practice (NGOs, corporations, armed groups, etc) including ‘track two’ diplomacy, conflict management, prevention and resolution.
- Relate knowledge of contemporary diplomatic practices to key international issues.
- Apply major theories (Western and non-Western) in conflict management, prevention, and resolution.
- Analyze policy and strategy debates and issues related to defense, development, and diplomacy in post-conflict reconstruction.
- Construct diplomacy and conflict resolution explanations, theories of causation, and strategies for postwar rebuilding, development, and reconciliations.
- Write a research paper that asks a significant diplomatic or conflict resolution question.
- Give an oral presentation that shows an understanding of diplomatic and conflict management practices in relations to key international issues.
| AMST 409 |
American Foreign Policy Since World War II |
(3) |
| IR 307 |
International Relations of Arab States |
(3)[S] |
| IR 385 |
Kuwait Foreign Policy |
(3)[S] |
| IR 386 |
Perspectives on US Foreign Policy in the Middle East |
(3)[S] |
| PLSC 321 |
Islamic Political Philosophy |
(3)[S] |
| PLSC 322 |
Western Political Theory |
(3)[S] |
| PLSC 327 |
Comparative Ethnicity, Identity, and Ethnic Conflict |
(3)[S] |
International Law and Organizations
International Law & Organizations concentrators learn the basic principles of international law, as well as the organizational structure for discussing, developing, and enforcing international norms. Students explore how international law affects the relationships between states, and as such, is used as both a language of diplomacy and contest. Students study international law as a framework to analyze international issues and disputes—including economic, political, and security issues—with an emphasis on problem-solving and policy development. Students also study how international organizations impact the practice of international cooperation and conflict, as well as maintain international peace and security. The learning goals of the field are obtained through course readings, class discussion, case studies, papers, reflective journals, presentations, and exams.
Students who complete the International Law and Organizations concentration will be able to:
- Recognize the sources of international law, including treaties, customary international law, jus cogens, general principles of law, judicial decisions and teachings of the most highly qualified publicists.
- Understand the fundamentals of treaty formation, treaty interpretation, treaty enforcement, and the consequences of treaty breach, as well as the process of formation of customary international law.
- Identify state obligations under applicable treaty law and customary law.
- Understand one or more areas of substantive international law, including, but not limited to international human rights law, the law of armed conflict, international environmental law, international investment law, international trade law, or international criminal law.
- Analyze the relationship between international law and international politics.
- Demonstrate their understanding of core literature on international organizations.
- Engage the literature on international organizations critically by developing their own argumentation.
- Construct international law or international organization explanations, theories of causation, and strategies for international dispute settlement mechanisms, including courts and tribunals, arbitration and negotiation.
- Write a research paper that asks a significant international law or international organization question.
- Give an oral presentation that shows an understanding of the purpose, function, capacity, and politics of some of the principal international and regional organizations such as the European Union, United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court.
| IR 339 |
International Organizations |
(3)[S] |
| IR 341 |
Public International Law |
(3)[S] |
| IR 342 |
International Human Rights |
(3)[S] |
| IR 343 |
Terrorism and International Law |
(3)[S] |
International Political Economy
International Political Economy students study an intersection between international politics and economics. They will learn about the effects of politics on economic policy at the national, regional, and international levels. Students will be exposed to a multidisciplinary curriculum that allows them to analyze their findings through a variety of theoretical approaches. The concentration of International Political Economy relies on course readings, class discussion, case studies, papers, presentations, article reviews, reflective journals, and exams to achieve these learning goals.
Students who complete the International Political Economy Concentration will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of how international and domestic political influences shape economic factors.
- Relate their knowledge of international political economy to the historical development of political and economic relations on national, regional, and international levels.
- Apply different theories and perspectives of international political economy.
- Analyze political and economic outcomes on national, regional, and international levels.
- Construct international political economy explanations, theories of causation, and strategies to explain the different roles of states, international organizations and non-state actors in the politics and international economic relations.
- Write a research paper that asks a significant international political economy question.
- Present history, policy, or political economy arguments and analysis in an oral presentation that show an understanding of the economic challenges facing states in their foreign policy.
| HIST 401 |
Economic History: 20th Century |
(3) |
| IR 306 |
Global Political Economy |
(3)[S] |
| IR 309 |
Dynamics of Globalization |
(3)[S] |
| IR 412 |
Sustainable Development |
(3)[S] |
| PLSC 405 |
Comparative Political and Economic Systems |
(3)[S] |
International Relations and History
History and International Relations concentrators study the broader social and historical context of the formation of societies in association with the examination of the key issues and structure of power in contemporary international relations. They will learn about the nature of the expansion of the West and of the political international system, which arose in Europe in the beginning of the Modern Age. Students will study the Revolt against the West and its empires and the emergence of the future non-western global powers. They will acquire an understanding the nature of the post-western global order and the articulation between western and non-western powers. The field adopts the historical method and, therefore, the analysis of these themes is made through the study of modern political history. The field relies on course readings, class discussion, case studies, papers, presentations, reflective journals, and exams to achieve these learning goals.
Students who complete the History and International Concentration will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of key historical facts, values, and ideas that have shaped civilizations throughout history.
- Relate their knowledge of history to the historical development of international relations.
- Apply different historical and theoretical perspectives.
- Analyze primary and secondary sources.
- Construct original historical arguments based on primary source material research.
- Write a research paper that asks a significant historical or international relations question.
- Present historical, policy, or political arguments and analysis in an oral presentation.
| AMST 333 |
American Culture |
(3)[S] |
| HIST 303 |
Ancient History |
(3)[S] |
| HIST 305 |
History of the Islamic World (622-1800) |
(3)[S] |
| HIST 307 |
Arab History in the Late Ottoman Period: 1800-1922 |
(3)[S] |
| HIST 311 |
Ottoman History (1400-1923) |
(3)[S] |
| HIST 317 |
Topics in English/British History |
(3)[S] |
| HIST 401 |
Economic History: 20th Century |
(3) |
| HIST 421 |
Intellectual History |
(3) |
| HIST 430 |
Oral History |
(3) |
Capstone (3 Credit Hours)
In consultation with his/her advisor, students must take the capstone seminar (IR 480) designed to demonstrate their accumulated training in international relations during their senior year.