International Relations Concentration

Political Science
Holland Hall 512
1520 St. Olaf Avenue
Northfield, MN 55057
Department Chair: Christopher Chapp
chapp@stolaf.edu

M-F 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

P 507-786-3127 E henry21@stolaf.edu

The International Relations Concentration offers you the opportunity to combine insights from political and other social sciences with language and humanistic studies in order to examine pressing questions related to war, peace, trade, security, justice and power. This concentration complements majors in the social sciences, area studies, and foreign languages in particular, but it is appropriate to all students committed to engaging with issues arising from the globalized nature of the modern world.

Program Requirements: The concentration requires the completion of five to six courses organized into four categories. Read below for lists of specific concentration requirements or reference the St. Olaf Catalog.

Other questions? Check out our FAQ page or contact director Menevis Cilizoglu (menevisc@stolaf.edu).

Explore your options for the International Relations Concentration in our 2024-25 International Relations Concentration.

All international relations concentrators need to take this foundations course. It is a good place to start your studies, and should certainly be taken before the final two courses in international politics.
PSCI 121, Introduction to International Relations

You need to take any one course from the following list of courses that address global social systems from a disciplinary lens that complements political science:

ECON 261, Intermediate Macro Theory
ECON 382, International Economics
HIST 195, Global Histories from 1500 to Present
SWRK 122. Global Challenges
SOAN 233, A Sociology of Colonialism and Postcolonialism
SOAN 262, Global Interdependence

As an international relations concentrator, you need to know something about the culture, history and/or language of a region of the world beyond the United States. You can complete this third requirement by taking one language course or two courses about a specific region.

3a option: One world language course from the following list:

One course numbered 232 or higher in Chinese, Greek, Japanese, Latin, Norwegian, or Russian, OR
One course numbered 250 or higher in French, German, or Spanish
The course must be taught in the target language

3b option: Two courses focused upon any single contemporary world region or country (e.g.,Africa, Asia, China, Germany, Japan, Latin America, the Middle East, or Russia)

Both courses focus on the same region or country
Can be from any department and may include courses completed in approved St. Olaf off-campus programs
No more than one course in this option can come from the political science department
Area studies courses should have at least 50% of the course content dedicated to target country or region

Finally, complete your concentration with two additional political science courses from the international relations subfield, at Level 2 or 3:

ES/PS 201: Topics in Global Environmental Politics
PSCI 205: International Organizations
PSCI 222: International Political Economy
PSCI 245: Asian Regionalism
PSCI 258: World Politics
PSCI 285: International Law
PSCI 321: Seminar in International Relations
PSCI 322: Economic Statecraft