Major in International Relations

Degree Program Hours: 120

Students may begin taking courses in the Department at any time and may declare their intention to major in International Relations after completing 24 semester hours of the University core curriculum requirements. To qualify for admission to the program, FIU students must have met all lower division requirements including CLAS, 60 semester hours, and a minimum 2.0 grade point average.

  • Common Prerequisite Courses and Equivalencies

    Common Prerequisite Courses and Equivalencies

    FIU Course(s): None

    Equivalent Course(s): None

    Courses which form part of the statewide articulation between the State University System and the Community College System will fulfill the Lower Division Common Prerequisites.

    For generic course substitutions/equivalencies for Common Program Prerequisites offered at community colleges, state colleges, or state universities, visit: http://facts.org, See Common Prerequisite Manual.

  • Required for the degree

    Required for the degree

    INR 2001 Introduction to International Relations

  • Upper Division Program

    Upper Division Program

    International Relations majors must complete a minimum 33 semester hours of course work in the department with a grade of ‘C’ or better.

  • Core Requirement: (3)

    Core Requirement: (3)

    Take one of the following courses:

    • GEA 2000 World Regional Geography
    • CPO 2002 Introduction to Comparative Politics
    • REL 3308 Studies in World Religion
    • SYP 3456 Societies of the World
    • ECS 3003 Comparative Economic Systems
    • WOH 2001 World Civilization
    • EVR 1017 Global Environment & Society
  • Group I Courses for the Major: (12)

    Group I Courses for the Major: (12)

    In addition to the Core Requirement, INR majors must take at least one course (3 sem. hrs.) from each of the following divisions in Group I:

    • International Law/International Organizations (IL)
    • Foreign Policy/Security Studies (FP)
    • International Political Economy (IPE)
    • A fourth course from among the following:
      • An Additional INR-prefixed Group I course
      • Comparative Politics courses
        • CPO 3010 Comparative Politics: Theory and Practice
        • CPO 3055 Authorization Politics
        • CPO 4034 The Politics of Development & Underdevelopment
        • CPO 4053 Political Repression & Human Rights
        • CPO 4057 Political Violence and Revolution
        • CPO 4062 Comparative Judicial Politics
        • CPO 4072 Comparative Electoral Behavior
        • CPO 4725 Comparative Genocide
        • CPO 4742 Comparative Political Economy
        • CPO 4930 Topics in Comparative Politics
      • Economics courses
        • ECS 3021 Women, Culture, and Economic Development
        • ECO 4703 International Trade Theory and Policy
        • ECO 4733 Multinational Corporation
      • Geography courses
        • GEO 3001 Geography of Global Change
        • GEO 3502 Economic Geography
        • GEO 3471 Political Geography
        • GEO 4354 Geography of the Global Food System
        • GEO 4476 Political Ecology
        • GEO 4477 Critical Geopolitics
      • History courses
        • EUH 3245 European History, 1914 – 1945
        • EUH 3282 European History, 1945 – Present
        • LAH 3718 History of US – Latin American Relations
      • Sociology and Anthropology courses
        • ANT 4306 The Third World
        • SYD 4237 Immigration & Refugees
        • SYP 4441 Sociology of World Development
        • SYP 4454 Globalization and Society
  • Group II Courses for the Major: (12)

    Group II Courses for the Major: (12)

    INR majors must also take at least four courses (12 sem. hrs.) in Group II, including at least one from each of the following divisions:

    • Area Studies (AS)
    • Issues and Problems in International Relations (IP)
    • Second AS or IP course
    • One course from among the following:
      • Geography courses
        • GEA 3320 Population and Geography of the Caribbean
        • GEA 3400 Population and Geography of Latin America
        • GEA 3500 Population and Geography of Europe
        • GEA 3554 Geography of Russia and Central Asia
        • GEA 3600 Population and Geography of Africa
        • GEA 3635 Population and Geography of the Middle East
        • GEA 3705 Geography of Central Asia and the Caucasus
      • Religious Studies courses
        • REL 3310 Introduction to Asian Religions
        • REL 3330 Religions of India
        • REL 3362 Islamic Faith and Society
        • REL 3383 Religions of the Caribbean
        • REL 4370 African Religions
      • Economics courses
        • ECS 3200 Economics of Asia
        • ECS 3401 The Brazilian Economy
        • ECS 3402 The Political Economy of South America
        • ECS 3403 Economics of Latin America
        • ECS 3431 Economics of the Caribbean Basis
      • Anthropology or Sociology courses
        • ANT 3780 Anthropology of Brazil
        • ANT 4324 Mexico
        • ANT 4332 Latin America
        • ANT 4340 Cultures of the Caribbean Basin
        • ANT 4352 African Peoples and Cultures
        • SYD 3650 Sociology of Gender and Power in Asia
        • SYD 4610 Japanese Society in Global Perspective
        • SYD 4630 Latin American and Caribbean Societies
      • Comparative Politics courses
        • CPO 3103 Politics of Western Europe
        • CPO 3204 African Politics
        • CPO 3304 Politics of Latin America
        • CPO 3403 Politics of the Middle East
        • CPO 3643 Russian Politics
        • CPO 4303 Politics of South America
        • CPO 3423 Politics of the Caribbean
        • CPO 4333 Politics of Central America
        • CPO 4340 Politics of Mexico
        • CPO 4360 Cuban Politics
        • CPO 4401 The Arab-Israeli Conflict
        • CPO 4461 Politics of Eastern Europe
        • CPO 4507 Comparative Political Economics of Asia
        • CPO 4541 Politics of China
        • CPO 4553 Government and Politics of Japan
        • CPO 4955 Politics of the Czech Republic: Study Abroad
      • Environmental Studies course
        • EVR 3402 Asian Environmental Issues

    Note: INR 4943 Internship in International Affairs can count as the fourth Group II course as long as the student has completed one course from each of the three divisions, above.

  • Exit Requirements: (6)

    Exit Requirements: (6)

    INR 4013 Development of International Relations
    INR 4603 Theories of International Relations

  • Electives

    Electives

    Students are encouraged to double major or pursue a minor in related fields such as political science, economics, geography, modern languages, history, sociology/anthropology, or business. We recommend that students take introductory courses in economics and gain fluency in at least one foreign language. Students may also consider appropriate academic certificates such as those in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Asian Studies, African and African Diaspora Studies, and European Studies.

Combined B.A. in International Relations/M.A. in International Studies (the "4+1" Degree Pathway)

The combined BA in International Relations and MA in International Studies degree pathway allows highly qualified undergraduate students to pursue an accelerated MA degree in International Studies. Students accepted into this degree pathway will be able to complete the MA degree as much as one year sooner than would otherwise be possible. Students accepted into the International Relations Honors Track are particularly encouraged to apply for this degree pathway.

To be accepted into the combined BA/MA degree pathway, students must submit an online MA program application through their FIU Student Portal by March 15 in their junior year. The link is available by navigating to the Admissions Tile on the student dashboard.

A complete application requires:

  • Current enrollment in BA program in International Relations at FIU
  • Completion of 75 credits of undergraduate coursework
  • GRE
  • GPA of 3.5 or above
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose discussing research interests

All components of the application must be complete by the March 15 application deadline. Students should consult the graduate catalog and the Politics and International Relations Department website for a more comprehensive discussion of admission requirements. If the application is approved, students will be admitted into the combined BA/MA degree pathway once they have successfully completed 90 credits in their undergraduate degree program. Students in the combined BA/MA degree pathway must apply for their undergraduate degree as soon as possible after having satisfied the degree requirements.

The degree pathway gives students the opportunity to take up to 9 credits of graduate coursework in their senior year that will count toward both the BA and the MA. Successful completion of the BA/MA degree pathway will therefore require a total of 147 unduplicated credit hours. Students will take three 5000 level graduate courses in their senior year and follow the regular MA curriculum after they earn their BA degree. A typical course of study is as follows:

  • Undergraduate Junior Year

    Undergraduate Junior Year

    Apply to the program (March 15 deadline)

  • Undergraduate Senior Year

    Undergraduate Senior Year

    Fall Semester – take 12 credits, including one 5000-level course

    Spring Semester – take 12 credits, including two 5000 level courses

  • Graduate Program

    Graduate Program

    • Summer – take 3 graduate credits (5000-level or higher)
    • Fall – take 9 graduate credits (5000-level or higher)
    • Spring – take 9 graduate credits (5000-level or higher)
    • Summer – take 6 graduate credits (thesis or comprehensive examination preparation)

Minor in International Relations

A student majoring in another academic discipline earns a Minor in International Relations by successfully completing approved course work of 18 semester hours in the Department of Politics and International Relations with a grade of ‘C’ or better.

This program must include:

1. INR 2001 Introduction to International Relations (3)

2. One "outside INR major" course to be taken from among (3):

  • GEA 2000 World Regional Geography – GL
  • CPO 2002 Introduction to Comparative Politics
  • REL 3308 Studies in World Religion – GL
  • SYP 3456 Societies of the World
  • ECS 3003 Comparative Economic Systems
  • WOH 2001 World Civilization
  • EVR 1017 Global Environment & Society

3. A second ”outside INR major" course to be taken from the same list (3)

4. One Group 1 course with an INR prefix (3)

5. One Group 2 course with an INR prefix (3)

6. Any other course with an INR prefix offered by the Department (3)