The University of British Columbia

International Relations

The International Relations program is offered at the undergraduate level as a major or minor in the Bachelor of Arts. Students who wish to study International Relations at UBC at the graduate level can do this as part of their program within an established department (e.g., the departments of History or Political Science).

Students who want to go on to graduate work in International Relations after completing their Bachelor of Arts are advised to consider the special Honours programs in History (with International Relations) and in Political Science (with International Relations) or to make sure they have at least 24 credits of 300- and 400-level courses in one of the core disciplines (economics, history, political science).

Major in International Relations

Admission to the Major requires that a student has completed at least 54 credits applicable to the Bachelor of Arts. Admission is not automatic, and space is limited. Most students are admitted based on average standing, but a small number of spaces are reserved each year for consideration based on a combination of grades and supplemental materials. In recent years the entrance average has been as high as 80%, and may be higher if demand increases. Students interested in the major who have an average below 80% should consult the International Relations Program website for information about submission of supplemental materials to support their application.

Average is determined based on the average grade obtained for all post-secondary coursework attempted, with the exception of 12 credits which may be excluded from the calculation. All courses taken in International Relations and any course taken toward the Arts writing component cannot be excluded from the average calculation.

To be eligible to apply to the IR program students need to have completed one of the following IR lower division requirements:

1. ECON 101 and 102
2. HIST 102 or 103
3. POLI 260

It is strongly recommended that students complete all of these courses before applying to the program. Students may complete their language requirements in their third or fourth year. Arts One students can only count their English credits toward the IR program. They will, therefore, need to fulfill all of the lower division requirements.

Application forms will be available after February 1 online.

Completed online applications are due by May 15 prior to registration for third year.

Applicants will be notified by June 15 whether they have been accepted, rejected, or put on a waiting list.

Lower-level Requirements

Students are recommended to complete the following during their first 60 credits.

• ECON 101 and 102 (or ECON 310 and 311)
• HIST 102 (6) or 103 (6)¹
• POLI 260
• 12 credits of one language other than English, in addition to the Faculty of Arts language requirement (the language can be the one used to satisfy the Faculty of Arts requirement carried to a higher level, or it can be an additional language)

While it is advisable to complete all of these requirements prior to the third year, it is permissible to complete some of them in the third year.

¹Arts One does not satisfy this requirement.

Upper-level Requirements

A minimum of 33 credits in International Relations. These 33 credits must include the following:

• ECON 355¹ or ECON 356
• HIST 425, HIST 432, or HIST 408 and 409
• One of POLI 360, 361, 362, 364, 367, 369, 371, or 378
• In the last 30 credits, one of the required International Relations seminars: ECON 457, HIST 403, POLI 464, or one of the other seminars that may be designated by the chair of the program²
• 18 credits from the lists below (of these 18 credits, at least 9 credits must be from List A or 9 credits must be from List B; the remaining 9 credits can be from Lists A, B, or C). Not all courses are offered every year.

¹The prerequisite for this course is ECON 101 and 102, or ECON 310 and 311.

²A list of designated seminars for the following year will be available from the International Relations Program Office in the spring. These seminars are not available to third-year students. Students should only take one IR Seminar unless they have received approval from the program to do otherwise.

For the purposes of the International Relations Major, no course can be double-counted, i.e., used to satisfy two requirements (e.g., if POLI 360 is used to satisfy the political science requirement [see above], it cannot be counted as part of these 18 credits).

1. International Diplomacy, Security, and Peace Studies
   1. APSC 377
   2. ASIA 410, 430
   3. ECON 485
   4. EOSC 340
   5. GEOG 316, 329
   6. GRSJ 305, 326
   7. HIST 310, 311, 391, 395, 402, 405, 408, 409, 418, 425, 432, 441, 460, 484
   8. KIN 360
   9. POLI 329, 334, 351, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 367, 369, 370, 373, 374, 376, 377, 378
   10. SOCI 420, 430, 461
2. International Economy and Development
   1. ANTH 330, 360, 472
   2. ECON 312, 313, 317, 318, 319, 334, 335, 339, 341, 342, 343, 351, 355, 356, 371, 374, 387, 441, 442, 444, 455, 456, 471, 472, 487
   3. FNH 355, FNH 455
   4. FRE 306, 340, 374, 420
   5. FRST 411, 439
   6. GEOG 310, 311, 312, 321, 352, 353, 361, 362, 364, 410, 423, 457, 468, 496
   7. GRSJ 306
   8. HIST 423
   9. PHIL 332, 335, 362, 363
   10. POLI 316, 329, 364, 366, 372, 375
   11. SOCI 301, 360, 361
   12. SPPH 300
3. Area Studies
   1. Africa: AFST 351, 352, 450; ANTH 308, 423; GEOG 496; GRSJ 311; HIST 309, 312, 313
   2. Asia: ANTH 302, 307, 315, 350, 351, 402, 416; ASIA 309, 310, 315, 319, 329, 330, 337, 338, 339, 373, 380, 390, 393, 418, 434 , 438, 456, 480, 484; GEOG 380, 481, 484, 485; HIST 373, 376, 380, 381, 382, 385, 386, 388, 480, 482, 483; POLI 321, 322, 323, 324, 330, 365, 368, 379
   3. Canada and the Americas: AFST 450; ANTH 304, 353, 401; ECON 336, 337; GEOG 395, 468, 497; GRSJ 311; HIST 302, 325, 338, 339, 357, 358, 396, 411, 412, 444, 450, 451, 453, 456, 467, 468, 469; LAST 301, 303; POLI 309, 320, 332
   4. Comparative, Cross-Regional, Global, and Varying Topics: ANTH 303, 403, 404, 414; FNH 460; GEOG 390, 497, 498; HIST 327, 334, 401, 464, 485; KIN 364; POLI 325, 335, 336; SOCI 303, 435; SPPH 409
   5. Europe and Eurasia: ANTH 301; CENS 303, 404; GEOG 391, 493; HIST 315, 318, 319, 323, 346, 349, 350, 351, 355, 356, 366, 368, 369, 370, 439; ITST 345; POLI 326, 327
   6. Middle East: GEOG 498; HIST 352, 353, 354; MES 300
4. Variable Topics Courses
   Students interested in the courses below should contact the IR Chair prior to registering to determine into which list they fall depending on the topic of the requested session. GEOG 461, 328, POLI 333

   Minor in International Relations

   A Minor consists of at least 30 credits, but not more than 42 credits, selected from the courses listed as part of the International Relations Major, of which at least 18 must be numbered 300 or above. At least 12 credits of the following must be included among the courses taken: ECON 101 and 102 (or ECON 310 and 311), HIST 102 or 103, and POLI 260.

   In accordance with the Faculty of Arts restrictions, no more than 6 upper level credits may be double counted between a student's major and the IR minor. Students are also required to take at least 6 credits in one language other than English, in addition to the Faculty of Arts language requirement. The language can be the one used to satisfy the Faculty of Arts requirement carried to a higher level, or it can be an additional language. Students undertaking a Minor in International Relations do not need to submit an application or secure permission to do so. Language courses do not count toward the required 30 to 42 credits in International Relations.

   Honours in International Relations

   The International Relations program does not offer an honours program. However, students wishing to do an Honours degree in International Relations can do so in conjunction with the Honours programs of the Departments of History or Political Science. Students must apply directly to one of these departments for admission into the Honours program during their second year.

   Students may not count more than 60 credits of International Relations courses (i.e., required courses and those on Lists A, B, and C [see above]) toward the Bachelor of Arts. (Language courses do not count as part of these 60 credits.)

   Page last updated: June 4, 2022