International Relations & Political Science (BHA Concentration)
Emily Half, BHA IRPS Concentration Advisor (POS 391)
BHA International Relations & Political Science Concentration
(90 units minimum)
Offered through the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST), the International Relations and Political Science (IRPS) BHA concentration is for students who want to learn how to think systematically and develop foundational knowledge about international and domestic politics. It is an interdisciplinary concentration that is rooted firmly in political science and draws on strengths and insights from decision science, economics, history, modern languages, and other fields. 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 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 influence of language and culture on politics, 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.
Political Science Core (3 courses, 27 units)
Students must complete the following course:
| Units | ||
| 84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
Students must complete two of the following courses
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
Communication (1 course, 9 units)
Students must complete the following course:
| 84-250 | Writing for Political Science and Policy | 9 |
Methodology (2 courses, 18 units)
Students must complete the following courses:
| 84-266 | Research Design for Political Science | 9 |
| 36-202 | Methods for Statistics & Data Science | 9 |
Language Requirement (1 course, 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 (3 courses, 27 units minimum)
Students must complete a minimum of 27 units from the following list of courses:
| 84-120 | Introduction to US Constitutional Law | 9 |
| 84-200 | Security War Game Simulation | 3 |
| 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 |
| 84-285 | Introduction to Legal Education and the Legal Profession | 9 |
| 84-301 | Policy & Persuasion | 6 |
| 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 |
| 84-315 | Rise of the Asian Economies | 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 |
| 84-330 | Race for the Future: US-China Tech Competition | 6 |
| 84-331 | Technology, Law, and Democracy | 6 |
| 84-332 | Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues | 6 |
| 84-333 | Law of US Democracy | 9 |
| 84-336 | Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea To Reality * | 12 |
| 84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers * | 6 |
| 84-339 | Seminar in Public Policy Research * | 12 |
| 84-341 | Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security | 6 |
| 84-343 | Offensive Cyber: Law & Policy | 6 |
| 84-345 | Hackers, the Law, & Policy Responses | 6 |
| 84-347 | Congress & National Security | 9 |
| 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 |
| 84-353 | US-China Strategic Stability | 6 |
| 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 * | 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 |
| 84-370 | Nuclear Security & Arms Control | 9 |
| 84-371 | International Governance of Artificial Intelligence | 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 |
| 84-393 | The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis? | 9 |
| 84-402 | Judicial Politics and Behavior | 9 |
| 84-405 | The Future of Warfare | 9 |
- *
Denotes courses taught in Washington, DC, through the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP).