International Relations (2022 - 2024)
Eligibility to Declare the Major
To be eligible to declare the major, students must first complete International Politics (POL-UA 700). They must also first complete either Introduction to Macroeconomics (ECON-UA 1) or Introduction to Microeconomics (ECON-UA 2), 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 Introduction to Macroeconomics (ECON-UA 1) and Introduction to Microeconomics (ECON-UA 2). However, statistics credit from AP, IB, or A Levels does not satisfy the IR major’s research methodology requirement.
Major: General Information
All majors must complete a total of twelve 4-point courses (48 points). They complete four core courses, four courses in the international relations environment, and two courses in a regional specialization. Students must also demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language (two courses past the intermediate level) and complete a full semester (not a summer session) in a study away program outside the United States.
Core Courses for the Major
All international relations majors must take the following four courses (16 points):
- Introduction to Macroeconomics (ECON-UA 1), or equivalent advanced standing credit
- Introduction to Microeconomics (ECON-UA 2), or equivalent advanced standing credit
- International Politics (POL-UA 700); advanced standing credits are not accepted
- Introduction to Research Methods for Politics (POL-UA 850); advanced standing credits are not accepted
International Relations Environment Requirement
Majors must complete four courses (16 points) under this heading. See details under course offerings.
Regional Specialization Requirement
Majors must complete two courses (8 points) focusing on a particular world region in a variety of disciplines, including economics, history, politics, sociology, and area studies. These courses are normally taken during the term away. Whether taken at Washington Square or away, both courses must be approved in advance by the program director or the undergraduate advisor for IR. We do not accept courses in art, art history, literature, or film for this requirement.
Foreign Language Requirement
Students satisfy this requirement by completing two courses (8 points) beyond the intermediate level. It is recommended but not required that the language be related to the regional specialization and/or the study away site. If a student considers himself or herself fluent in a foreign language, he or she can 1) complete the requirement with a third language or 2) take two advanced courses (literature or advanced translation) in the foreign language of the student’s fluency. In either case, the student must take two courses past the intermediate level; we do not waive this requirement for the IR major.
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.html), 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.
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 point) Senior Seminar sequence (INTRL-UA 990, 991) in which they work closely with faculty advisers as they write a senior thesis.