Department Website
Program Description
International relations (IR), offered through the Wilf Family Department of Politics, seeks to provide students with an understanding of the global system’s past, the tools to function effectively in the present, and the ability to respond to future developments. The program recognizes the changing nature of the contemporary political and economic environment and seeks to lay an interdisciplinary basis for understanding these changes. It provides students with an opportunity to study the complex web of transnational politics in an in-depth, interdisciplinary fashion. The breadth of courses is designed to match the breadth of knowledge and skills that the field requires. The program combines a foundation of core courses in politics, economics, and statistics with a suite of classes on international relations and political economy, elective courses focused on a particular region, advanced study in a foreign language, and a required semester of study abroad. An honors program is offered for qualified students, who take an additional two-semester seminar sequence in their senior year in which they write a thesis under close supervision of faculty members.
Honors Program
Students who have a 3.65 GPA, both overall and in the IR major, and who are motivated to pursue independent research with an emphasis on quantitative methods and techniques may apply to the program’s honors track. Honors students take the two-semester (8 credit) Senior Seminar sequence (INTRL-UA 990 Ir Senior Seminar, INTRL-UA 991 Ir Senior Honors) in which they work closely with faculty advisers as they write a senior thesis.
Admissions
New York University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions supports the application process for all undergraduate programs at NYU. For additional information about undergraduate admissions, including application requirements, see How to Apply.
Program Requirements
The major in international relations requires twelve 4-credit courses (48 credits) completed with a C or better (Pass/Fail courses do not count): four core courses; four courses in the international relations environment; two courses in a regional specialization; and two courses in a foreign language above the intermediate level. Students must also complete a full semester (not a summer session) in a study away program outside the United States.
Students majoring in IR may double-count no more than two courses between this major and a second major or a minor. They must first secure permission from both the IR program and the other major or minor department or program.
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| 4 |
| EXPOS-UA 1 | Writing as Inquiry | 4 |
| 1 | 16 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| ECON-UA 1 | Introduction to Macroeconomics (or equivalent advanced standing credit) | 4 |
| ECON-UA 2 | Introduction to Microeconomics (or equivalent advanced standing credit) | 4 |
| POL-UA 700 | International Politics (advanced standing credits are not accepted) | 4 |
| POL-UA 850 | Introduction to Research Methods for Politics (advanced standing credits are not accepted) | 4 |
| 16 |
| 2 | 8 |
| 3 | 8 |
| 36 |
| Total Credits | 128 |
Study Away Requirement
All majors in IR must spend a semester (not a summer session) outside the United States at an NYU Global Academic Center or at one of the universities with which NYU has an exchange agreement. Permission to study at any other site must be petitioned in advance in the Office of the Associate Dean for Students (726 Broadway, 7th floor; 212-998-8140; cas.nyu.edu/academic-standards), after approval by the IR program. Students may study abroad for an entire year, so long as they can complete the necessary requirements for the major and consult beforehand with the undergraduate advisor for IR.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of program requirements, students are expected to have acquired:
- The ability to analyze both complex political issues and quantitative data.
- Knowledge of the fundamental theoretical debates in the field of international relations.
- Advanced knowledge of a specialized topic in international relations, and the requisite skills for conducting sophisticated research on that topic.
- Fluency in presenting well-grounded arguments, both orally and in writing.
Policies
Program Policies
Eligibility to Declare the Major
To be eligible to declare the major, students must first complete POL-UA 700 International Politics. They must also first complete either ECON-UA 1 Introduction to Macroeconomics or ECON-UA 2 Introduction to Microeconomics, or present equivalent Advanced Placement or other advanced standing credit in economics.
Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and A-Level Credits
Students who have advanced standing credits for macroeconomics and/or microeconomics may count them toward the IR major’s requirements of ECON-UA 1 Introduction to Macroeconomics and ECON-UA 2 Introduction to Microeconomics. However, statistics credit from AP, IB, or A Levels does not satisfy the IR major’s research methodology requirement.
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
College of Arts and Science Policies
A full list of relevant academic policies can be found on the CAS Academic Policies page.