Nov 21, 2024  
2024 - 2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2024 - 2025 Undergraduate Catalog

International Relations (BA [International Honours] in International Relations)

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The Joint Degree Program in International Relations

The International Relations major in the Joint Degree Programme at the University of St Andrews and the College of William & Mary builds on the distinctive strengths of both universities. Students will master the most important theoretical approaches to the study of world politics, and they will learn how the international system operates as well as the major challenges it faces. Majors in the program will take courses from a range of disciplines–in particular, politics, economics, and history–and they will learn how to integrate insights from these diverse approaches to the study of international relations. Topics and issues covered include international security, world trade and finance, environmental politics, human rights, terrorism, regional and ethnic conflict, and the impact of globalization. Students will benefit in particular from exposure to the different modes of analysis pursued at the two universities–more scientific at William & Mary, more philosophical at St Andrews. Together the two universities offer the broad spectrum of courses needed for a solid foundation in the study of world politics. All International Relations majors in the joint program will pursue an independent study project as part of their degree, either by writing a dissertation at St Andrews or by taking a senior research seminar at William & Mary.

Requirements for the Joint Degree Program in International Relations

NOTE:  W&M courses carry the prefix of the participating departments (e.g., GOVT, HIST, ECON, SOCL).  Courses at St Andrews carry the prefixes IR, EC, or MO.

Required Credit Hours: 54

A minimum of 54, at least 45 of which (180 in St Andrews equivalents) must be taken in courses numbered 300 or above in Years 3 & 4.

Progression in Years 3 and 4:  Students must earn 60 (WM)/240 (StA) credits, at least 45 (WM)/180 (StA) in Honours courses - that is, courses in the major at the 300(0) - 400(0) level.  Students must take 30/120 credits at each university.  Of the total 60/240, 22.5/90 should be at the 4000-level at St. Andrews, or at the equivalent level at W&M.*  Normally, no more than 7.5/30 credits below the 300-level may be taken in a single Honours year.​

     *Some 300 level courses at W&M will count towards this requirement. See your major advisor for a list.

W&M home students must take a total of at least 61 credits (out of their 120 credits to graduate) at W&M (or W&M summer school).

As detailed in the schedules below, there will be a range of  courses required in the joint degree program. The IR advisor at both institutions will work closely with each student to ensure that they are taking the courses they need to take in order  to excel at the next level and at the host institution.

All majors in the Joint Degree Programme are required to take the following courses (normally “OR” indicates “anti-requisites,” or courses that duplicate material and cannot be repeated for credit.

Year 1

Courses at St Andrews carry the prefixes IR, EC, or MO; W&M courses carry the prefix of the participating departments (e.g., GOVT, HIST, ECON, SOCL). All majors in the Joint Degree Programme are required to take the following courses (normally “OR” indicates “anti-requisites,” or courses that duplicate material and cannot be repeated for credit): 

Year 1 at W&M

Year 1 at St Andrews

Modern History

  • MO1007 - The Early Modern Western World (c. 1450 - c. 1770) (HIST 111)
  • MO1008 - Themes in Late Modern History (c. 1776 - 2001) (HIST 192)

OR

Economics

  • EC1001 - Macroeconomics (ECON 102)
  • EC1002 - Microeconomics (ECON 101)

AND

  • IR1005 - Concepts in Global Politics (GOVT 204)
  • IR1006 - Foreign Policy and Diplomacy in Global Politics (GOVT 203)

Year 1 for Honors Preparation

Strongly recommended for students who want to do Honors at W&M in Year 4: an IR Methods Course. Students who do not take an IR Methods Course in Year 1 at W&M, and who spend both years 2 and 3 at St. Andrews, must take EC 2003 at St. Andrews if they want to pursue an Honors thesis in year 4 at W&M.

Available Methods courses:

Year 2

Years 3 and 4:

Students must earn 60 (W&M)/240 (StA) credits, at least 45 (W&M)/180 (StA) in Honours courses - that is, courses in the major at the 300(0) - 400(0) level.  Students must take 30/120 credits at each university.  Of the total 60/240, 22.5/90 should be at the 4000-level at St. Andrews, or at the equivalent level at W&M.*  Normally, no more than 7.5/30 credits below the 300-level may be taken in a single Honours year.​

*Some 300 level courses at W&M will count towards this requirement. See your major advisor for a list.

The 30 W&M credits may be selected from the following:

Year 4

Students must also take one of the following:

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