International Affairs Courses

Int 501 Global Governance (4)
This course examines the organization of world politics in the context of globalization and provides an overview of international organizations, such as the United Nations, and regional organizations, such as the European Union. The course reviews the historical evolution of the international system and the basic concepts of international relations. It then examines international cooperation beyond the confines of formal organizational structures with particular emphasis on international regimes, institutions and norms that govern state practices in particular issue areas - from trade and weapons proliferation to the environment and refugees. The course also examines transnational relations of non-state actors such as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and multinational corporations as well as transgovernmental relations of sub-national governments and government agencies that shape policymaking at a global level.

Int 502 Economics for Global Affairs (4)
This course provides an introduction to microeconomics and macro-economics as well as the principles, policies, and practices of international trade and finance that are fundamental for understanding international economic relations and the global economy. This course is designed for students without an economics background. Students who pass a microeconomics and macro-economics placement examination may take a more advanced economics course as a substitute. Prerequisite: Completion or concurrent enrollment in RINT 503 Quantitative Approaches to International Affairs.

Int 503 Quantitative Approaches to International Affairs (4)
Introduction to computer-based tools for planning, policy analysis, and decision-making. Topics include evaluating the quality of data for decision making, database construction and information management, administrative and policy models in spreadsheets, project monitoring and evaluation, performance measurement. Emphasis is placed on summarizing information meaningfully for policy makers and different stakeholders.

Int 504 International Economics (4)
This course introduces students to the principles, policies, and practices of international trade and finance that are fundamental for understanding international economic relations and the global economy.  The course will also examine microeconomic applications in political economic analysis of international trade and finance. Prerequisites: Completion or concurrent enrollment in RINT 503 Quantitative Approaches to International Affairs; completion or placing out of RINT 502 Economics for Global Affairs.

Int 505 Global Security (4)
This course introduces students to the basic concepts and issues of security in the contemporary world. After briefly reviewing the historical development of war, the course examines deterrence, alliances, collective security, conventional war, and the nuclear revolution. The course then analyzes emerging transnational threats such as terrorism, the challenges of the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, the tensions between economic globalization and the imperatives of homeland security and the technological changes giving rise to new weaponry such as military robotics as well as the prospects of cyber warfare.

Int 506 (Pad 661) International and Comparative Public Management (4)
This course focuses on tensions and trade-offs between important values in public administration and the institutional foundations of public service in cross-national political, bureaucratic, and legal settings. It examines management within the administrative structures, international organizations and agencies of the UN system and the foreign ministries of UN member states as well as functional agencies of national governments and sub-national governments (e.g. provinces and cities) engaged in trans-governmental relations. Major topics include dimensions of the public sector, characteristics of institutional settings, environmental context, and functions, roles, behaviors, and structures.

Int 507 Statistics for International Affairs Managers and Policy Analysts (4)
Introduction to the statistical methods that are commonly used by international affairs professionals. This course will help students understand the findings of academic and policy research that relies on quantitative methods and present the findings of their own analysis of real-world data using regression analysis and other statistical methods.

Int 511 International Law (4)
This course is an introduction to international public law in its political context. It examines the role of law in the functioning of the international system of states, including operation of international organizations and activities of non-state actors and individuals. It also includes an examination of the theory, development, and practice of international law, the interplay between law and politics, and the content and process of international legislation and authoritative decisions. It will introduce students to the International Court of Justice, the international law governing the use of force, the laws of war (international humanitarian law or the law of armed conflict), and the development of international criminal courts.

Int 512 Human Rights (4)
This course examines the legal, political, and social dimensions of the modern human rights movement and its implications for international affairs. It provides both an introduction to basic human rights philosophy, principles, instruments, and institutions, and an overview of several current issues and debates in the field. The course also seeks to analyze the ways in which allegations of human rights violations are dealt with and to expose some of the limitations in the architecture of the international system. Case studies will be used to illustrate contemporary debates regarding hierarchy among rights, conflicts between individual rights and societal priorities, human rights in single-party states, rights and transitions to democracy, amnesty for human rights violations, and the linkage between human rights and other national interests.

Int 513 (Pad 666/Pos 666) Global Environment: Politics and Policy (4)
This course examines the theory and practice of international environmental politics to better understand why the international community has been successful at solving some international environmental problems but not others. It considers policies that aim to address transnational issues such as climate change, ozone depletion, overfishing, deforestation, and species extinction. Theoretical approaches applied to these problems will consider not only the central role of states, but also the ways in which non-state actors, such as non-governmental organizations, multinational corporations, and transnational networks of cities, are becoming important players in managing these problems.

Int 523 International Development Policy (4)
This course introduces the main principles of economics of development and provides students with an appreciation for the problems and constraints that poor or less developed countries (LDCs) face. It presents economic frameworks that facilitate analysis of these problems and the generation of relevant policy recommendations as well as country- and issue-specific contexts within which students can apply the knowledge they acquire during the course.

Int 531 (Pad 570) Comparative Digital Government (4)
This course focuses on the ways that information strategies and management approaches affect governmental functions, democratic processes, and public programs across different countries and cultures. It draws from literature and case studies to understand cultural differences in the conceptualization of digital government but, also, in the planning and implementation processes of digital government projects around the world. It introduces students to the interaction of policy, management, data, and technology in the design, operation, and evaluation of government programs, citizen engagement, and public services taking into account the role of context and culture. Prerequisites: The course content presumes that you are familiar with the principles, structures, and processes of American government and administration and have some understanding of public administration in other countries. Students who do not have the prerequisites for this course are suggested to choose one of the following books (or a similar one) to gain the needed background knowledge:

1) Shafritz, J. M., Russell, E. W., Borick,C. & Hyde, A. C. (2017). Introducing public administration, 9th Edition. New York: Routledge; 2) Henry, Nicholas. (2016). Public administration and public affairs, 12th edition. New York: Routledge; 3) Chandler, J. A. (2014). Comparative public administration. New York: Routledge; 4) Jreisat, J. (2011). Globalism and comparative public administration. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 5) Otenyo, E. E., & Lind, N. S. (eds.) (2006). Comparative public administration: The essential readings. Amsterdam (The Netherlands): Elsevier. 

Int 533 (Pad 539) Global Non-profit Management (4)
This course explores the critical tasks associated with managing international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working primarily in the international development, humanitarian assistance and human rights domains. It will examine internal operational efficiency, strategic management, program performance, and sustainability of NGOs, and introduce a set of analytic and management tools. Features of NGO management are compared and contrasted with the public and private sectors and issues such as funding, scale of operations, accountability, local participation, comparative advantage, and effectiveness. It analyzes NGOs' roles as project implementers, technical assistance providers, intermediaries, partners, and advocates.

Int 541 Homeland Security in Comparative and International Perspective (4)
This course introduces students to the concepts, institutions and policy issues of security as they relate to the administrative practices of interior and home ministries around the world. The course examines the following topics: counterterrorism; intelligence gathering and information sharing; governmental reorganization; border security and immigration; transportation, trade and port security; cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection; all-hazards prevention, preparedness and response. The course also examines how countries have responded to terrorist attacks and security threats by engaging in international cooperation on travel, border, trade and cyber security.

Int 542 (Pad 558, Ehc 558) Intelligence & US National Security Policymaking (4)
This seminar examines the role of intelligence in the formulation and implementation of US foreign policy. Through critical analysis and case studies, students will develop techniques to increase intelligence’s contribution to policy deliberations while ensuring that it does not prescribe policy. The course will assess the most appropriate role for the CIA and the Intelligence Community in supporting this executive branch process. After an overview of the CIA, its functions, structure, and capabilities. We review the US foreign policy process, key players, and institutional bias. The bulk of the course is devoted to a series of mock intelligence and policy meetings on the Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq crises to critically analyze the CIA’s proper role in supporting the policy process.

Int 543 (Pad 554, Pos 554, Ehc 554) Political Violence, Insurgency and Terrorism (4)
This course examines the relationships among, and differences between the following activities in the international political system: political violence, insurgency, and terrorism. The course will include a consideration of the causes of these activities, their effects on national and international politics, and an evaluation of governmental responses to them.

Int 584 (Pos 584) American Foreign Policy Formulation and Implementation (4)
A study of the foreign policy making and diplomacy of the United States, the objectives and formulation of policy goals and procedures and the domestic constraints on U.S. statecraft.

Int 595 Independent Study (1 - 4)
Guided study designed to meet needs of international affairs students when no comparable organized course is offered in that area. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.

Int 596 Professional Development Module (0)
The objectives of this module are threefold: to increase student insight into personal and professional development needs and heighten awareness of career opportunities; to provide a forum for the dissemination of information on employment trends; and, to refine resume writing, interviewing, and job search skills. Students will register for this course twice to fulfill the Professional Development Module requirement.

Int 597 Capstone Project (4)
The capstone project provides students with an opportunity to apply what they have learned in a professional context. Individual or groups of students supervised by faculty will work on project for an organization during their final semester in the program.

Int 599 Selected Topics in International Affairs (4)
Topics in International Affairs will be selected for detailed examination. Topics may vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit if content varies.