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International Studies Degree Requirements

  • These requirements apply to students entering this program in fall 2013 and thereafter. Students who enrolled earlier should consult the catalog in effect at the time they enrolled.
  • You can also reference the graduation requirements for the year in which you enrolled on the portal; view graduation requirements by year (PDF) in the right-hand column of your MyResources page.
  • Read the course descriptions.

General-Education Requirements
(43 credits)

Complete these courses with a grade of C- or better:

  • English Composition
  • Mathematics
  • Oral Communication
  • Literature
  • History or Philosophy
  • Fine Arts
  • Computer Literacy
  • Social and Behavioral Science 1
  • Social and Behavioral Science 2
  • Biological and Physical Science
    • Laboratory course, 4 credits
    • Non-laboratory course

Complete three courses with a grade of C or better:

  • Advanced Expository Writing (WRIT 300)
    completing WRIT 101 and either passing the writing placement test or successfully completing WRIT 200 required
  • Ethical Issues in Business and Society (IDIS 302)

and one of the following:

  • World Cultures (IDIS 301)
  • Arts and Ideas (IDIS 304)
    required if no lower-level general-education course in fine arts

International Studies Program Requirements (60 credits)

Major Requirements (15 credits)

  • Economics of Contemporary Issues (ECON 100)
  • Politics in Comparative Perspectives (GVPP 284)
  • Critical Thinking and Arguments (PHIL 150)
  • Human Ecology (ENVS 201)

Choose one.

  • Global Conflict (CNCM 102)
  • Global Politics (GVPP 210)

Core Courses (21 credits)

  • American Political Institutions (GVPP 300)
  • International Relations (GVPP 385)
  • American Foreign Policy (GVPP 386)
  • Methods in Government and Public Policy (GVPP 408)
    You may substitute this course with CRJU 302: Criminal Justice Research Methods.
  • International Organization (GVPP 489)
  • International Economics (ECON 409)
  • International Law and Morality (PHIL 496)

Major Electives (12 credits)

Choose four courses.

  • Human Population Dynamics (ANTH 365)
  • Terrorism, Counterterrorism and Conflict Management (CNCM 440)
  • Comparative Criminal Justice (CRJU 404)
  • Political Terrorism (CRJU 406)
  • Public Policy Analysis (GVPP 315)
  • Special Topics in International Studies (GVPP 479)
  • Environmental Politics and Policy (GVPP 480)
  • Globalization (GVPP 481)
  • International Political Economy (GVPP 484)
  • Global Health (HSMG 350)
  • Global Business Environment (MGMT 302)

Regional/Area Courses (12 credits)

Choose four courses.

  • Comparative Government (GVPP 384)
  • The Far East in World Affairs (GVPP 485)
  • The Middle East (GVPP 486)
  • Western Europe (GVPP 487)
  • Commonwealth of Independent States/China in World Affairs (GVPP 488)
  • Age of Revolutions (HIST 312)
  • Europe, 1815-1914 (HIST 313)
  • Europe, 1914-45 (HIST 314)
  • Europe Since 1945 (HIST 315)
  • World War II (HIST 344)
  • The Cold War, 1945-90 (HIST 460)
  • History of Germany (HIST 463)
  • Topics in East European History (HIST 465)
  • History of Africa (HIST 466)
  • History of Modern China (HIST 470)
  • Technology and History (HIST 477)
  • Special Topics, other than American history (HIST 497)


General Electives

  • First Year Seminar: Introduction to University Learning (IDIS 101)
    freshmen only; transfer students replace this with a different elective

Complete as many courses as necessary from any discipline to fulfill your 120-credit requirement to graduate.

Information Literacy Requirement

Meet the UB Information Literacy graduation requirement by successfully completing one of the following:

  • Introduction to Information Literacy (IDIS 110)

or two courses:

  • International Relations (GVPP 385)

and either

  • Methods in Government and Public Policy (GVPP 488)

or

  • Criminal Justice Research Methods (CRJU 302)
as of fall 2013