Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
Location: Posner Hall 385A
www.cmu.edu/cmist
The Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST) is an interdisciplinary institute that works with units across Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to tackle the risks and benefits of emerging technologies in war and peace. It is the academic home of the study of Political Science and International Relations at CMU, administratively located within the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
CMIST applies the tools of political science and related social science approaches to the wise development, use, and governance of emerging technologies-- from artificial intelligence to biotechnology and beyond. We are proud of our mission as social scientists, solving pressing problems and helping to ensure that technology serves humanity.
In its focus on Political Science and International Relations, CMIST offers the following undergraduate degree programs and initiatives:
o BS International Relations and Political Science (primary and additional major);
o BS Political Science, Security, and Technology (primary and additional major);
o BS Economics and Politics (primary and additional major);
o American Politics and Law Minor;
o Cybersecurity and International Conflict Minor;
o International Relations and Political Science Minor;
o Military Strategy and International Relations Minor;
o Political Science, Security, and Technology Minor;
o Politics and Public Policy Minor; and
o The Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program.
Bachelor of Science in International Relations and Political Science
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
The Bachelor of Science in International Relations and Political Science (IRPS) is for students who want to learn how to think systematically and develop foundational knowledge about international and domestic politics. It is an interdisciplinary major that is rooted firmly in political science and draws on strengths and insights from decision science, economics, history, modern languages, and other fields. BS IRPS students wrestle with a wide range of issues including the future of democracy, the relationship between technology and politics, the drivers of war and peace, domestic politics across countries, and the formulation of effective foreign policies. IRPS graduates embark on a variety of careers in government, law, public policy, intelligence, national defense, consulting, international development, and more.
Core disciplinary courses for the IRPS major establish a strong foundation in the study of political science and enable students to better understand the workings of political institutions, political behavior across countries, the decision-making of political leaders, the making of national and international policy, and prevailing challenges to the international system, among other topics.
Core methodology courses train IRPS students in the social science tools and communications skills needed to analyze and write persuasively about international relations and politics. Students pursuing an IRPS major learn to use a wide range of analytic tools including statistics and data science, qualitative analysis, game theory, and behavioral decision-making models as they study politics and strategy. Students also learn how to effectively communicate their analyses to affect public policy.
A rich set of electives allows students to investigate issues in security and technology, grand strategy and national security, cybersecurity and international conflict, military strategy and doctrine, the politics of key regions of the world, international political economy and economic policy, representation and voting rights, climate change and development, repression and human rights, international law and diplomacy, political psychology and public opinion, and social change and revolution.
Recognizing the importance of language and culture in understanding politics and international relations, students are required to complete the intermediate (200) level, or its equivalent, in a modern language other than English. Advanced-level study is strongly encouraged.
Open to all Carnegie Mellon undergraduates, the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP) is an experiential learning program that allows students to study American politics, law, and public policy, while also interning in Washington, DC, for one semester. Courses taken through CMU/WSP count toward the policy seminar core requirement and electives for the IRPS major.
The major in International Relations and Political Science is available as both a primary and additional major. The requirements are the same for both.
Curriculum
A maximum of four courses may double count between the IRPS major and any other majors or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with general education requirements.
Political Science Core Courses (45 units)
Students must complete all of the following political science core courses.
| 84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
| 84-110 | The Economics of Politics and Technology | 9 |
| or 73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| or 73-103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated | |
| 84-250 | Writing for Political Science and Policy | 9 |
Students must complete two of the three courses listed below. If all three are taken, the third can count as an elective for the major.
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
Methodology Core Courses (27 units)
Students must complete all of the following methodology core courses.
| 84-266 | Research Design for Political Science | 9 |
| 84-369 | Decision Science for International Relations | 9 |
| 36-202 | Methods for Statistics & Data Science | 9 |
Language Requirement (9 units)
Students are required to complete a course at the Intermediate II level or higher of a modern language other than English. Advanced level study is strongly encouraged. Students who successfully pass a language placement exam on campus, at the intermediate II level or higher, are required to take an advanced language course to satisfy the language requirement.
Electives (54 units)
Students must complete 54 units (usually six courses) from the elective lists below. At least four courses (36 units) must be taken from the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (84-xxx). Most courses listed below are 9-unit courses, but some are fewer. When students choose courses offered for fewer than 9 units, they must remember that a minimum of 54 units is still required and thus plan to take one or more additional courses to fill out that minimum number. In other words, the key requirement is the number of units (54), not the number of courses.
| CMIST Electives | ||
| 84-120 | Introduction to US Constitutional Law | 9 |
| 84-200 | Security War Game Simulation | 6 |
| 84-252 | Briefing in the Policy World | 6 |
| 84-274 | An Introduction to Technology and War | 9 |
| 84-280 | Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies | 12 |
| 84-303 | International Human Rights | 6 |
| 84-304 | Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities | 6 |
| 84-306 | Latin American Politics | 9 |
| 84-309 | American Political Divides and Great Debates | 9 |
| 84-310 | Policy in a Global Economy 1: International Trade and Trade Policy | 6 |
| 84-311 | Policy in a Global Economy 2: International Macroeconomics and Finance | 6 |
| 84-312 | Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa | 6 |
| 84-318 | Politics of Developing Nations | 9 |
| 84-319 | Civil-Military Relations | 9 |
| 84-322 | Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution | 9 |
| 84-323 | War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East | 9 |
| 84-324 | The Future of Democracy | 9 |
| 84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy | 9 |
| 84-327 | Who Really Runs America?: Subnational Governance and Policymaking | 9 |
| 84-328 | Military Strategy and Doctrine | 9 |
| 84-329 | Asian Strategies | 6 |
| 84-331 | Technology, Law, and Democracy | 6 |
| 84-332 | Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 6 |
| 84-333 | Law of US Democracy | 9 |
| 84-336 | Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea To Reality Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 12 |
| 84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 6 |
| 84-339 | Seminar in Public Policy Research Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 12 |
| 84-341 | Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security | 6 |
| 84-349 | Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance | 9 |
| 84-350 | A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-352 | Representation and Voting Rights | 9 |
| 84-355 | Democracy's Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections | 9 |
| 84-356 | Applied Political Data Analytics | 9 |
| 84-358 | Money, Connections, and Power: Interests and Influence in the US | 9 |
| 84-360 | CMU/WSP: Internship Seminar Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 24 |
| 84-362 | Diplomacy and Statecraft | 9 |
| 84-363 | Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict | 9 |
| 84-365 | The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation | 9 |
| 84-367 | The Politics of Antisemitism | 9 |
| 84-368 | Technology Ethics | 9 |
| 84-370 | Nuclear Security & Arms Control | 9 |
| 84-371 | International Governance of Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-372 | Space and National Security | 9 |
| 84-373 | International Law | 9 |
| 84-375 | Geopolitics of Innovation | 9 |
| 84-380 | US Grand Strategy | 9 |
| 84-383 | National Cyber Policy & Strategy | 6 |
| 84-386 | The Privatization of Force | 9 |
| 84-387 | Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict | 9 |
| 84-389 | Terrorism and Insurgency | 9 |
| 84-390 | Social Media, Technology, and Conflict | 9 |
| 84-393 | The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis? | 9 |
| 84-402 | Judicial Politics and Behavior | 9 |
| 84-405 | The Future of Warfare | 9 |
| Additional Electives | ||
| 19-452 | EPP Projects II | 12 |
| 70-342 | Managing Across Cultures | 9 |
| 70-365 | International Trade and International Law | 9 |
| 70-430 | International Management | 9 |
| 73-332 | Political Economy | 9 |
| 76-318 | Communicating in the Global Marketplace | 9 |
| 79-203 | The Other Europe: The Habsburgs, Communism, & Central/Eastern Europe, 1740-1990 | 9 |
| 79-205 | 20th Century Europe | 9 |
| 79-223 | Mexico: From the Aztec Empire to the Drug War | 9 |
| 79-227 | Modern Africa: The Slave Trade to the End of Apartheid | 9 |
| 79-229 | The Origins of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, 1880-1948 | 9 |
| 79-230 | The Arab-Israeli Conflict and Peace Process Through 1948 to Present | 9 |
| 79-257 | Germany and the Second World War | 9 |
| 79-262 | Modern China: From the Birth of Mao ... to Now | 9 |
| 79-264 | Tibet and China: History and Propaganda | 9 |
| 79-265 | Russian History: Game of Thrones | 9 |
| 79-266 | Russian History and Revolutionary Socialism | 9 |
| 79-267 | The Soviet Union in World War II: Military, Political, and Social History | 9 |
| 79-275 | Introduction to Global Studies | 9 |
| 79-288 | Bananas, Baseball, and Borders: Latin America and the United States | 9 |
| 79-301 | History of Surveillance: From the Plantation to Data Capitalism | 6 |
| 79-302 | Killer Robots? The Ethics, Law, and Politics of Drones and A.I. in War | 9 |
| 79-313 | "Unwanted": Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Patterns of Global Migration | 6 |
| 79-314 | How Do We Remember? The Politics and Cultures of Memory | 9 |
| 79-318 | Sustainable Social Change: History and Practice | 9 |
| 79-320 | Women, Politics, and Protest | 9 |
| 79-343 | Education, Democracy, and Civil Rights | 9 |
| 79-377 | Food, Culture, and Power: A History of Eating | 9 |
| 79-385 | Out of Africa: The Making of the African Diaspora | 9 |
| 80-135 | Introduction to Political Philosophy | 9 |
| 80-136 | Social Structure, Public Policy & Ethics | 9 |
| 80-249 | AI, Society, and Humanity | 9 |
| 80-335 | Social and Political Philosophy | 9 |
| 80-348 | Health, Human Rights, and International Development | 9 |
| 80-447 | Global Justice | 9 |
| Advanced Level Modern Language Course Any 300 or 400 level Modern Language Course | ||
| 88-234 | Negotiation: International Focus | 9 |
| 88-281 | Topics in Law: 1st Amendment | 9 |
| 88-284 | Topics of Law: The Bill of Rights | 9 |
| 88-411 | Rise of the Asian Economies | 9 |
NOTE: Some courses have additional prerequisites.
Senior Seminar (9 units)
Students must complete the following course.
| 84-500 | Senior Seminar | 9 |
Sample four-year plan
These sample curricula represent a plan for completing the requirements for the B.S. in International Relations and Political Science. International Relations and Political Science (IRPS) students are encouraged to spend a semester studying and interning in Washington, DC, through the CMU/WSP, and/or study abroad. The plan below demonstrates that a semester off-campus fits well into the curriculum. As with most majors in Dietrich College, the IRPS major can be completed in as few as two years of undergraduate study, not that it must be. Students may declare the BS in International Relations and Political Science as early as the second semester of the first-year and should consult frequently with the deputy director of academic affairs (see above) about their course of study. Please note that this is only a sample plan of study and not the only possible plan of study. The IRPS major and Dietrich College General Education curricula provide a high degree of flexibility in sequencing and coursework. Double counting between the major and the General Education requirements is unlimited. The plan below shows a very conservative view of double counting.
| First-Year | Second-Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | Fall | Spring |
| 84-101 Introduction to Political Science | 84-110 The Economics of Politics and Technology | 84-266 Research Design for Political Science | 84-250 Writing for Political Science and Policy |
| 84-104 Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 84-226 International Relations or 84-275 Comparative Politics | 36-202 Methods for Statistics & Data Science | Language Course* |
| 36-200 Reasoning with Data | Disciplinary Perspectives: Humanities | IRPS Elective | IRPS Elective |
| First-Year Writing | Language Course* | Language Course* | General Education |
| Language Course* | Grand Challenge Seminar | General Education | General Education |
| 99-101 Core@CMU | |||
*If starting a Modern Language at the Elementary I level, four semesters of language study are required for the IRPS major. AP credit or a language placement exam may allow students to begin at CMU in a level higher than Elementary I and have fewer required semesters of language study.
| Third-Year | Fourth-Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | Fall | Spring |
| 84-369 Decision Science for International Relations | CMU/WSP or STUDY ABROAD* | IRPS Elective | 84-500 Senior Seminar |
| IRPS Elective | Explore | IRPS Elective | IRPS Elective |
| General Education | Explore | IRPS Elective | General Education |
| General Education | Explore | General Education | Explore |
| Explore | Explore | General Education | Explore |
*All students are strongly encouraged to participate in the CMU/WSP and/or in a study abroad program. Spring semester of the junior year is a popular semester to study off-campus. However, International Relations and Political Science majors may participate in the CMU/WSP or study abroad in spring of sophomore year, either semester of junior year or senior year. Students should consult the deputy director when planning their curricular program.
Bachelor of Science in Political Science, Security, and Technology
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
The major in Political Science, Security, and Technology takes a social science (not technical) approach to studying emerging technologies that affect war and peace. There is no better place to study security and technology than Carnegie Mellon University, a thought leader in global and national security issues, policies, and strategies related to digital technologies. CMU students are uniquely poised to influence the future, with cutting-edge research happening across campus in all the relevant technological areas--e.g., machine learning, cybersecurity, robotics, big data, neuroscience, human-computer interaction, human enhancement, synthetic biology, and various types of artificial intelligence.
In this course of study, Carnegie Mellon undergraduates learn how to analyze the political, economic, social, and ethical dimensions of new technologies, equipping themselves to contribute to vital political debates and influence technological developments in the public interest.
The lesson of the past few years is that the pace of technological change will only increase, and its impact on the future of humanity will also grow. In particular, the geopolitical implications of various forms of artificial intelligence are well along, including their impacts on work, health, environmental protection, and especially conflict. The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere reflect the role of autonomous weapons, loitering munitions, UAVs, voice-cloning tools, and open-source intelligence driven by machine learning tools.
The full effects of these technologies are some years away, but our students must be equipped to shape and adapt to them. Most serious among these effects will be the impacts on war and peace, what it means to be human, patterns of economic prosperity, the future of work, and the future of global stability.
Students in this major read, employ, and create evidence-based research that addresses and shapes the future of technology in national and international security. In choosing their electives, students have the opportunity to emphasize either the international or domestic American aspects of this topic. Challenges posed by digital technologies affect people of all political parties, in the United States and throughout the world, especially in democracies.
Our goal is to educate students who emerging knowing not only about the risks and benefits of new technologies in historical context, but are also able to frame broad questions and use political science methods, theories, and approaches to address them.
We teach a range of methodologies to prepare our students for the challenges of the 21st century, both within the United States and abroad. These include introductions not only to traditional political science approaches (such as comparative case studies, archival analysis, contextual analysis, database construction, and regression analysis), but also to newer tools such as visual geospatial mapping, sensor-driven machine learning, and the employment of large language models.
Our budding political scientists may not personally build new technological tools (as they do in other parts of Carnegie Mellon University); but they’ll know how to use them effectively to forecast problems, identify potential backlash, and answer important questions. They’ll design research projects that address political, ethical, and strategic questions related to security and technology, in everything from voting in democratic elections to robotic targeting during warfare, in both the United States and abroad.
Political Science, Security, and Technology is available as a primary major and additional major. The requirements are the same for both.
Curriculum
A maximum of four courses may double count between the PSST major and any other majors or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with General Education requirements.
Political Science Core (36 units)
Students must complete all of the following core courses.
| 84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-250 | Writing for Political Science and Policy | 9 |
Security and Technology Core (45 Units)
Students must complete:
| 84-274 | An Introduction to Technology and War | 9 |
Students must complete 36 units from the following list of courses:
| 84-314 | Politics, Technological Change, and Economic Growth | 9 |
| 84-349 | Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance | 9 |
| 84-350 | A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-356 | Applied Political Data Analytics | 9 |
| 84-363 | Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict | 9 |
| 84-368 | Technology Ethics | 9 |
| 84-370 | Nuclear Security & Arms Control | 9 |
| 84-371 | International Governance of Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-372 | Space and National Security | 9 |
| 84-375 | Geopolitics of Innovation | 9 |
| 84-383 | National Cyber Policy & Strategy | 6 |
| 84-387 | Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict | 9 |
| 84-390 | Social Media, Technology, and Conflict | 9 |
| 84-405 | The Future of Warfare | 9 |
Methodology Core (28 Units)
Students must complete all of the following courses.
| 84-266 | Research Design for Political Science | 9 |
| 36-202 | Methods for Statistics & Data Science | 9 |
| 15-110 | Principles of Computing | 10 |
| or 15-112 | Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science | |
Electives (45 Units)
Students must complete 45 units (usually five courses) in total. At least three courses (27 units) must be taken from the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (84-xxx). Most courses listed below are 9-unit courses, but some are fewer. When students choose courses offered for fewer than 9 units, they must remember that a minimum of 45 units is still required and thus plan to take one or more additional courses to fill out that minimum number. In other words, the key requirement is the number of units (45), not the number of courses. Courses taken in the Security and Technology core beyond the required number of units for the core may count as electives for the major.
Students are strongly encouraged to participate in the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP) and courses taken through the program may count toward electives for the major.
| International Security | ||
| 84-110 | The Economics of Politics and Technology | 9 |
| 84-200 | Security War Game Simulation | 6 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
| 84-304 | Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities | 6 |
| 84-312 | Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa | 6 |
| 84-322 | Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution | 9 |
| 84-323 | War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East | 9 |
| 84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy | 9 |
| 84-329 | Asian Strategies | 6 |
| 84-336 | Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea To Reality Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 12 |
| 84-339 | Seminar in Public Policy Research Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 12 |
| 84-341 | Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security | 6 |
| 84-360 | CMU/WSP: Internship Seminar Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 24 |
| 84-362 | Diplomacy and Statecraft | 9 |
| 84-365 | The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation | 9 |
| 84-369 | Decision Science for International Relations | 9 |
| 84-373 | International Law | 9 |
| 84-386 | The Privatization of Force | 9 |
| 84-389 | Terrorism and Insurgency | 9 |
| Domestic American Politics | ||
| 84-120 | Introduction to US Constitutional Law | 9 |
| 84-252 | Briefing in the Policy World | 6 |
| 84-280 | Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies | 12 |
| 84-309 | American Political Divides and Great Debates | 9 |
| 84-319 | Civil-Military Relations | 9 |
| 84-324 | The Future of Democracy | 9 |
| 84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy | 9 |
| 84-327 | Who Really Runs America?: Subnational Governance and Policymaking | 9 |
| 84-328 | Military Strategy and Doctrine | 9 |
| 84-331 | Technology, Law, and Democracy | 6 |
| 84-332 | Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 6 |
| 84-333 | Law of US Democracy | 9 |
| 84-336 | Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea To Reality Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 12 |
| 84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 6 |
| 84-339 | Seminar in Public Policy Research Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 12 |
| 84-352 | Representation and Voting Rights | 9 |
| 84-355 | Democracy's Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections | 9 |
| 84-358 | Money, Connections, and Power: Interests and Influence in the US | 9 |
| 84-360 | CMU/WSP: Internship Seminar Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 24 |
| 84-365 | The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation | 9 |
| 84-366 | The 21st-Century Presidency: Expanding Powers, New Challenges | 9 |
| 84-367 | The Politics of Antisemitism | 9 |
| 84-380 | US Grand Strategy | 9 |
| 84-393 | The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis? | 9 |
| 84-402 | Judicial Politics and Behavior | 9 |
| Additional Electives in Security and Technology | ||
| 17-200 | Ethics and Policy Issues in Computing | 9 |
| 17-303 | Cryptocurrencies, Blockchains and Applications | 9 |
| 17-331 | Information Security, Privacy, and Policy | 12 |
| 17-333 | Privacy Policy, Law, and Technology | 9 |
| 17-334 | Usable Privacy and Security | 9 |
| 19-403 | Policies of Wireless Systems | 12 |
| 19-411 | Science and Innovation Leadership for the 21st Century: Firms, Nations, and Tech | 9 |
| 70-334 | Ethics of Emerging Technologies | 9 |
| 79-234 | Technology and Society | 9 |
| 79-301 | History of Surveillance: From the Plantation to Data Capitalism | 6 |
| 79-302 | Killer Robots? The Ethics, Law, and Politics of Drones and A.I. in War | 9 |
| 79-370 | Technology in the United States | 9 |
| 80-249 | AI, Society, and Humanity | 9 |
| 95-444 | Cybersecurity Policy and Governance II | 6 |
Senior Seminar (9 units)
Students must complete the following course.
| 84-500 | Senior Seminar | 9 |
Bachelor of Science in Economics and Politics
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
Politics and economics are deeply interconnected. Political institutions and decision-making impact economic growth, income distribution, and many other aspects of economic life. Both fiscal and monetary policies affect the economy: but these policies also reflect political considerations and influence political outcomes. For example, while the United Nations is often thought of in purely political terms, the Security Council can and does impose sanctions on countries-- an example of an economic policy used for political change.
The Economics and Politics major is offered jointly between the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST) and the Undergraduate Economics Program (UEP). The major will appeal to any student interested in the design, evaluation, and political implementation of economic policy. It will be especially attractive to students considering careers in politics, government agencies, political and business consulting, lobbying, or the law.
The BS in Economics and Politics is an interdisciplinary major. The major will develop the political context and underpinnings of economic policy making. It will explore how political institutions resolve the tradeoffs and disagreements associated with policymaking and how they can facilitate or impede desirable economic outcomes.
CMIST's strengths lie in topics such as emerging technology, national security, and grand strategy. Economic policy is one facet of grand strategy through which governments pursue domestic and international goals. This major will enable students to understand economic statecraft from a broad perspective. It will address key issues such as how multilateral economic institutions such as the IMF and World Bank use economic coercion. Whether coercion is successful or not depends not only on the levers of power but on also on variations in regime structures, alongside complex linkages in the international economy. For example, the viability of the “Euro Zone” depends on whether the political-economic agreements necessary to mitigate institutional weaknesses are politically feasible or destined to failure. In short, international economics affects everything from human rights practices to trade patterns to energy markets to tech company investments to global compliance with climate change treaties.
Economics and Politics is available as both a primary and an additional major. The requirements are the same for both.
Curriculum
A maximum of four courses may double count between the Economics and Politics major and any other majors or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with general education requirements.
Mathematics (19 units)
Students must complete all of the following courses.
| 21-120 | Differential and Integral Calculus | 10 |
| or 21-112 | Integral Calculus | |
| 21-256 | Multivariate Analysis | 9 |
| or 21-259 | Calculus in Three Dimensions | |
Economics Core (54 units)
Students must complete all of the following courses.
| 73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics * | 9 |
| or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated | |
| 73-103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 9 |
| 73-230 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 9 |
| 73-240 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 9 |
| 73-265 | Economics and Data Science | 9 |
| 73-274 | Econometrics I | 9 |
| *Students who place out of 73-102 based on the economics placement exam will receive a pre-req waiver for 73-102 and are waived from taking 73-102 | ||
Political Science Core (57 units)
Students must complete all of the following courses.
| 84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
| 84-250 | Writing for Political Science and Policy | 9 |
| 84-266 | Research Design for Political Science | 9 |
| 84-310 | Policy in a Global Economy 1: International Trade and Trade Policy | 6 |
| 84-311 | Policy in a Global Economy 2: International Macroeconomics and Finance | 6 |
Students must complete two of the following three courses. If all three are taken, the third can count as an elective.
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
Electives (27 units)
Majors are required to take 27 units (usually three courses) from the elective lists below. At least 9 units (typically one course) must be taken from Economics (73-xxx) and at least 9 units (typically one course) must be taken from the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (84-xxx). Students may complete electives through coursework in the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP).
| Economics Electives | ||
| 73-328 | Health Economics | 12 |
| 73-332 | Political Economy | 9 |
| 73-338 | Financial Crises and Risk | 9 |
| 73-348 | Behavioral Economics | 9 |
| 73-352 | Public Economics | 9 |
| 73-353 | Financial Regulation in the Digital Age | 9 |
| 73-365 | Firms, Market Structures, and Strategy | 9 |
| 73-421 | Emerging Markets | 9 |
| 73-427 | Sustainability, Energy, and Environmental Economics | 9 |
| Political Science Electives | ||
| 84-120 | Introduction to US Constitutional Law | 9 |
| 84-200 | Security War Game Simulation | 6 |
| 84-252 | Briefing in the Policy World | 6 |
| 84-274 | An Introduction to Technology and War | 9 |
| 84-280 | Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies | 12 |
| 84-303 | International Human Rights | 6 |
| 84-304 | Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities | 6 |
| 84-306 | Latin American Politics | 9 |
| 84-309 | American Political Divides and Great Debates | 9 |
| 84-312 | Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa | 6 |
| 84-314 | Politics, Technological Change, and Economic Growth | 9 |
| 84-318 | Politics of Developing Nations | 9 |
| 84-319 | Civil-Military Relations | 9 |
| 84-322 | Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution | 9 |
| 84-323 | War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East | 9 |
| 84-324 | The Future of Democracy | 9 |
| 84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy | 9 |
| 84-327 | Who Really Runs America?: Subnational Governance and Policymaking | 9 |
| 84-328 | Military Strategy and Doctrine | 9 |
| 84-329 | Asian Strategies | 6 |
| 84-331 | Technology, Law, and Democracy | 6 |
| 84-332 | Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 6 |
| 84-333 | Law of US Democracy | 9 |
| 84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 6 |
| 84-341 | Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security | 6 |
| 84-349 | Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance | 9 |
| 84-350 | A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-352 | Representation and Voting Rights | 9 |
| 84-355 | Democracy's Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections | 9 |
| 84-356 | Applied Political Data Analytics | 9 |
| 84-358 | Money, Connections, and Power: Interests and Influence in the US | 9 |
| 84-360 | CMU/WSP: Internship Seminar Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 24 |
| 84-362 | Diplomacy and Statecraft | 9 |
| 84-363 | Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict | 9 |
| 84-365 | The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation | 9 |
| 84-366 | The 21st-Century Presidency: Expanding Powers, New Challenges | 9 |
| 84-367 | The Politics of Antisemitism | 9 |
| 84-368 | Technology Ethics | 9 |
| 84-369 | Decision Science for International Relations | 9 |
| 84-370 | Nuclear Security & Arms Control | 9 |
| 84-371 | International Governance of Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-372 | Space and National Security | 9 |
| 84-373 | International Law | 9 |
| 84-380 | US Grand Strategy | 9 |
| 84-383 | National Cyber Policy & Strategy | 6 |
| 84-386 | The Privatization of Force | 9 |
| 84-387 | Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict | 9 |
| 84-389 | Terrorism and Insurgency | 9 |
| 84-390 | Social Media, Technology, and Conflict | 9 |
| 84-393 | The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis? | 9 |
| 84-402 | Judicial Politics and Behavior | 9 |
| 84-405 | The Future of Warfare | 9 |
| Additional Electives | ||
| 19-411 | Science and Innovation Leadership for the 21st Century: Firms, Nations, and Tech | 9 |
| 70-365 | International Trade and International Law | 9 |
| 70-430 | International Management | 9 |
| 79-280 | Coffee and Capitalism | 9 |
| 79-318 | Sustainable Social Change: History and Practice | 9 |
| 80-135 | Introduction to Political Philosophy | 9 |
| 80-136 | Social Structure, Public Policy & Ethics | 9 |
| 80-335 | Social and Political Philosophy | 9 |
| 80-348 | Health, Human Rights, and International Development | 9 |
| 80-447 | Global Justice | 9 |
| 88-366 | Behavioral Economics of Poverty and Development | 9 |
| 88-411 | Rise of the Asian Economies | 9 |
CAPSTONE (18-30 units)
Students must complete all of the following courses.
| 73-497 | Senior Project or Senior Honors Thesis in Dietrich or Tepper (18 units total) | 12 |
| 84-500 | Senior Seminar | 9 |
| Note: Students in the BS in Economics and Politics who complete a Dietrich or Tepper Honors Thesis in economics may use 73-497 (Senior Project) as an economics elective. | ||
Sample four-year plan
These sample curricula represent a plan for completing the requirements for the B.S. in Economics and Politics. Economics and Politics students are encouraged to spend a semester studying and interning in Washington, DC, through the CMU/WSP, and/or study abroad. The plan below demonstrates that a semester off-campus fits well into the curriculum. Students may declare the BS in Economics and Politics as early as the second semester of the freshman year and should consult frequently with the CMIST advisor about their course of study. Please note that this is only a sample plan of study and not the only possible plan of study. The Economics and Politics major and Dietrich College General Education curricula provide a high degree of flexibility in sequencing and coursework. Double counting between the major and General Education requirements is unlimited. The plan below shows a very conservative view of double counting.
| First-Year | Second-Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | Fall | Spring |
| 21-120 Differential and Integral Calculus | 21-256 Multivariate Analysis | 73-230 Intermediate Microeconomics | 73-240 Intermediate Macroeconomics |
| 36-200 Reasoning with Data | 73-103 Principles of Macroeconomics | 73-265 Economics and Data Science | 73-274 Econometrics I |
| 73-102 Principles of Microeconomics | 84-275 Comparative Politics 1 of 3 options; students must take 2 | 84-104 Decision Processes in American Political Institutions 1 of 3 options; students must take 2 | 84-250 Writing for Political Science and Policy |
| 84-101 Introduction to Political Science | 84-226 International Relations 1 of 3 options; students must take 2 | 84-266 Research Design for Political Science | 84-310 Policy in a Global Economy 1: International Trade and Trade Policy |
| Grand Challenge Seminar | First-Year Writing | General Education | 84-311 Policy in a Global Economy 2: International Macroeconomics and Finance |
| 99-101 Core@CMU | Disciplinary Perspectives: Humanities | General Education | |
| Third-Year | Fourth-Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | Fall | Spring |
| General Education | CMU/WSP or Study Abroad | 73-497 Senior Project | 84-500 Senior Seminar |
| General Education | Explore | General Education | General Education |
| General Education | Explore | Economics & Politics Elective | Explore |
| General Education | Explore | Economics & Politics Elective | Explore |
| Economics & Politics Elective | Explore | Explore | Explore |
Minor in American Politics and Law
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
The minor in American Politics and Law is designed to equip students with comprehensive insights into the political and legal landscape of the United States. Our curriculum emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach, blending theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Students have the opportunity to engage with a variety of courses that cover key aspects of American civics, policy development, and legal principles. A core objective of this program is to nurture critical and analytical thinking skills through engagement with primary source materials, real world examples of policy and legal conflicts, and current events and matters of national policy debate. Students are challenged to dissect and debate major policy issues facing the nation, fostering their ability to develop, draft, and articulate informed political analyses and recommendations on complex matters.
Through this minor, students will develop a robust understanding of both the historical and contemporary dynamics of American politics and law. This approach ensures that they not only grasp the fundamentals but also learn to apply this knowledge in real-world scenarios. It provides a gateway to understanding the intricate workings of American governance and law, and a platform for building a career that makes a meaningful impact in society. The skills and objectives learned in the minor provide students from any discipline with core and foundational knowledge that is particularly useful for students entering law school, as well as other potential future careers in policymaking, politics, non-governmental organizations, political analysis, and legislative affairs, at all levels of government. In addition to those aspiring to careers in the public sector or law, the program is also uniquely tailored for students from diverse academic backgrounds seeking to integrate an understanding of American politics, domestic and international law into other disciplines.
Curriculum (60-63 units)
Students may double count a maximum of two courses with another major or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with General Education requirements.
Foundational (18 units):
Students must complete all of the following courses:
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-120 | Introduction to US Constitutional Law | 9 |
Communication (6-9 units):
Students must complete one of the following courses:
| 84-250 | Writing for Political Science and Policy | 9 |
| 84-252 | Briefing in the Policy World | 6 |
American Politics (18 units):
Students must complete 18 units from the following list of courses:
| 84-280 | Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies | 12 |
| 84-304 | Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities | 6 |
| 84-309 | American Political Divides and Great Debates | 9 |
| 84-319 | Civil-Military Relations | 9 |
| 84-324 | The Future of Democracy | 9 |
| 84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy | 9 |
| 84-327 | Who Really Runs America?: Subnational Governance and Policymaking | 9 |
| 84-328 | Military Strategy and Doctrine | 9 |
| 84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 6 |
| 84-352 | Representation and Voting Rights | 9 |
| 84-355 | Democracy's Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections | 9 |
| 84-358 | Money, Connections, and Power: Interests and Influence in the US | 9 |
| 84-365 | The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation | 9 |
| 84-366 | The 21st-Century Presidency: Expanding Powers, New Challenges | 9 |
| 84-367 | The Politics of Antisemitism | 9 |
| 84-380 | US Grand Strategy | 9 |
| 84-393 | The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis? | 9 |
| 84-402 | Judicial Politics and Behavior | 9 |
| 79-248 | U.S. Constitution & the Presidency | 9 |
| 79-250 | Voting Rights: An Introduction | 9 |
Law (18 units):
Students must complete 18 units from the following list of courses:
| 84-331 | Technology, Law, and Democracy | 6 |
| 84-332 | Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 6 |
| 84-333 | Law of US Democracy | 9 |
| 84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers Taught in Washington, DC, through CMU/WSP | 6 |
| 84-349 | Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance | 9 |
| 84-373 | International Law | 9 |
| 84-402 | Judicial Politics and Behavior | 9 |
| 17-333 | Privacy Policy, Law, and Technology | 9 |
| 66-221 | Topics of Law: Introduction to Intellectual Property Law | 9 |
| 70-364 | Business Law | 6 |
| 73-408 | Law and Economics | 9 |
| 76-219 | Law & Blame | 9 |
| 76-475 | Law, Performance, and Identity | 9 |
| 79-178 | Equality Under the Law | 9 |
| 79-360 | Crime, Policing, and the Law: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives | 9 |
| 88-281 | Topics in Law: 1st Amendment | 9 |
| 88-284 | Topics of Law: The Bill of Rights | 9 |
Minor in Cybersecurity and International Conflict
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
The minor in cybersecurity and international conflict analyzes the past, present, and future role of cyber conflict and cybersecurity in international politics. Cyber attacks by nation-states and their proxies have the potential to reshape how wars are fought in the twenty-first century. The complexity and policy challenges of cyber-engagements is immense. This minor addresses the role of deterrence, dissuasion, and attribution in cyber conflict, while also studying the nuances of key components of modern warfare—from the security dilemma to escalation management and beyond.
Courses in this minor focus on the existing gaps in our understanding of cybersecurity and international conflict, such as whether cyberspace is offense or defense dominant (or over time fluid between the two), and which factors are important in determining the answer. Other relevant questions include how nation-states, their primary adversaries, and a bevy of nonstate actors engage online and in the virtual and information environments. Accordingly, the minor exposes students to basic technology concepts, methods of attack and defense, potential strategy and goals for cyber-engagement, and response and forensics for cyber-engagements.
Alongside conventional methods of warfare, cybersecurity has rapidly developed into a centerpiece of a state’s ability to protect and project power. As the United States and other emerging cyber powers craft and implement doctrine in this domain, there is likely to be a rapid increase in activity, from efforts to disrupt the online activities of global terrorist networks, to cybersecurity offense and defense in the Russia-Ukraine war, to near daily raids on foreign networks designed to cripple states’ cyberweapons before they can be deployed. In addition, the impacts of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, theft of intellectual property, pervasive identity theft, and hacking of sensitive databases have accumulated, gradually wearing down civilian networks and achieving strategic effects over time.
In the shifting landscape of cyber capabilities, how will laws, authorities, and policies keep pace? What are the implications and consequences of actions that may be considered “short of war” by some countries but “above the threshold” of conflict by others? Will a more aggressive defensive posture with respect to cybersecurity inadvertently increase the risk of conflict with states that sponsor malicious hacking groups? What is the proper balance between offense and defense in cybersecurity and how are cyber operations best integrated into a country’s overall military strategy?
Unlike some other kinds of tactics, attribution of cyber attacks presents significant challenges. Indeed, in many cases, it can be difficult to quickly determine whether the attacker is a nation-state, a nonstate actor, a criminal gang, or a lone hacktivist. Investigators must combine technical and traditional methods to identify potentially responsible parties and to understand their intent. If the aggressor’s identity cannot be quickly confirmed, how can a counterattack be launched? Some attackers may seek to mount “false flag” attacks and deception, for example, that misdirect defenders to counter-attack in the wrong direction.
Additionally, what are appropriate responses to attacks made on civilian infrastructure and private business operations, such as in the areas of financial services, transportation, energy, entertainment, and health care? In other words, what are the appropriate rules of engagement for attacks on national systems, infrastructural systems, businesses, and individuals? When, for example, is a counterattack or a “kinetic” response permissible?
These questions have major implications for the study of war and peace. Those who seek to start a war may be harder to find and their motives more difficult to discern. The cybersecurity and international conflict minor tackles the social-scientific dimensions of cybersecurity with a focus on the implications of the cyber age for modern statecraft, warfare, elections (local, state, and national), and domestic and international politics.
CURRICULUM
63 units
Students are permitted to double count a maximum of two courses between the minor in Cybersecurity and International Conflict and another major or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with general education requirements.
Foundational Course
Students must take one of the following foundational courses (9 units):
| 84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
Core Courses
Students must take all of the following core courses (27 units):
| 84-363 | Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict | 9 |
| 84-387 | Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict | 9 |
| 84-405 | The Future of Warfare | 9 |
Elective Courses
Students must take three courses from the following list of elective courses (27 units). At least one course (9 units) must be taken from the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST) and have an 84-number.
| 84-200 | Security War Game Simulation | 6 |
| 84-274 | An Introduction to Technology and War | 9 |
| 84-280 | Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies | 12 |
| 84-304 | Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities | 6 |
| 84-312 | Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa | 6 |
| 84-314 | Politics, Technological Change, and Economic Growth | 9 |
| 84-319 | Civil-Military Relations | 9 |
| 84-323 | War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East | 9 |
| 84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy | 9 |
| 84-328 | Military Strategy and Doctrine | 9 |
| 84-329 | Asian Strategies | 6 |
| 84-331 | Technology, Law, and Democracy | 6 |
| 84-341 | Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security | 6 |
| 84-349 | Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance | 9 |
| 84-350 | A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-356 | Applied Political Data Analytics | 9 |
| 84-365 | The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation | 9 |
| 84-368 | Technology Ethics | 9 |
| 84-370 | Nuclear Security & Arms Control | 9 |
| 84-371 | International Governance of Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-372 | Space and National Security | 9 |
| 84-373 | International Law | 9 |
| 84-375 | Geopolitics of Innovation | 9 |
| 84-380 | US Grand Strategy | 9 |
| 84-383 | National Cyber Policy & Strategy | 6 |
| 84-386 | The Privatization of Force | 9 |
| 84-389 | Terrorism and Insurgency | 9 |
| 84-390 | Social Media, Technology, and Conflict | 9 |
| 16-735 | Ethics and Robotics | 12 |
| 17-200 | Ethics and Policy Issues in Computing | 9 |
| 17-303 | Cryptocurrencies, Blockchains and Applications | Var. |
| 17-331 | Information Security, Privacy, and Policy | 12 |
| 17-333 | Privacy Policy, Law, and Technology | 9 |
| 17-334 | Usable Privacy and Security | 9 |
| 17-702 | Current Topics in Privacy Seminar | 3 |
| 79-301 | History of Surveillance: From the Plantation to Data Capitalism | 6 |
| 79-302 | Killer Robots? The Ethics, Law, and Politics of Drones and A.I. in War | 9 |
| 80-249 | AI, Society, and Humanity | 9 |
| 95-444 | Cybersecurity Policy and Governance II | 6 |
Minor in International Relations and Political Science
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
The International Relations and Political Science (IRPS) minor is for students who want to learn how to think systematically and develop foundational knowledge about international and domestic politics. It examines international relations, comparative politics, and domestic politics from the discipline of political science. The minor emphasizes the importance of political institutions, decision making by leaders in shaping policy, and contemporary challenges to the international system.
Students wrestle with a wide range of issues including the future of democracy, the relationship between technology and politics, the drivers of war and peace, domestic politics across countries, and the formulation of effective foreign policies. Core courses for the IRPS minor establish a strong foundation in the study of political science and enable students to better understand the workings of political institutions, political behavior across countries, the decision-making of political leaders, the making of national and international policy, and prevailing challenges to the international system, among other topics. A rich set of electives allows students to investigate issues in security and technology, grand strategy and national security, cybersecurity and international conflict, military strategy and doctrine, the politics of key regions of the world, international political economy and economic policy, representation and voting rights, climate change and development, repression and human rights, international law and diplomacy, political psychology and public opinion, and social change and revolution.
Curriculum
63 units
A maximum of two courses may double count between the minor in International Relations and Political Science and another major or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with general education requirements.
Core Courses (36 units)
Students must take all of the following courses.
| 84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
| 84-110 | The Economics of Politics and Technology | 9 |
| or 73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| or 73-103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated | |
Students must take two of the following three courses. If all three are taken, the third may count as an elective.
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
Electives
Students select three courses (27 units) from the elective lists below. Two courses (18 units) must be taken from the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST) and have an 84-number.
| CMIST Electives | ||
| 84-120 | Introduction to US Constitutional Law | 9 |
| 84-200 | Security War Game Simulation | 6 |
| 84-252 | Briefing in the Policy World | 6 |
| 84-274 | An Introduction to Technology and War | 9 |
| 84-280 | Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies | 12 |
| 84-303 | International Human Rights | 6 |
| 84-304 | Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities | 6 |
| 84-306 | Latin American Politics | 9 |
| 84-309 | American Political Divides and Great Debates | 9 |
| 84-310 | Policy in a Global Economy 1: International Trade and Trade Policy | 6 |
| 84-311 | Policy in a Global Economy 2: International Macroeconomics and Finance | 6 |
| 84-312 | Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa | 6 |
| 84-314 | Politics, Technological Change, and Economic Growth | 9 |
| 84-318 | Politics of Developing Nations | 9 |
| 84-319 | Civil-Military Relations | 9 |
| 84-322 | Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution | 9 |
| 84-323 | War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East | 9 |
| 84-324 | The Future of Democracy | 9 |
| 84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy | 9 |
| 84-327 | Who Really Runs America?: Subnational Governance and Policymaking | 9 |
| 84-328 | Military Strategy and Doctrine | 9 |
| 84-329 | Asian Strategies | 6 |
| 84-331 | Technology, Law, and Democracy | 6 |
| 84-333 | Law of US Democracy | 9 |
| 84-341 | Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security | 6 |
| 84-349 | Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance | 9 |
| 84-350 | A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-352 | Representation and Voting Rights | 9 |
| 84-355 | Democracy's Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections | 9 |
| 84-356 | Applied Political Data Analytics | 9 |
| 84-358 | Money, Connections, and Power: Interests and Influence in the US | 9 |
| 84-362 | Diplomacy and Statecraft | 9 |
| 84-363 | Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict | 9 |
| 84-365 | The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation | 9 |
| 84-366 | The 21st-Century Presidency: Expanding Powers, New Challenges | 9 |
| 84-367 | The Politics of Antisemitism | 9 |
| 84-368 | Technology Ethics | 9 |
| 84-369 | Decision Science for International Relations | 9 |
| 84-370 | Nuclear Security & Arms Control | 9 |
| 84-371 | International Governance of Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-372 | Space and National Security | 9 |
| 84-373 | International Law | 9 |
| 84-375 | Geopolitics of Innovation | 9 |
| 84-380 | US Grand Strategy | 9 |
| 84-383 | National Cyber Policy & Strategy | 6 |
| 84-386 | The Privatization of Force | 9 |
| 84-387 | Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict | 9 |
| 84-389 | Terrorism and Insurgency | 9 |
| 84-390 | Social Media, Technology, and Conflict | 9 |
| 84-393 | The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis? | 9 |
| 84-402 | Judicial Politics and Behavior | 9 |
| 84-405 | The Future of Warfare | 9 |
| Additional Electives | ||
| 19-452 | EPP Projects II | 12 |
| 70-342 | Managing Across Cultures | 9 |
| 70-365 | International Trade and International Law | 9 |
| 70-430 | International Management | 9 |
| 73-332 | Political Economy | 9 |
| 76-318 | Communicating in the Global Marketplace | 9 |
| 79-203 | The Other Europe: The Habsburgs, Communism, & Central/Eastern Europe, 1740-1990 | 9 |
| 79-205 | 20th Century Europe | 9 |
| 79-223 | Mexico: From the Aztec Empire to the Drug War | 9 |
| 79-227 | Modern Africa: The Slave Trade to the End of Apartheid | 9 |
| 79-229 | The Origins of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, 1880-1948 | 9 |
| 79-230 | The Arab-Israeli Conflict and Peace Process Through 1948 to Present | 9 |
| 79-257 | Germany and the Second World War | 9 |
| 79-262 | Modern China: From the Birth of Mao ... to Now | 9 |
| 79-264 | Tibet and China: History and Propaganda | 9 |
| 79-265 | Russian History: Game of Thrones | 9 |
| 79-266 | Russian History and Revolutionary Socialism | 9 |
| 79-267 | The Soviet Union in World War II: Military, Political, and Social History | 9 |
| 79-275 | Introduction to Global Studies | 9 |
| 79-288 | Bananas, Baseball, and Borders: Latin America and the United States | 9 |
| 79-301 | History of Surveillance: From the Plantation to Data Capitalism | 6 |
| 79-302 | Killer Robots? The Ethics, Law, and Politics of Drones and A.I. in War | 9 |
| 79-313 | "Unwanted": Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Patterns of Global Migration | 6 |
| 79-314 | How Do We Remember? The Politics and Cultures of Memory | 9 |
| 79-318 | Sustainable Social Change: History and Practice | 9 |
| 79-320 | Women, Politics, and Protest | 9 |
| 79-343 | Education, Democracy, and Civil Rights | 9 |
| 79-377 | Food, Culture, and Power: A History of Eating | 9 |
| 79-385 | Out of Africa: The Making of the African Diaspora | 9 |
| 80-135 | Introduction to Political Philosophy | 9 |
| 80-136 | Social Structure, Public Policy & Ethics | 9 |
| 80-249 | AI, Society, and Humanity | 9 |
| 80-335 | Social and Political Philosophy | 9 |
| 80-348 | Health, Human Rights, and International Development | 9 |
| 80-447 | Global Justice | 9 |
| 82-3xx 82-3xx or 4xx Advanced Level Modern Language Class | ||
| 88-234 | Negotiation: International Focus | 9 |
| 88-281 | Topics in Law: 1st Amendment | 9 |
| 88-284 | Topics of Law: The Bill of Rights | 9 |
| 88-411 | Rise of the Asian Economies | 9 |
Minor in Military Strategy and International Relations
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
The minor in Military Strategy and International Relations offers Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) undergraduates a course of study focusing on military strategy and the current national security landscape, including how cybersecurity and artificial intelligence influence national security decision making, and the full range of strategic challenges facing future leaders.
While the minor is open to all CMU undergraduates, it is particularly appropriate for CMU students embarking on the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program as well as those interested in pursuing defense-related careers. CMU typically has several dozen ROTC students annually, spread throughout the university, along with many others who are interested in defense and strategy issues. Many students major in STEM fields, where they learn valuable technical skills but are exposed to little of the wider strategic context facing military leaders and decision-makers, or to the political and institutional frameworks in which they operate. This minor is designed to complement other disciplines and fill that gap.
In short, the Military Strategy and International Relations minor offers future military and defense leaders insight into the national and international strategic challenges they will navigate in the future.
The Military Strategy and International Relations minor teaches future leaders how diplomacy, information, economics, development, and defense intersect. It engages students in the whys and hows of national strategy, military planning, and the future of warfare. In addition, the minor emphasizes the political, legal, and institutional systems that shape military affairs, with core courses on the topics of civil-military relations, military strategy, governance, diplomacy, and policy decision-making. Finally, the minor stresses the use of cutting-edge analytical and social science methods to prepare students for advanced training, study, and government or military service in national and international security.
Curriculum
63 units
Students may double count a maximum of two courses (18 units) with another major or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with general education requirements.
Core Courses (27 units)
Students must take the following core courses (27 units):
| Military Strategy | ||
| 84-328 | Military Strategy and Doctrine | 9 |
| Governance | ||
| 84-319 | Civil-Military Relations | 9 |
| Diplomacy (select one) | ||
| 84-280 | Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies | 12 |
| 84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy | 9 |
| 84-362 | Diplomacy and Statecraft | 9 |
Electives (36 units)
Students must complete a total of 36 units (typically four courses) from the following list of courses. At least 18 units (typically two course) must be taken from the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST) and have an 84-number.
| Electives | ||
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-120 | Introduction to US Constitutional Law | 9 |
| 84-200 | Security War Game Simulation | 6 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-274 | An Introduction to Technology and War | 9 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
| 84-280 | Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies If not used as a core course, course may count as an elective. | 12 |
| 84-303 | International Human Rights | 6 |
| 84-304 | Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities | 6 |
| 84-309 | American Political Divides and Great Debates | 9 |
| 84-312 | Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa | 6 |
| 84-318 | Politics of Developing Nations | 9 |
| 84-322 | Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution | 9 |
| 84-323 | War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East | 9 |
| 84-324 | The Future of Democracy | 9 |
| 84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy If not used as a core course, course may count as an elective. | 9 |
| 84-329 | Asian Strategies | 6 |
| 84-331 | Technology, Law, and Democracy | 6 |
| 84-333 | Law of US Democracy | 9 |
| 84-341 | Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security | 6 |
| 84-349 | Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance | 9 |
| 84-350 | A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-362 | Diplomacy and Statecraft If not used as a core course, course may count as an elective. | 9 |
| 84-363 | Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict | 9 |
| 84-365 | The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation | 9 |
| 84-366 | The 21st-Century Presidency: Expanding Powers, New Challenges | 9 |
| 84-367 | The Politics of Antisemitism | 9 |
| 84-368 | Technology Ethics | 9 |
| 84-370 | Nuclear Security & Arms Control | 9 |
| 84-371 | International Governance of Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-372 | Space and National Security | 9 |
| 84-373 | International Law | 9 |
| 84-380 | US Grand Strategy | 9 |
| 84-383 | National Cyber Policy & Strategy | 6 |
| 84-386 | The Privatization of Force | 9 |
| 84-387 | Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict | 9 |
| 84-389 | Terrorism and Insurgency | 9 |
| 84-390 | Social Media, Technology, and Conflict | 9 |
| 84-393 | The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis? | 9 |
| 84-405 | The Future of Warfare | 9 |
| 17-200 | Ethics and Policy Issues in Computing | 9 |
| 32-201 | Leadership & Management | 9 |
| 32-310 | Evolution Of Warfare | 9 |
| 32-402 | Leadership and Ethics | 9 |
| 79-257 | Germany and the Second World War | 9 |
| 79-268 | World War I: The Twentieth Century's First Catastrophe | 9 |
| 79-302 | Killer Robots? The Ethics, Law, and Politics of Drones and A.I. in War | 9 |
| 80-136 | Social Structure, Public Policy & Ethics | 9 |
Minor in Political Science, Security, and Technology
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
The Minor in Political Science, Security, and Technology is designed for students who are majoring in fields from the arts and humanities to science, engineering, and computer science. By adding a new dimension to their major field of study, these students will gain the background and knowledge to address the ethical, social, and political dimensions of new technologies from a political science perspective.
The minor in Political Science, Security, and Technology takes a social science (not technical) approach to studying emerging technologies that affect war and peace. There is no better place to study security and technology than Carnegie Mellon University, a thought leader in global and national security issues, policies, and strategies related to digital technologies. CMU students are uniquely poised to influence the future, with cutting-edge research happening across campus in all the relevant technological areas--e.g., machine learning, cybersecurity, robotics, big data, neuroscience, human-computer interaction, human enhancement, synthetic biology, and various types of artificial intelligence.
In completing this course of study, Carnegie Mellon undergraduates will learn how to analyze the political, economic, social, and ethical dimensions of new technologies, equipping themselves to contribute to vital political debates and influence technological developments in the public interest.
Curriculum (63 units)
A maximum of two courses may double count between the minor in Politics and Public Policy and another major or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with General Education requirements.
Political Science Core (18 units)
Students must complete:
| 84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
Students must complete one of the following courses:
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
Security and Technology Core (45 units)
Students must complete:
| 84-274 | An Introduction to Technology and War | 9 |
Students must complete 36 units from the following list of courses:
| 84-314 | Politics, Technological Change, and Economic Growth | 9 |
| 84-349 | Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance | 9 |
| 84-350 | A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-356 | Applied Political Data Analytics | 9 |
| 84-363 | Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict | 9 |
| 84-368 | Technology Ethics | 9 |
| 84-370 | Nuclear Security & Arms Control | 9 |
| 84-371 | International Governance of Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| 84-372 | Space and National Security | 9 |
| 84-375 | Geopolitics of Innovation | 9 |
| 84-383 | National Cyber Policy & Strategy | 6 |
| 84-387 | Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict | 9 |
| 84-390 | Social Media, Technology, and Conflict | 9 |
| 84-405 | The Future of Warfare | 9 |
Minor in Politics and Public Policy
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
Rooted in the discipline of political science, the minor in Politics and Public Policy investigates US public policy issues and other matters of domestic politics while providing students hands-on and practical learning experiences. Students pursuing the Politics and Public Policy minor must participate in the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP) for one semester during their undergraduate years.
The CMU/WSP, sponsored by the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST), is a semester-long program in which students live, intern, and take CMU classes on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Undergraduates from any course of study at the university may participate in the program. Students earn 48 units for the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program, interning about twenty-four hours per week in any sector or field of interest within the Washington, DC, metropolitan region, while taking classes on American politics, public policy, and law taught by CMU faculty.
Through this experiential learning program, CMU/WSP participants develop professional and networking skills, explore how coursework connects to the real world, learn to give and receive constructive feedback in the workplace and classroom, and intentionally reflect on their learning and growth. CMU/WSP students are connected with Washington, DC-based alumni to share career advice and tips about life in DC. CMIST also sponsors events and policy-oriented opportunities in Washington for students participating in the program to further enrich their experience and enhance their understanding of how Washington functions as a hub of international and US policy decision making.
Curriculum (66 units)
A maximum of two courses may double count between the minor in Politics and Public Policy and another major or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with general education requirements.
Internship (24 units)
Students must take the following courses while participating in the CMU/WSP (24 units):
| 84-360 | CMU/WSP: Internship Seminar | 24 |
Seminar on Public Policy Research, Writing and Implementation (12 units)
Full semester course. Options vary by semester. Students enroll in one course from the following list:
| 84-336 | Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea To Reality | 12 |
| 84-339 | Seminar in Public Policy Research | 12 |
Seminars on American Politics, Governance, Institutions, and Law (12 units)
Students enroll in one course in each mini during the semester they are in Washington, DC, for a total of 2 seminars and 12 units:
| 84-332 | Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues | 6 |
| 84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers | 6 |
Foundational Course (9 units)
Students select one course (9 units) from the following list of courses offered at Carnegie Mellon University’s Pittsburgh or Qatar campus. Students may take this course before or after participating in the CMU/WSP. Qatar students should contact the Deputy Director for Academic Affairs to identify appropriate substitutions taught in Qatar at neighboring universities.
| 84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
Data Science / Economics Requirement (9 units)
Students must complete one course (9 units) from the following list of courses offered Carnegie Mellon University’s Pittsburgh or Qatar campus. Students may take this course before or after participating in the CMU/WSP.
| 84-110 | The Economics of Politics and Technology | 9 |
| 36-202 | Methods for Statistics & Data Science | 9 |
| 73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics | 9 |
| 73-103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 9 |
| 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated | 9 |
Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu; 412-268-7082, Posner Hall 391
Ashley Barnes, Washington Program Manager
ashleyba@andrew.cmu.edu; 100 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 510, Washington, DC 20002
The Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP), sponsored by the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST), is a semester-long program in which students live, intern, and take CMU classes in Washington, DC. Full-time undergraduates from any department and major at the university may participate in the program. Students earn forty-eight units for the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program, interning about twenty-four hours per week in any sector or field of interest within Washington, DC, while taking classes taught by Carnegie Mellon faculty.
From embassies to nongovernmental organizations, think tanks to advocacy organizations, government agencies to congressional offices, and consulting firms to media outlets, Washington, DC, is the center for many political, international relations, and public policy activities. Students in the program come into direct contact with political, business, and community leaders and learn about the most pressing policy issues of the day.
Through this experiential learning program, CMU/WSP participants develop professional and networking skills, explore how coursework connects to the real world, learn to give and receive constructive feedback in the workplace and classroom, and intentionally reflect on their learning and growth. CMIST also sponsors events and policy-oriented opportunities in Washington for students participating in the program to further enrich their experience and enhance their understanding of how Washington functions as a hub of international and policy decision making.
Students should contact the Washington Program Manager to discuss the specifics of the program and the Deputy Director for Academic Affairs to discuss how the CMU/WSP may fit into their curriculum. Students who participate in the CMU/WSP may qualify for a minor in Politics and Public Policy and are also eligible to apply for the Master of Science in Security, Technology, and International Relations (MS STAIR) accelerated track.
Applications are accepted on a rolling admission basis with a final deadline of October 1, for spring semester participation, and March 1, for fall semester participation.
Curriculum
Before You Go
Students who are admitted to the CMU/WSP will be enrolled in 84-215 Tomorrow's Professionals in the mini semester directly preceding their time in DC. This 3-unit (pass/no pass) seminar is designed to facilitate students’ deliberate thinking about professionalism, so that they can: begin to practice it upon entry into their respective internships and avoid decisions or behaviors that could hamper their success, build their unique brands, identify opportunities to excel, and ensure overall excellence in their careers. Throughout the seminar, we will discuss professional conduct, leadership, teamwork, interview techniques and strategies for success. We will discuss real-time and simulated workplace challenges, and problem-solve as a group to develop meaningful, professional resolutions to difficult workplace scenarios. Being prepared for such scenarios, and responding intentionally to challenges can make or break a career.
Professionalism is a lifelong skill. The goal of this seminar is to provide students with the necessary tools to begin building their professional careers, ensuring that they have a set of skills to rely on as they grow within their careers. Given the right preparation and tool kit—students that practice professionalism will see their careers catapulted forward and doors open indefinitely.
While in Washington
During the semester in Washington, DC, students earn 48-units, taking a combination of mini and full semester courses. Students take classes three evenings per week. Each class meets only once per week. All courses are taught by Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology faculty and all classes are held in the CMU/WSP classrooms on Capitol Hill.
Students must maintain full-time enrollment of 48-units throughout the entire semester in Washington. The academic program consists of the following:
I. Internship Seminar (24 units)
Full semester course, plus 25-30 hours per week internship.
| 84-360 | CMU/WSP: Internship Seminar | 24 |
II. Seminar on Public Policy Research, Writing, and Implementation (12 units)
Full semester course. Options vary by semester. Students enroll in one course from the following list:
| 84-336 | Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea To Reality | 12 |
| 84-339 | Seminar in Public Policy Research | 12 |
III. Seminars on American Politics, Governance, Institutions, and Law (12 units)
Students enroll in one course in each mini during the semester they are in Washington, DC, for a total of 2 seminars and 12 units.
| 84-332 | Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues | 6 |
| 84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers | 6 |
Master of Science in Security, Technology, and International Relations (MS STAIR)- Accelerated Track (AMP)
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391, 412-268-7082
Mark Gardner, Graduate Program Manager
markgard@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 387D, 412-268-7227
The Master of Science in Security, Technology, and International Relations (MS STAIR) takes a social science approach to studying global trends and technologies that affect war and peace. In completing this course of study, Carnegie Mellon University masters students will learn how to analyze the political, economic, social, and ethical dimensions of new technologies, equipping themselves to contribute to vital political debates and influence policy developments in the public interest.
The lesson of the past few years is that the pace of technological change will only increase, and its impact on the future of humanity will also grow. In particular, the geopolitical implications of various forms of artificial intelligence are well along, including their impacts on work, health, environmental protection, and especially conflict. The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere reflect the role of autonomous weapons, loitering munitions, UAVs, voice-cloning tools, and open-source intelligence driven by machine learning tools.
Perhaps even more fundamental in its impact, synthetic biology will alter every aspect of human existence. Today it is easy to read (DNA sequencing), write (DNA synthesizing), alter (gene editing) and share (via the internet) genetic code. This makes synthetic biology as revolutionary as the printing press was in the 15th century-- both for good (curing diseases like cancer) or ill (creating new, dangerous pathogens).
The full effects of these technologies are some years away, but graduate students heading into government, non-governmental organizations, or private tech sector careers must be well-equipped to shape and adapt to them. Technological change is affecting war and peace, the distribution of wealth, the value of work, the definition of truth, what it means to be human, and the future of global stability.
There is no better place to study these topics than Carnegie Mellon University, a thought leader in global and national security issues, policies, and strategies related to digital technologies. CMU graduate students will be uniquely poised to influence the future, with cutting-edge research happening across the Pittsburgh campus in all the relevant technological areas-- e.g., machine learning, cybersecurity, robotics, big data, neuroscience, human-computer interaction, human enhancement, synthetic biology, and various types of artificial intelligence.
In addition to its Pittsburgh location, the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST) has a robust presence in Washington, DC, where it focuses on understanding, shaping, and contributing to the policymaking process across national and international agencies and organizations. With a well-located facility in the heart of Capitol Hill-- across from the US Capitol building and adjacent to the Supreme Court-- CMIST provides graduate students with privileged access to current and former policymakers, excellent teaching by experienced professionals, and networking opportunities through career-enhancing internships.
The MS STAIR is a 12-month program that includes two semesters in Pittsburgh (fall, spring) and a final (summer) semester in Washington, DC. For the accelerated version of the program, students will have already completed a semester in Washington, DC, and an internship through the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP) during their undergraduate coursework at CMU. Participation in the CMU/WSP is a prerequisite for the MS STAIR-AMP. They will complete the graduate coursework in one additional academic year (5th year) and graduate in May. Full curricular details and application information are available on the CMIST website.
Course Descriptions
About Course Numbers:
Each Carnegie Mellon course number begins with a two-digit prefix that designates the department offering the course (i.e., 76-xxx courses are offered by the Department of English). Although each department maintains its own course numbering practices, typically, the first digit after the prefix indicates the class level: xx-1xx courses are freshmen-level, xx-2xx courses are sophomore level, etc. Depending on the department, xx-6xx courses may be either undergraduate senior-level or graduate-level, and xx-7xx courses and higher are graduate-level. Consult the Schedule of Classes each semester for course offerings and for any necessary pre-requisites or co-requisites.
- 84-101 Introduction to Political Science
- Fall: 9 units
This course teaches the foundational concepts necessary to understand and participate in politics. It is important to those who want to study political science and international relations as a discipline, but also to those who just want frameworks for understanding governance, power, and advancing the common good. Beginning with an examination of the modern state, it addresses fundamental questions such as: What is sovereignty? How do we distinguish democratic rule, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism? When did socialism, communism, fascism, and liberalism emerge, and what do they mean? How does secular government differ from theocracy? Why are the concepts of national self-determination and spheres of influence clashing today? What are the causes of wars and revolutions? What are global norms and international law? And how can we use our understanding of power and governance to build a better world?
- 84-104 Decision Processes in American Political Institutions
- Fall: 9 units
This is an interdisciplinary introduction to the study of politics and government in the United States. It familiarizes the student with the basic structures and processes of American government, but moves beyond the purely descriptive into the realm of the analytical. The main theoretical tools are spatial models of political decision-making, and models of collective action problems. The position taken in this course is that understanding American philosophical ideas about authority, power, and freedom is as central to demystifying the U.S. form of democracy as is understanding how decision-making institutions function. Thus, on one side, this course looks at how American political thought is infused into political institutions and society. On the other side, it investigates institutional arrangements using rationalistic theories. In addition, scientific writings at the intersection of psychology and economics are used to probe the possibility of gaining explanatory leverage on U.S. politics from the perspective of behavioral decision-making theories.
- 84-110 The Economics of Politics and Technology
- Spring: 9 units
This course provides a broad introduction to economic analysis for political scientists. The first part of the course will cover the principles of microeconomics, public choice theory, and the economics of technological change. The next segment of the course will apply these tools to build an understanding of macroeconomics and international finance and trade. The final portion of the course will focus on the application of these principles to recent global trade disruptions, technology competition, and policy responses aimed at developing resilient supply chains. The role of technology, innovation, and technology policy will be emphasized across all course topics.
- 84-120 Introduction to US Constitutional Law
- Spring: 9 units
This course provides an introduction to the United States Constitution and the principles of constitutional law. Using landmark Supreme Court cases that have shaped the development of constitutional law in the United States, students will gain familiarity with legal arguments and understand historical, political, social, and moral dimensions of the American constitutional structure. The course will explore the structure of the Constitution, the powers of the federal government, and the relationship between the federal government and the states. The course will also cover the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment (including Due Process and Equal Protection), including the protections afforded by these amendments and the ways in which they have been interpreted by the Supreme Court. Throughout the course, students will engage with key constitutional concepts, including federalism, separation of powers, and individual rights.
- 84-198 Research Training
- Fall and Spring
This course is part of a set of 100-level courses offered by Dietrich College departments as independent studies for second-semester freshmen, and first- or second-semester sophomores, in the College. In general, these courses are designed to give students some real research experience through work on a faculty project or lab in ways that might stimulate and nurture subsequent interest in research participation. Faculty and students devise a personal and regularized meeting and task schedule. Each Research Training course is worth 9 units, which generally means a minimum for students of about 9 work-hours per week. These courses are offered only as electives; i.e., they cannot be applied toward a college or major requirement, although the units do count toward graduation as elective units. Additional details (including a roster and descriptions of Research Training Courses available in any given semester) are available in the Academic Advisory Center. Restrictions: for Dietrich College students only; only for second-semester freshmen, or first- or second-semester sophomores; minimum cumulative QPA of 3.0 (at the time of registration) required for approved entry; additional prerequisites (e.g., language proficiency) may arise out of the particular demands of the research project in question.
- 84-200 Security War Game Simulation
- Spring: 6 units
This course is a seven-week national security simulation run in coordination with Valens Global in which students will have an assigned role as a state or non-state actor and work within teams to develop policy responses to a security crisis that changes and develops over time, in response to team moves and other factors. The simulation changes each year but generally involves great power competition, directly and through non-state actor proxies. Participants will need to gain an understanding of the facts through a complex information environment that is polluted with misinformation that allows actors to engage in manipulation and deception. Students will learn how to analyze national security problems, develop and analyze options, advocate for their position, negotiate, and work within a team, as well as with other teams.
- 84-215 Tomorrow's Professionals
- Fall and Spring: 3 units
Professionalism is the cornerstone of a healthy and productive workplace. It is a defining component of success, but it is not innate. Rather, professionalism is taught and learned. It should be practiced deliberately and developed over time and with experience. It is a specific skill set that positions individuals for success. This seminar is designed to facilitate students' deliberate thinking about professionalism, so that they can begin to practice it, building their unique brands, ensuring excellence in their internships and thus future careers. Throughout the seminar, we will discuss professional conduct, leadership, and strategies for success. We will discuss real-time workplace challenges, and problem-solve as a group to develop meaningful resolutions. Professionalism is a lifelong skill. The goal of this seminar is to provide students with the necessary tools to begin building their professional careers. Given the right tool set, it will catapult a career forward and open doors indefinitely.
- 84-226 International Relations
- Spring: 9 units
This course introduces students to the discipline of international relations (IR) and enables students to examine the causes of war and peace, the role of international institutions and non-state actors in world politics, and the forces that shape international political economy. The course introduces key concepts in world politics like power and order, reviews the modern history of IR from colonialism to today, and surveys a broad range of IR theories and analytical tools that help explain global politics and aid in foreign policy analysis. Finally, students engage in contemporary policy debates about world politics - from the War in Ukraine to the rise of China to the future of globalization - and grapple with ethical issues related to foreign policy decision-making. Students who previously completed 84-326 Theories of International Relations are not eligible to take this course.
- 84-250 Writing for Political Science and Policy
- Spring: 9 units
Writing and briefing are essential skills in the policy discipline. This course will equip students with the tools necessary to enter professional policy-related domains. We will use a workshop format that promotes classroom discussions, small group work and practical exercises simulating real world experiences. The workshop format is intended to emphasize communication, writing effectiveness and leadership, as well as to increase students' comfort levels with both receiving, applying, discussing and delivering constructive feedback and criticism. It is also intended to make this class fun and engaging, creating a safe and welcoming environment for students to reflect on their own work, and their colleagues'. During the course, students will write a policy memo, an op-ed, and a National Security Memo, (as well as some smaller additional writing assignments) as well as deliver multiple professional-style briefings for a variety of audiences. This is a writing intensive course, with a heavy emphasis on professional briefing and presenting. As such, students should expect to write and brief... a lot! This workshop-based model allows students to incorporate and give feedback in real time. The intent is that students will develop the skills necessary to enter future professional environments and hit the ground running. Students will work within small groups and with the professor to identify a topic Area of Interest (AOR) that will be the basis for most of their course work- allowing students to focus on an area in which they would like to develop subject matter expertise (SME), as well as one they find interesting and stimulating.
- 84-252 Briefing in the Policy World
- Fall: 6 units
Briefing is a critical skill for the policy world as it is the most direct and formal means of communication with the policy and or decision maker. One successful brief can fast-track a career, identify you as a subject-matter-expert, and open dialogue with customers- helping build important relationships in the policy world. Briefing is a combination of presentation, flexibility and the projection of confidence- and is developed through experience. Briefing in the Policy World will equip students with the skills and confidence to excel in this realm.
- 84-266 Research Design for Political Science
- Fall: 9 units
How do political scientists turn complex ideas into rigorous research? This course provides the foundational tools to evaluate, design, and conduct qualitative and quantitative research in political science. The course is divided into three parts. We begin with the essentials of research design, discussing the structure of a scientific paper—introduction, literature review, theory, methods, results, and conclusion. Next, we turn to qualitative methods, focusing on empirical research that does not require quantification. Students will learn methodological tools and gain practical experience with interviews, case studies, process tracing, and counterfactual analysis. Finally, we transition to quantitative research, covering multiple regression models with limited dependent variables. To reinforce this section, we will devote three sessions to hands-on practice in R, applying statistical techniques to real political science data.
Prerequisite: 36-200
- 84-267 Data Science for Political Science
- Spring: 9 units
This course develops foundational skills in data science and quantitative analysis. The course provides students with hands-on experience in using and analyzing data to answer questions in international relations and political science. Students will learn how to wrangle, clean, or create data to test hypotheses, and how to summarize and visualize data effectively. They will also learn the fundamentals of applied bivariate and multivariate regression analysis, including model specification, estimation, and overall fit assessment, as well as the assumptions of regression analysis and their implications.
Prerequisite: 36-200
- 84-274 An Introduction to Technology and War
- Fall: 9 units
"Advancements" in military technology over time have enabled countries to kill quickly, with pinpoint precision, and on a massive scale from thousands of miles away. Today, emerging technologies also empower state and non-state actors to use lethal force via remote control and may even allow machines to kill autonomously. While once the purview of science fiction, lethal autonomous weapons systems-sometimes referred to as killer robots-are becoming a reality. This course will trace developments in military technology from the gunpowder revolution in the 15th century and the nuclear revolution in the 20th century to emerging technologies like drones and artificial intelligence in the 21st century. Each class will focus on-in roughly chronological order-a different military innovation, and will use that innovation to analyze a different major political science theory or debate. In particular, we will assess the development, spread, effectiveness, and morality of military innovations and address critical questions for scholarship and policy. By the end of the course, students will have a grasp of the history of military innovation and many of the key debates and theories in this field.
- 84-275 Comparative Politics
- Spring: 9 units
This course is an introduction to the subfield of Political Science called Comparative Politics. In this subfield we use comparative methods to study and compare domestic politics across countries. In this course, we aim to learn about how political systems differ, discuss why they differ and explore the consequences of such variation. The course is divided into four sections. In the first part, we will examine the main theories and methods used to conduct research in the subfield, and discuss the development and consolidation of the modern state. In the second section, we will examine political regimes, including variation among democracies and nondemocracies. In the third unit, we will study some of the countries' central political institutions. We will compare political systems (presidentialism, semipresidentialism, and parliamentarism) and examine legislatures, electoral systems, and political parties. In the final segment, we will scrutinize political mobilization and conflict. We will discuss interest groups, nationalism, social movements, protests, populism, clientelism, revolutions, civil wars, terrorism, and globalization. The participation of students is central for the success of this course. You are encouraged to share your thoughts and doubts via Canvas, participate in small-group discussions each week, and participate in one group presentation that will demand you to apply the concepts and methods discussed in the course to other countries.
- 84-280 Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies
- Fall: 12 units
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how many words are moving pictures- that is, movies- worth? The stories captured in movies shape our ideas about the world, our sense of right and wrong, and our hopes and dreams. They can also teach us about international politics and have, historically, had tangible effects on government policy. This course will analyze key events and debates related to American foreign policy specifically and international relations more generally through the lens of film. From war dramas and science-fiction movies to anime and comedies, we will explore the lessons film can teach us about the causes of war, role of morality in international politics, and foreign policy decision-making. Each week we will focus on a different key American foreign policy event or period in history and pair it with a relevant film. By the end of this course, students will have a greater understanding of history, key debates and theories related to American foreign policy, and film.
- 84-303 International Human Rights
- Intermittent: 6 units
This mini-course surveys the causes of human rights violations around the world and the internal and external forces that combat them. The course begins by asking how political scientists conceptualize and measure human rights; we also review the origins and evolution of the international human rights movement and debates over whether human rights are (or should be) universal. In week 3, we survey the correlates of human rights abuses and review what progress has been made towards global forecast models of genocide, politicide, and mass killing. The core of the class in weeks 4-6 examines domestic and international forces and actors that attempt to promote human rights and assesses the efficacy of international NGOs and IGOs, international law, diplomacy and sanctions, and informal pressures of socialization and emulation The course concludes by reviewing current human rights challenges in the United States and future of human rights globally. By the end of this course, you should come away with an appreciation for the ongoing struggle to achieve the global aspirations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- 84-304 Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities
- Fall and Spring: 6 units
This discussion-based course will examine the headlines in international relations, defense, national security, and homeland security. We will follow major news stories, breaking down media coverage to go deeper, conducting our own unique analysis as a group but also individually, contextualizing issues within the broader global context using the U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS), and the U.S. Annual Threat Assessment (ATA) to anchor discussions. Students will study the NSS, NDS and the ATA closely- and learn how to look at U.S. national security priorities through this lens. Students will have the opportunity to lead discussions on breaking news stories, but also to draw upon prior past headlines which still dominate the news cycle or have wider implications for international relations and issues in national security. The goal of this course is to understand U.S. national security priorities, encourage students to think deliberately and deeply about U.S. national security priorities and to contextualize those events in the broader international relations and security context.
- 84-306 Latin American Politics
- Spring: 9 units
The world's most unequal region is an area of contrasts. Ethnically diverse, stable and tumultuous, young and old, urban and rural, learned and illiterate, prosperous and poor, independent yet dependent. The disparities that have characterized the region since colonial times have been a permanent source of instability and the cause of numerous political and economic experiments. Social scientists have found much material to study democratic innovations, revolutions, coups, civil wars, military dictatorships, impeachments, populism, clientelism, corruption, import substitution industrialization, neoliberalism, socialism, regime changes, social movements, welfare policies, regional integration, and diversified leadership. The overarching question to be explored in this course is what forces affect the emergence, development, collapse, reemergence, and consolidation of democracy. To understand the region's present, it is necessary to study path dependence and learn how the worldviews of dominant elites evolved over time. Thus, the course centers in three historical periods. First, we will briefly examine Latin American history from its conquest to the end of World War II (1492-1945). The aim is to uncover the demographic and geographical setting with its economic, social, and political evolution. The second part centers on most of the Cold War period (1947-1978) and its combination of political and economic experiments. The third part covers the last 47 years, from the wave of transitions to democracy to current challenges to democratic consolidation. We will also address how Latin America has integrated to globalization and how the relationship with the US and China has experienced fundamental changes since the 1990s.
- 84-309 American Political Divides and Great Debates
- Fall: 9 units
This course explores political polarization in the United States. It's not just learning about the extent of political polarization; it's about active engagement in analyzing some of the most contentious issues facing the nation today, such as the 2nd Amendment, abortion rights, crime, and immigration policy. Throughout the semester, students will participate in a variety of learning activities, including critical readings, in-depth discussions, and live debates. These components are designed to foster a deep understanding of the multifaceted nature of American political divides. Students will be challenged to explore and argue from diverse viewpoints, broadening their perspectives and cultivating empathy for opposing arguments. This course provides students with an opportunity to deeply engage with the current political climate, delve into the roots of American political divides, and develop essential skills for civic engagement and discourse. It's perfect for students interested in political science, history, law, social justice, and anyone seeking a deeper comprehension of the complex political landscape of the United States and its implications for justice and injustice in society.
- 84-310 Policy in a Global Economy 1: International Trade and Trade Policy
- Spring: 6 units
Across the globe, the longstanding consensus in favor of open trade and investment policies is being called into question. Trade wars are spreading and becoming more intense. Protectionism and industrial policies are being embraced by developed and developing countries alike. Are these shifts appropriate? Will they lead to greater prosperity or make prosperity harder to achieve? This course will give students the tools to answer these questions. It will focus on the economics of international trade and immigration, providing students with the skills needed to assess trade, industrial, and immigration policies. We will also study the politics of trade and immigration and the roots of the current backlash against globalization. We will study the connection between trade and economic development. We will analyze the rise of trade wars, trade sanctions, and the growing connection between trade policy and considerations of national security. We will also examine policy options for mitigating the costs and more equally distributing the benefits of international trade. Finally, we will consider the implications of climate change for international trade and trade policy.
- 84-311 Policy in a Global Economy 2: International Macroeconomics and Finance
- Spring: 6 units
The global economic and financial landscape is far from tranquil and stable. National governments must frequently respond to macroeconomic and financial shocks generated elsewhere in the world. How can governments achieve and maintain growth and stability in a world where financial chaos seems ready to emerge at any moment from the most unlikely circumstances? How can nations learn the lessons of our turbulent financial and macroeconomic history, so that they are not doomed to repeat it? This course will address these essential questions. This course will teach students the basic conceptual frameworks and models of international macroeconomics. The class will focus on the rise of international capital and financial flows in the post-war era, international macroeconomic policy trade-offs with fixed and floating exchange rates, and the economics of inflation. We will use both economic models and detailed historical case studies to investigate currency and financial crises in developed and developing countries, and we will study the costs and benefits of Europe's single currency.
- 84-312 Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Intermittent: 6 units
The spread and growth of terrorism on the continent of Africa has increased substantially over the last decade; this mini is an introduction to the major terrorism groups that operate in sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout the course, we will examine the nexus of the terrorist threat in sub-Saharan Africa, and subsequent responses from governments, multinational organizations and foreign actors. It is intended to acquaint students with the dynamics of terrorism and counterterrorism efforts in sub-Saharan Africa, and by doing so establish a solid foundation upon which further expertise can be built.
- 84-314 Politics, Technological Change, and Economic Growth
- Fall: 9 units
Technological change has had an extraordinary impact on the story of humankind. It has had a massive influence on the nature of our political systems. It has been one of, maybe the, major determinant of economic growth and the way that wealth is distributed. This class looks at this in the far past (100,000 BCE to 1600 ACE), the past (the Enlightenment and the subsequent industrial revolutions), the present day, and the future. We will contemplate the future impact of AI on jobs, the nature of government, living standards, and equity.
- 84-318 Politics of Developing Nations
- Intermittent: 9 units
Be it on our feet, in our grocery bags or in the news, our daily lives connect us to people in the developing world. Despite such an intricate relationship, we tend to know very little about developing nations and their challenges beyond a common stereotype of poverty. What are developing nations? What is their place in the world? What challenges do those nations and their populations face? In this class, we will strive to answer those questions through readings of political science and political economy scholarship and in-class activities and discussions. We will explore the socio-economic and political issues that developing nations face and take special care to practice perspective taking (i.e. we will put ourselves in specific nations' shoes and consider situations from their point of view). We will adopt various lenses (e.g. post colonialism, liberalism, feminism) throughout the semester to inform our understanding of the various positions taken by global actors. By addressing the unequal power balance between developed and developing nations as well as among developing nations, we will enrich our world view and understanding of major global issues, such as development. We will practice those skills in class through discussions and activities (you should expect very little lecturing) and outside of class through guided readings. Your learning in the course will be assessed through various writing assignments (take home exams, a final paper, weekly responses) where you will practice composing arguments based on evidence.
- 84-319 Civil-Military Relations
- Spring: 9 units
Why do militaries (people with guns) ever obey civilians (people without guns)? Can we have a military strong enough to protect civilians, yet not so strong as to ignore or subvert civilian authority? What is the dividing line between civilian and military spheres of activity? How much influence should civilians have on activities within the military sphere, and how much influence should the military have in the civilian sphere? How does all of this affect a state's ability to both protect itself and project power globally? Examining the theory and practice of civil-military relations in the U.S. and the world, this course explores issues related to civilian control of the military and military professionalism, including coups d'e and #191;tat, military disobedience, the impact of an all-volunteer vs. conscripted force on both civilian and military decisions, public-private partnerships in the military sphere, the role of military privatization in civil-military relations, and the role of servicemembers in the political life of the community. Relying on the influential texts of Lasswell, Huntington, Feaver, and Finer, the first half of the course aims to elucidate the theory behind basic tensions between the military and civilians. The second half of the course focuses on how theory translates into practice, with a particular focus on case studies of civil-military relations in the U.S. democratic system.
- 84-322 Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution
- Spring: 9 units
How can everyday people promote justice, equality, and democracy? Throughout history, many have looked to armed struggle and revolutionary violence. But over the course of the last century, nonviolent "people power" movements- from Gandhi's salt march to the Arab Spring to Black Lives Matter- have been forces for social and political change. What are the causes, strategies, tactics, dynamics, and consequences of nonviolent conflict, and how do these differ from violent or armed conflict? When and how do unarmed "people power" campaigns topple repressive authoritarian regimes? This course addresses these questions, and, in the process, engages contending theories of power, revolution, and insurgency. The course introduces students to key concepts, theories, strategies, and historical patterns of nonviolent conflict. The class probes the success and failure of nonviolence by analyzing landmark unarmed revolutions.
- 84-323 War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East
- Spring: 9 units
This course examines the drivers and dynamics of war and peace in the contemporary Middle East. It is structured around a series of key debates about different facets of conflict and violence in the region, such as the causes of rebellion, the reasons resistance groups use terrorism, and the factors that facilitate peace. We will delve into competing arguments about each of these issues, applying the ideas to cases around the region. We will also examine broader regional conflicts like the Arab-Israeli dispute and Sunni-Shia confrontation. We will use a mixture of research articles and books as well as more diverse materials such as war reporting, films, and memoirs in order to create a holistic understanding of these issues.
- 84-324 The Future of Democracy
- Intermittent: 9 units
After the Cold War, Francis Fukuyama famously argued that humanity had reached the "end of history" insofar as liberal democracy had become the last viable form of government. Yet today, illiberal democracies and dictatorships persist, the world has witnessed the return of authoritarian great powers led by China and Russia, and populist movements challenge liberal democracies around the world. What is the future of democracy around the world, and how can we know? This course surveys the causes of historical rise (and fall) of democracy, the methods and pitfalls of democracy promotion, and a variety of challenges to democracy- such as nationalism, polarization, and misinformation. By the end, students will be expected to write an intelligence memo and give an oral presentation on the future of democracy in a particular region or country.
- 84-325 Contemporary American Foreign Policy
- Spring: 9 units
This course provides a survey of American foreign policy since World War I as a means of explaining why American foreign policy looks the way it does today. We will cover topics such as America's perennial battles between isolationism and internationalism, the creation of the US-led world order after 1945, the containment of communism, and anti-terrorism after 9/11. We will cover enduring and global issues like climate change, nuclear non-proliferation, humanitarian intervention, and international economic policy, as well. Further, a main focus of the course is how foreign policy is made - the role each branch of government plays in foreign policy making, the impact of domestic politics and public opinion, and how other countries receive and react to American foreign policy. The course will use both history and data analysis to understand how foreign policy works, how it is made, and its effect both at home and abroad. A good grasp of the 20th century American and world history, and some familiarity with international relations theory are not requirements but will prove helpful. By the end of the semester, students should have acquired a broad understanding of the most important foreign policy events of the last century and have the tools to analyze foreign policy decision-making.
- 84-327 Who Really Runs America?: Subnational Governance and Policymaking
- Spring: 9 units
Most discussions of American politics revolve around the federal government, despite the fact that states and localities account for the vast majority of policymaking and elected officials in the US, overseeing such central aspects of our daily lives as education, public services, land use, infrastructure, and health care. This course examines these subnational governments (e.g., states, counties, municipalities, school districts, etc.), with a focus on how well they represent the interests and preferences of the populations they serve. We will cover topics including the forces shaping who participates in state and local government, the economics of administering these entities, and the variety of institutions structuring politics at this level along with their origins and effects. In addition, students will apply the behavioral, fiscal, and organizational perspectives discussed in class to complete a semester-long project in which they identify a problem in the Pittsburgh region or in their own community, investigate the existing obstacles to their issue being resolved, and propose a path forward.
- 84-328 Military Strategy and Doctrine
- Fall: 9 units
This course will survey how the causes, conduct, and termination of warfare have changed over time. While the focus of the course is primarily on major warfare between states, we will also cover the use of military power in civil wars, insurgencies, and proxy wars. The first part of the course addresses why wars occur and what leaders hope to achieve using military power. We will cover the merits and limitations of different explanations for why war occurs and different ethical issues in the use of force, including just war theory and protection of civilians. The second part of the course addresses the sources of warfighting effectiveness, war outcomes, and war termination and will cover a range of material and non-material factors. The final section of the course will cover how recent military, technological, social, and political changes influence what can be achieved through military power and implications for military strategy and doctrine. By the end of the course, students will have a general grasp of the major analytic approaches to understanding the occurrence and dynamics of war and will have the tools to think critically about the use of military force.
- 84-329 Asian Strategies
- Fall: 6 units
What are the strategies of leading Asian countries? How do their governments intend to pursue their economic, political, and military goals in the years ahead? What role will technology and information play in advancing their strategic objectives? These questions are the heart of this mini-course, focusing on some of the most problematic and promising regional states: North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, and India. While all these actors have a rich history, they were born anew within five years after 1945, with the conclusion of the Second World War, the division of the Korean peninsula, the partition and independence of India, and the founding of the People's Republic of China. The course will culminate in a discussion of strategic convergences and the divergences, as well as and the implications of national strategies for regional and global peace and stability.
- 84-331 Technology, Law, and Democracy
- Summer: 6 units
We are living through a technology revolution that is reshaping politics, economics, and social relations. Democracies and institutions are being challenged on how to respond and regulate these new social forces. Policy communities are struggling to create new legal frameworks and regulatory regimes both at the national and international levels. The seminar will explore how these tensions are challenging our democratic principles and values.
- 84-332 Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues
- Fall and Spring: 6 units
This course will explore the recent redefinition of rights by the supreme court on such issues e.g. gun rights, vaccine mandates, reproduction, death penalty, voting, presidential immunity and affirmative action. The theme of the course will focus on different schools of constitutional interpretation and how the constitution can be viewed as a document for a vibrant democracy. A diverse set of speakers will be invited to engage the class in a lively discussion on the issue of the day.
- 84-333 Law of US Democracy
- Spring: 9 units
This course will examine democracy from a legal perspective. It will include sections on civil rights, and in particular minority voting rights. It will also cover legal and constitutional constructs, like the Elections Clause, how and when a state can restrict ballot access for candidates, associational rights for political parties, campaign finance legal frameworks, and other things, all while reading the Supreme Court cases relevant to these topics.
- 84-336 Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea To Reality
- Spring: 12 units
Good public policy doesn't just "happen." Rather, successful policy is the result of thorough research, careful drafting, and successful navigation within the government or non-government organization whose leadership may ultimately promulgate it. The course begins with a brief review of government and organizational behavior in a bureaucracy, and the identification of a federal agency's policy system as a framework to which we will turn throughout the term. Study then shifts to an overview of several legal concepts and research skills applicable to federal policy and regulations. Though usually the province of law students and attorneys, such skills enable Students to know when policy may be crafted "from scratch" — or where, when, and how policy must conform to larger governing legal or regulatory structure. Students then consider a particular public policy subcomponent, administrative law, which addresses the special circumstance of regulatory agencies and the statutory regimes that create and govern the federal policies created thereunder. The course culminates with Students developing and "staffing" a notional policy, modeled on the federal agency policy system model studied throughout the term.
- 84-338 Analysis of US Presidential Powers
- Fall and Spring: 6 units
This course will explore the evolution of presidential power and the underlying theories that support the expansion of the executive branch in contemporary politics. Some of the topics that will be covered include - emergency powers, presidential immunity, the "Steel Seizure" case, the pardon power, the Iran-Contra scandal and impeachment. Given that this is an election year having a fuller understanding of the President's potential power is fundamental for the next office holder.
- 84-339 Seminar in Public Policy Research
- Intermittent: 12 units
Public policy has high stakes. The taxes we pay, our access to medical care, the quality and composition of the military- all of these are the direct result of US public policy. Furthermore, public policy often touches on highly contested issues such as private gun ownership or single payer health care. Public policy research then is important, helping inform critical political decisions with evidence-based analysis. This seminar will give students an overview of public policy research concepts, terms, and actors. This will be followed by a case study unit on exemplars of public policy research: the opening of all military occupations to women, and the passage the Affordable Care Act. A third unit will focus on the increasing role of scalable analytics and large datasets. In this unit students will gain an overview of scalable methods (including machine learning applications), the potential of "big data" to transform policy research, but the problems and pitfalls associated with a more algorithmic approach to public policy. These three units will build towards a final research project where students propose their own policy initiative.
- 84-341 Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security
- Spring: 6 units
Since the end of the Cold War, threats to national and international security have become more varied and diffused. Some of these threats are subtle and insidious rather than overtly military in character. This course will explore the rise of transnational criminal networks, their motivations and support, and explore the threats they pose to domestic and global governance as well as to international security and stability. We cover the characteristics and methods of transnational organized crime and the governments that house them as we examine illicit, black market networks of smugglers and terrorists involved in nuclear, narcotic, high-technology and human trafficking, including state and UN efforts to trace and interdict these transactions. This class will also dive into the roles cyber space, social media, and cryptocurrency play in facilitating these networks. Class will include visits by guest speakers working in the field.
- 84-349 Digital Diplomacy: Cybersecurity Challenges and Global Governance
- Spring: 9 units
In an increasingly interconnected world, the realms of cybersecurity and diplomacy are inextricably linked. This course provides a comprehensive examination of how cyber threats and digital technologies impact international relations and global security. Students will explore the strategic, legal, and ethical dimensions of cybersecurity within the context of diplomacy. Key topics include cyber warfare, cyber espionage, the role of international organizations, and the development of global cybersecurity policies and norms. The course will also delve into the challenges of establishing international norms governing behavior in cyberspace, analyzing why consensus is difficult to achieve among diverse nations. Through case studies and expert guest lectures, students will gain practical insights into how nations negotiate, collaborate, and confront challenges in the cyber domain. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to analyze and address complex cybersecurity issues from a diplomatic perspective, fostering a safer and more cooperative international environment.
- 84-350 A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
- Spring: 9 units
How do AI technologies influence politics, governance, and conflict? This course provides an overview of AI technologies, beginning with unpacking the term 'artificial intelligence' itself. Students will examine AI applications and their implications in political and governance contexts. The course begins with a foundational and applied understanding of machine learning, covering core concepts such as unsupervised, supervised, and reinforcement learning, natural language processing, and embodied AI. This course takes an applied approach rooted in public policy literature and assumes no prior knowledge of the concepts or technical expertise. Following this introduction, the course explores the use of AI technologies in various political and public policy scenarios, including surveillance, defense, online information environments, political campaigns, environmental sustainability, and global trade. Students will critically examine how these technologies are deployed, their capabilities and limitations, regulatory issues, and ethical considerations, such as bias and fairness.
- 84-352 Representation and Voting Rights
- Spring: 9 units
What does it mean to be represented? Who is represented, who is not? What is the nature of that representation? In practice, does representation result in policy congruence? In this course, we will explore the concept of representation, what it means in theory, and how it works in practice. We will investigate the theoretical underpinnings of representation from a democratic norms' perspective, the legal and constitutional nature of U.S. institutions, and evaluate empirically how well represented the public is. The class will have a central theme of how race and racial attitudes affect representation. Voting rights, the Voting Rights Act, and subsequent court cases will be highlighted. In the United States, legislative elections are held in single-member districts, which require the drawing of district boundaries every decade. The course will culminate with a final project in which we will draw electoral maps that could act as alternatives or remedies to maps enacted this decade.
- 84-355 Democracy's Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections
- Fall: 9 units
In the aftermath of the 2024 US presidential election, understanding the intricacies of electoral processes has become paramount. This course is a blend of political science and data analytics, specifically focusing on the US electoral system. It places a special emphasis on the 2024 election, as well as the upcoming midterm and local elections. History demonstrates that elections can have profound and enduring impacts. From the pivotal election of 1876, which concluded Reconstruction and reshaped the nation for a century, to the razor-thin margins in the 1960 Kennedy election and the 2000 Bush-Gore contest, American politics has been profoundly influenced by electoral outcomes. Throughout the semester, students will actively engage in data collection, statistical analysis, and interpretation. These techniques will be applied to analyze election trends, voter demographics, and the influence of technology on political campaigns. The course will also explore how data analytics can assess the health of democracy, examining metrics such as voter turnout, electoral competitiveness, and public trust in electoral institutions. As the course progresses, students will utilize analytical tools to make informed predictions about the 2026 midterm elections, which will determine all House seats and 35 Senate seats. They will delve into odd-year elections in various states and localities, gaining insights into their unique dynamics and implications. Beyond the core topics, the course will cover a diverse range of additional subjects, including political advertising, campaign finance, media bias, partisanship, nationalization, mobilization strategies, vote suppression techniques, election security, voter knowledge, racially polarized voting, gerrymandering, polarization, forecasting models, and public opinion polling.
Prerequisite: 36-200
- 84-356 Applied Political Data Analytics
- Spring: 9 units
This course introduces students to data analytics in political science, with a focus on developing practical data skills for applied research and real-world problem solving. Students will acquire foundational Python programming skills for analyzing and visualizing political data, including polling data, survey responses, and political text. This course will cover the challenges of working with messy, real-world datasets, and provide students with tools and techniques for data cleaning and validation. This course will place a particular emphasis on applied Natural Language Processing (NLP), with the goal of equipping students with methods to extract and quantify information from unstructured political texts. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply core data analysis methods to political questions and will have developed transferable skills for work in data science, public policy, and political research.
Prerequisites: 15-110 or 15-112
- 84-358 Money, Connections, and Power: Interests and Influence in the US
- Fall: 9 units
This course explores the range of actors who seek to influence policymaking in the US, including individuals, issue groups, unions, businesses, professional associations, and subnational governments. It would begin by considering political outcomes to determine whose interests are represented and whose are not. To explain these differences, the class would scrutinize the major non-electoral avenues of influence in US politics, in particular campaign donations and other forms of electoral spending, lobbying and leveraging political connections, and promoting ideas and supplying expertise to politicians. For each of these topics, students would evaluate who engages in these behaviors, how they do so, and what affects their activity has, using real data to address these questions. The course would culminate in a project requiring students to write an extended memo to the leadership of an advocacy organization of their choice, advising them on the most advantageous political strategy to achieve a desired goal.
- 84-360 CMU/WSP: Internship Seminar
- Fall and Spring: 24 units
The internship is the experiential "core" of the Washington Semester Program. Students intern three days per week, for approximately 24-25 hours, in offices from Capitol Hill to the White House and including opportunities in cabinet agencies, nonprofit institutions, museums, advocacy groups, policy think tanks, cultural institutions, and news organizations. Through the internship, students gain professional experience and make long-lasting professional and personal contacts. In addition, students meet once a week with the CMU internship faculty for a seminar to report and reflect on their internship experiences, and address pressing current issues from the perspective of their internship organization. In addition, the weekly seminar typically includes 1-2 CMU alumni from the Washington, DC, area. Their personal and professional experiences become part of the seminar conversation, and they make themselves available to students as ongoing sources of information and advice.
- 84-361 International Security and Politics
- Fall: 9 units
TBD
- 84-362 Diplomacy and Statecraft
- Fall: 9 units
Diplomacy and statecraft are the driving forces behind foreign policy and international politics. Students are first introduced to the concepts, theories, and history of international negotiation and modern diplomacy. Students examine key historical cases and profile modern diplomatic leaders. Finally, the class surveys ongoing diplomatic challenges related to engaging rogue regimes, major power relations with Russia and China, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, human rights promotion, and climate change. Both in the classroom and in writing, students are encouraged to think, act, and write like diplomats and to appreciate diplomacy as a vocation. Throughout the course, students build skills in foreign policy memo writing, participate in diplomatic role-playing simulations, build cultural intelligence, and connect diplomatic trend lines with today's international headlines.
- 84-363 Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict
- Fall: 9 units
This course explores the multifaceted landscape of cyber conflict across three distinct layers of the Internet: the cyber-physical layer, the software layer, and the application layer. The course will investigate the strategic use of these Internet layers by governments, both in times of peace and conflict. Topics will include the role of cyber capabilities in international warfare, espionage, coercion, and diplomacy, as well as their application to domestic objectives, such as surveillance and repression. Through a blend of theoretical discussions, case studies, and practical exercises, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity's evolving landscape and its implications for national security and global geopolitics.
- 84-365 The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation
- Spring: 9 units
In this course, we will examine the drivers and dynamics of misinformation, fake news, and related phenomena in social and political life. From wartime "atrocity propaganda" to climate denialism to false claims of election fraud, how can we characterize fake news and misinformation, and why do they often spread so widely? What are the factors that explain why people accept or reject them, and what are their consequences for our political behavior? Finally, how can they be successfully countered and combatted? In this course, we will look at these and other questions, drawing on the fast-growing body of research on the topic from a range of fields including psychology, communications, political science, and computer science. In terms of the course's structure, we will first focus on defining and characterizing fake news and misinformation, and next we will examine their production (why are they created?), consumption (why are they believed?), and consequences (what influence do they have?). Then, we will analyze the threat of misinformation in several important contexts - including COVID-19, climate change, and armed conflict - and finally we will consider research and analysis about how to best counter it. For the final assignment in the course, students will build on what they have learned throughout the semester to write an original research paper applying ideas and arguments from class to a case of fake news or misinformation that is of special interest to them.
- 84-366 The 21st-Century Presidency: Expanding Powers, New Challenges
- Spring: 9 units
The president is undisputedly at the center of the US government: the most powerful and prominent person in the country (and quite possibly the world), endowed with vast policymaking authority and broad latitude to set the national agenda. When creating the Constitution, however, the Framers devised an institutional arrangement that prioritized Congress and restricted an empowered chief executive with legal and practical constraints to prevent the president from becoming an autocrat. How did we get from there to here, and is the contemporary presidency truly as omnipotent as it appears? This course engages these questions by examining the presidency's place in the broader political system. Specifically, we will explore the president's interactions with the other branches of government, the parties, interest groups, and the public, analyzing the tools available to presidents to achieve their goals as well as the resources other actors possess to influence the chief executive and protect their own prerogatives. We will also investigate the structure and historical development of the executive branch along with the dynamics of presidential elections to assess their impact on the modern presidency. Throughout the semester, the class will incorporate case studies of presidential decision-making in critical moments to understand more fully both these individuals and the office they occupy.
- 84-367 The Politics of Antisemitism
- Fall: 9 units
The course examines the phenomenon of antisemitism in contemporary international politics. Antisemitism is an old form of prejudice, but concerns about its growth and consequences are very present in the news today. Meanwhile, the term has also become something of a political football domestically and abroad and has been instrumentalized by different political factions who accuse one another of engaging in it. What is antisemitism and how should we define it? What are the main dynamics and trends in antisemitic attitudes and behaviors in the U.S. and around the world? What fuels these attitudes and behaviors, and what are their chief political consequences? This course aims to engage with these questions in a thoughtful and empirical way by grounding itself in the growing political and social science literature on antisemitism, and bringing a careful social scientific lens to these challenging issues.
- 84-368 Technology Ethics
- Spring: 9 units
This course provides an introduction to technology ethics. Churchill once complained that war, once "cruel and magnificent," had been "completely spoiled" due to the involvement of scientists in creating new military weaponry. Scientific-military collaborations are hardly new, however. States have always attempted to harness technological change. The purpose of this course is not to instruct on what is or should be considered ethical. Rather, our aim will be to understand how ethical viewpoints intersect with politics, creating tradeoffs for individuals and societies. Delving into historical technological controversies, we will debate current issues like the precautionary principle, technology neutrality, and individual responsibility. By the end of this course, students will be equipped to contextualize their personal views within broader historical and political contexts.
Course Website: https://www.cmu.edu/ips/courses/undergraduate-courses/84368-politics-and-digital-technology.html
- 84-369 Decision Science for International Relations
- Fall: 9 units
Decision science studies how people make decisions, in order to learn from their wisdom and help them to do better. The course focuses decision science on high-stakes decisions in health, safety, environment, technology, and national security. It recognizes that experts are people, too, and examines the strengths and weaknesses of their judgments and analyses. It provides opportunities to think together about these challenging decisions.
Prerequisites: 36-200 or 19-250
- 84-370 Nuclear Security & Arms Control
- Fall: 9 units
This course introduces students to the importance and challenges of implementing safeguards surrounding nuclear energy and arms control. Students will learn the history of nuclear and conventional weapons proliferation, assess the effectiveness of current treaties export control organizations, and evaluate policy challenges related to emerging weapons technologies, particularly drones, cyber weapons and AI.
- 84-371 International Governance of Artificial Intelligence
- Fall: 9 units
How do global institutions seek to govern AI? This course examines AI policy from an international perspective, beginning with a concise technical overview of AI that clarifies its functions. It then outlines the existing and future regulatory challenges that governments face in balancing both the risks and rewards from AI, both within and outside national borders. The course then explores current national strategies, multilateral frameworks, and the role of non-state actors, all of which compete to shape the narratives surrounding regulation. Students will engage with key governance issues such as algorithmic bias, digital authoritarianism, international competition, and economic disruption. Ultimately, the course considers AI both as a challenge that introduces ethical, regulatory, and security risks as well as a tool that holds promise for innovation across the private and public sectors.
- 84-372 Space and National Security
- Spring: 9 units
Space systems contribute a great deal to America's security, prosperity, and quality of life. This course examines how space-based services provide critical support to military and intelligence operations and contribute to national security more broadly. The course is designed to investigate several interrelated themes, weaving together relevant aspects of technology, strategy, and policy. The material is approached from both functional and historical perspectives, beginning with the basics of military and intelligence space operations and ending with an examination of the space- and cyber-related technical, strategic, and political challenges facing the nation today and in the foreseeable future.
- 84-373 International Law
- Fall: 9 units
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of international law. Although its efficacy is often debated, states regard international law as essential for regulating their international affairs. International law is largely built on consensus, without a global sovereign and #8212;-what famed jurist T.E. Holland described as "the vanishing point of jurisprudence." In addition to covering the politics, design, organization, and functions of international law, we will devote special attention to how it operates in a world characterized by rapid and ongoing technological change. Our focus will be on the legal interactions between countries, also known as public international law.
- 84-375 Geopolitics of Innovation
- Fall: 9 units
If technology is applied knowledge, knowledge is power. This course explores how national power is derived from scientific and technological advancements, impacting the global geopolitical landscape. Students will be introduced to topics such as innovation theory, along with subsequent insights from economics, sociology, and political science, to understand the dynamics of technological progress in peacetime and wartime. We will examine what drives innovation in different countries, how nations cooperate or compete in scientific and technological fields, the impact of individuals and organizations on innovation, and the role of creativity. Additionally, the course will address the extent to which policymakers can influence and harness technological change and #8212;-a vital question as the world enters a new era of technological competition.
- 84-380 US Grand Strategy
- Fall: 9 units
This class examines different philosophies of US strategy toward other countries and how US strategies impact people in other times and places. By doing so, students are both exposed to different ideas about US foreign policy than they may have otherwise, along with how those ideas interact with diverse populations both inside the United States and around the world. In some instances, those strategic ideas work well in some places but not in others because of particular ethnic, historical, religious, or other background issues in that place. The class presents a series of four main proposed US grand strategies, many of which students will not have encountered before, depending on their background. We then cover how each of those grand strategies is promoted by different groups in the United States, how it interacts with the world, and how it is received by people in diverse sets of other countries. This encourages students to examine their preexisting assumptions about what US strategy "should" be, both by looking at it through the lens of different American groups and different regions of the world.
- 84-383 National Cyber Policy & Strategy
- Spring: 6 units
The decisions nations make in cyberspace have profound implications for both prosperity and sovereignty. The internet is a digital thread tying together peoples. The nature of our participation in this ecosystem is determined by policy makers. Cyber policy mirrors the political ethos of governments. Some nations choose to use cyber as a tool of control and repression, others construct cyber policies as key enablers of innovation and the free exchange of ideas. The translation of traditional policy objectives into a direction for cyber is often problematic. The perpetually liminal state of conflict in cyberspace adds another set of challenges for policy makers. In this course we will explore national cyber policies. We will compare approaches and explore the role of culture. In our analysis we will enumerate the attributes of effective national cyber policy and conduct postmortems on failed policies. We will examine the ethical questions faced by cyber policy makers. Every citizen has a role in cyber policy. This course is intended to prepare future policy makers and create informed citizens.
- 84-386 The Privatization of Force
- Intermittent: 9 units
This course considers different forms of privatized force and security over time and across various strategic contexts, from historical mercenarism up to modern-day private military and security contractors. While going through the historical and modern material chronologically, the course considers the various issues that arise with each form of privatized force, including questions that arise regarding the state's monopoly on violence, legal and humanitarian issues, and civil-military relations. These range from theoretical concerns regarding modern definitions of the state, to practical operational-level concerns pertaining to field coordination issues between the military and private contractors in modern conflicts.
- 84-387 Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict
- Spring: 9 units
For most of human history, warfare took place face-to-face or in close proximity using weapons like rocks, swords, spears, bow and arrows, and firearms. The development of technologies like missiles, drones, and amp; the internet have changed the character of warfare by enabling actors to use lethal force and amp; cause disruption thousands of miles away from the battlefield. Technological advancements have arguably even led to the creation of an entirely human-made domain of warfare- the cyber domain- that is distinct from the land, sea, air and amp; space domains. This course will analyze the impact of drones and amp; the cyber domain on international conflict. We will study the historical origins of these technologies, why and amp; how they have spread, their use and amp; effectiveness on the battlefield, ethical questions surrounding their use, and amp; whether arms control is possible. How is the information revolution in computing similar and amp; different from prior revolutions in military affairs? Are drones and the cyber domain transforming conflict by giving the offense a significant advantage over the defense, or is their offensive and destructive potential exaggerated? Is coercion possible in cyberspace, or does the attribution problem impede deterrence? Might drones actually reduce the risks of escalation in interstate conflict by removing the desire for revenge if a pilot is killed? How has the internet been weaponized to enable economic warfare and election interference? Might cyber espionage undermine the United States' military advantage, and should the US ban TikTok? Do drones decrease or increase terrorism? Is remote warfare and amp; the use of lethal autonomous weapons systems- sometimes referred to as killer robots- inherently unethical? These are just a handful of the questions we will explore in this class. By the end of the course, students will have a grasp of the history of the information revolution and amp; many of the key debates and amp; theories in this field.
- 84-389 Terrorism and Insurgency
- Spring: 9 units
This course provides an introduction to terrorism, insurgency, and civil war, covering the causes, dynamics, consequences, and policy responses to these forms of political violence. Insurgent and terrorist groups are some of the most important actors behind security challenges across the world. Definition of these phenomena can be as contentious as the question of which policies are most appropriate to prevent, manage, and resolve the conflicts in which they take part. The course will cover the historical evolution of these forms of violence as well as recent trends. The course will also focus on groups, methods, ideologies, and organizational structures, and will address the effectiveness of different policies over time at preventing and managing these forms of violence, and the role that these policies play in overall national strategy.
- 84-390 Social Media, Technology, and Conflict
- Spring: 9 units
This course will examine the role that social media and technology have had on conflict at multiple levels, both between and within nations. Interconnectedness has expanded dramatically and continues to expand, allowing the formerly disconnected individuals with shared political views, states and diaspora populations to be intimately connected. The Arab Spring uprisings were significantly influenced by the use of cell phones, social media, and text-messaging as organizing tools. Insurgent groups like the Islamic States harnessed the power of social media and emerging technologies, and now extremist groups in the US and Europe are using Twitter, YouTube, Telegram and other social media platforms to their advantage. Information war is a critical factor in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as both sides work to support/exploit kinetic warfare. Social media is used both to recruit for and fund violent extremism, while the internet has become a channel for radicalizing individuals into violent ideologies. Loss of trust in media and institutions, and the proliferation of mis/disinformation, conspiracy theories, and malign information operations over social media has introduced a new dimensions to conflict and relations between individuals, small groups, non-state actors, and nation-states.
- 84-393 The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis?
- Fall: 9 units
Seemingly everyone across the political spectrum agrees that Congress is broken: paralyzed by conflict between and within the parties, out of touch with the needs and concerns of the American people, and incapable of acting swiftly or competently to address the nation's problems. Yet considering the daunting task Congress faces in legislating for an incredibly diverse nation of 340 million people while its members represent constituencies with starkly differing interests, perhaps it is more surprising that the body functions at all. This class investigates how Congress overcomes the obstacles to action it faces as well as whether the institution has operated less effectively in recent years, and if so, the reasons why. Specifically, we will scrutinize what the legislative process looks like in practice and how the structure of Congress interacts with the electoral, partisan, ideological, and interest-group influences on its members to determine their behavior. To accomplish this objective, we will apply rational choice theory to analyze Congress as social scientists do while also evaluating the limitations of this approach. In addition, we will examine the place Congress occupies in the broader governmental system, exploring its relationships with the presidency, courts, and federal bureaucracy. Throughout the semester, we will assess Congress's performance in terms of effectiveness and representation along with what can be done to improve it.
Prerequisite: 84-104
- 84-402 Judicial Politics and Behavior
- Spring: 9 units
This course is a survey of research and insight into one of the most unique American government institutions: the judiciary. Rather than exclusively reading case law (as one would do in a Constitutional Law class), this course examines court structure, rules of law and, most importantly, judges as actors within an institutional setting. We will focus on how rules, norms, and expectations guide the decisions, actions, and range of options available to judges. Here we will study the nature of judicial decision-making and its antecedents, the organization of the judicial branch and its implications for behavior, and the strategic interactions both within courts and between the courts and the more "political" branches of government. The course will look at state and federal courts within the United States, supplemented with examples from international jurisdictions. Material from law, history, economics, political science, sociology, and psychology will be introduced throughout the semester. Although some of the literature uses empirical and/or game theoretical models, students are not expected to have mastered these tools prior to taking the course.
Prerequisite: 84-104
- 84-405 The Future of Warfare
- Fall: 9 units
Warfare is constantly evolving. Throughout history, technological developments have hastened the evolution in the character, nature, and types of wars being fought. In the contemporary conflict environment, the prospect of large-scale conflict between near-peer states is converging and shifting rapidly, with proxy conflicts and threats typically posed by nonstate and/or irregular actors and tactics interacting with great power competition and significant strategic realignments between the United States, Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. In such an environment, hybrid actors and proxy groups continue to wage war in an asymmetric and irregular manner that relies on ambiguity, strategic surprise, innovative uses of technology, and deception, against the ever-present backdrop of the threat of full-scale global war. This course will examine and historically contextualize various "new" trends in warfare, including the weaponization of AI technologies, increasingly sophisticated cyber and information warfare operations, the effects of social media in "democratizing" the information space relevant to conflict, the development of violent non-state actors with conventional military capabilities, and state support of mercenary forces to achieve strategic gains without attribution.
- 84-450 Policy Seminar
- Spring: 6 units
The Policy Seminar course takes a critical look at decision making in domestic politics and US foreign policy. It does so through weekly roundtable discussions with a diverse set of thought leaders. Based on intellectually significant essays that students are expected to read in advance of each class, these discussions give students an opportunity to ask probing questions about the three branches of the US government, media, embassies, advocacy groups, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations. This course seeks to help students understand the responsibilities and activities that leaders and decision makers carry out on behalf of their organizations. Students are instructed in how to confidently and respectfully ask critical questions of those shaping policy. Knowing how to make linkages between relevant and related issues and asking critical questions to find answers to complex problems are significant elements in the professional development of anyone interested in taking part in the policy arena, and this course helps students hone these important skills. In requiring students to read important essays related to each class session and then step back from discussions with leaders to write analytical essays, this course teaches students how to develop strong arguments based on solid logic and credible evidence, an essential component in making democracy work.
- 84-451 Policy Seminar II
- All Semesters: 6 units
The Policy Seminar course takes a critical look at decision making in domestic politics and US foreign policy. It does so through weekly roundtable discussions with a diverse set of thought leaders. Based on intellectually significant essays that students are expected to read in advance of each class, these discussions give students an opportunity to ask probing questions about the three branches of the US government, media, embassies, advocacy groups, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations. This course seeks to help students understand the responsibilities and activities that leaders and decision makers carry out on behalf of their organizations. Students are instructed in how to confidently and respectfully ask critical questions of those shaping policy. Knowing how to make linkages between relevant and related issues and asking critical questions to find answers to complex problems are significant elements in the professional development of anyone interested in taking part in the policy arena, and this course helps students hone these important skills. In requiring students to read important essays related to each class session and then step back from discussions with leaders to write analytical essays, this course teaches students how to develop strong arguments based on solid logic and credible evidence, an essential component in making democracy work.
- 84-460 Mapping Your Future: Senior Professional Development Seminar
- Spring: 6 units
This seniors-only seminar will help prepare students for future careers in international relations, government, politics, and policy. It will build on some of the skills developed in Tomorrows Professionals, though this course is not required. Students will learn how to search and identify opportunities in the policy, security, and strategy fields, how to tighten their applications, and how to best position themselves for these highly competitive positions. In addition, students will develop the tools to increase their own marketability and enhance their job search savviness. This course is designed to aid graduating CMIST seniors in scoping their future and building the necessary infrastructure to work toward their professional goals both in Washington, DC, and beyond.
- 84-498 Undergraduate Research
- Fall and Spring
Students conduct research under the supervision of a faculty member. Students who wish to engage in research should seek out a faculty member whose interests are appropriate to the research. Prerequisite: Students must also complete an "Independent Study/Research for Credit" form, available from the Deputy Director for Academic Affairs or on the CMIST website. Permission of a faculty sponsor.
- 84-499 Independent Study
- All Semesters
Students conduct independent academic study under the supervision of a faculty member. Students who wish to engage in an independent study should seek out a faculty member whose interests are appropriate to the topic. Students must also complete an "Independent Study/Research for Credit" form, available from the Deputy Director for Academic Affairs or on the CMIST website. Prerequisite: Permission of a faculty sponsor.
- 84-500 Senior Seminar
- Spring: 9 units
All CMIST undergraduate degrees will culminate in a comprehensive senior seminar.
- 84-505 Undergraduate Internship
- Fall and Spring
An internship is an approved and monitored work experience than can be related to an academic field of study through active reflection and specific learning goals. Students will be in regular contact with a faculty member, who will assign and evaluate academic work. Internships are available for 3, 6, or 9 units, depending on the type and amount of academic work produced. Students are responsible for finding their own internships and faculty sponsors, although assistance is available through the Deputy Director for Academic Affairs. A CMIST form is required for registration.
Faculty
AUDREY KURTH CRONIN, Trustees Professor of Security and Technology; Director, CMIST – DPhil, University of Oxford (Marshall Scholar); Carnegie Mellon, 2023–
IGNACIO ARANA ARAYA, Assistant Professor – PhD, University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon, 2016–
HANNAH BAILEY, Assistant Professor – DPhil, University of Oxford; Carnegie Mellon, 2025–
HALEIGH BARTOS, Associate Professor of the Practice – MSW, University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon, 2021–
JUSTIN CANFIL, Assistant Professor – PhD, Columbia University; Carnegie Mellon, 2023–
JONATHAN CERVAS, Assistant Teaching Professor – PhD, University of California, Irvine; Carnegie Mellon, 2020–
JOHN J. CHIN, Assistant Teaching Professor – PhD, Princeton University; Carnegie Mellon, 2016–
BARUCH FISCHHOFF, Howard Heinz University Professor in the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology and the Department of Engineering and Public Policy – PhD, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Carnegie Mellon, 1987–
MARK S. KAMLET, University Professor of Economics and Public Policy; Provost Emeritus – PhD, University of California, Berkeley; Carnegie Mellon, 1978–
NADIYA KOSTYUK, Assistant Professor – PhD, University of Michigan; Carnegie Mellon, 2024–
CONNOR HALLORAN PHILLIPS, Assistant Teaching Professor – PhD, Harvard University; Carnegie Mellon, 2025–
HARVEY RISHIKOF, Visiting Professor – JD, New York University; Carnegie Mellon, 2024–
JOSHUA SCHWARTZ, Assistant Professor – PhD, University of Pennsylvania; Carnegie Mellon, 2023–
DANIEL SILVERMAN, Assistant Professor – PhD, The Ohio State University; Carnegie Mellon, 2017–
Scholar in Residence
PATRICK CRONIN, Scholar in Residence – DPhil, University of Oxford; Carnegie Mellon, 2023–
Lecturers
MATTHEW BUTKOVIC, Lecturer – Master of Professional Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Carnegie Mellon, 2015–
KELLY VOSS COLETTI, Lecturer – PhD, University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon, 2020–
FRED CRAWFORD, Lecturer – JD, Georgetown University; Carnegie Mellon, 2017–
DALE CROWELL, Lecturer – MA, Catholic University of America; Carnegie Mellon, 2018–
MOLLY DUNIGAN, Senior Lecturer – PhD, Cornell University; Carnegie Mellon, 2014–
MATTHEW LANE, Lecturer – PhD, The Pennsylvania State University; Carnegie Mellon, 2021–
SOPHIE LE BLANC, Lecturer – PhD, University of Delaware; Carnegie Mellon, 2017–
WILLIAM M. MARCELLINO, Lecturer – PhD, Carnegie Mellon University; Carnegie Mellon, 2021–
GEOFFREY MCGOVERN, Senior Lecturer – PhD, Binghamton University, JD, Harvard University; Carnegie Mellon, 2013–
FORREST E. MORGAN, Senior Lecturer – PhD, University of Maryland; Carnegie Mellon, 2017–
JON SCHMID, Lecturer – PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology; Carnegie Mellon, 2025–
ANDREW J. STRAVERS, Lecturer – PhD, University of Texas, Austin; Carnegie Mellon, 2021–
MARK A. TOUKAN, Lecturer – PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Carnegie Mellon, 2021–