International Relations Major
We focus on international interactions and offer you a comparative perspective on the contemporary global system. You will think creatively about complex global problems in the analysis of political, societal, cultural, ethical, and normative aspects of international relations.
20%
OF OUR STUDENTS ARE CADETS
12
LANGUAGES TO STUDY
2
PROGRAMS TO STUDY AWAY IN WASHINGTON D.C.
24
AVERAGE UPPER-LEVEL CLASS SIZE
Total Credit Hours: 120
International Relations Requirements (33 hours)
Core Degree Requirements (24 hours)
General Education (up to 45 hours)
Electives (36 hours)
What You'll Study
- You'll take 120 credit hours for a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, including Virginia Tech's Pathways. Available courses include:
- Theoretical Approaches to Global Order
- World Politics
- The Global Economy and World Politics
- Nations and Nationalities
- Comparative Government and Politics
- International Law
- International Organizations
- International Conflict Management
- Violent Political Change
- Global Environmental Issues
- The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender
The international relations major focuses on international interactions and offers a comparative perspective on the contemporary global system with an emphasis on foreign language proficiency. Select from nine languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, and Spanish, to fulfill this requirement.
Curious how the degree requirements will fit into your experience at Virginia Tech? See the roadmaps below for a sample schedule of courses each year. Your academic advisor will help you create a personalized version based on your goals and other areas of interest. The individualized plan will also include your AP, IB, dual enrollment, or transfer credit.
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What is a Major in International Relations?
We foster creative thinking about complex global problems and our graduates successfully serve their communities and the nation. Our program emphasizes the methods of analysis used in the social sciences and humanities to help you think critically about international phenomena and analyze the choices and challenges that arise.
Why Study International Relations Here?
Study with our renowned faculty who are experts in international relations. We offer broad training in the liberal arts, emphasizing the study of foreign languages. Opportunities to pursue undergraduate research, conduct field studies, and participate in study abroad are available. Many of our students also engage in the Department of State’s Diplomacy Lab Program and Wonk Tank competition.
Beyond the Classroom
Get Involved
Participate in the Department of State’s Diplomacy Lab Program and Wonk Tank competition. Many of our students also join our active student organizations including (Inter)National and Regional Model UN, International Model NATO, International Model Organization of American States (MOAS), National and Regional Model Arab League, and National Model African Union.
Get Experience
Internships and cooperative education programs give you an opportunity to receive academic credit for working in a professional setting. Our students complete internships with the U.S. government, international organizations, and national, state, or local administrative agencies. Talk to an advisor who can help you find and secure a meaningful internship opportunity.
Travel and Learn
Although studying abroad isn't required, it can often be a pivotal experience for you. Living in a different country is the best way to understand the differences and similarities between cultures. It allows you to develop a personal expertise in a specific national or regional context or language.
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Mentors
Our faculty members are productive authors, scholars, and award-winning teachers who are always eager to mentor students on research projects in their field of interest. We have experts on Japan, the European Union, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, the United Kingdom, and other nations, as well as specialists in topics like international security, citizenship, and human rights. If you'd like some guidance on an undergraduate research project, just ask!
What Our Students Are Saying
"When I first arrived at Virginia Tech, I was petrified of walking into a packed lecture hall. I felt all eyes were on me as I walked down the aisle to find my seat. My fears were quickly erased as my professor began to talk. She inspired me to think of ideas and ask questions that I never knew were possible. She made me feel like I was an individual with a purpose. With a professor like that I knew I picked the best major."
Dana Mouritzen '18
"All of my professors and classes have been so engaging and I love what I study. Through my international relations courses, I developed a strong interest in European politics. Through the program, I participated in the European Affairs in a Global Context study abroad trip in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland where I studied topics in European security, identity politics, and political economy."
Ellie Van Beuren '23
Careers and Further Study
Tea Ivanovic, '14
Tea served as a policy research and communications intern for the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies in Bruges, Belgium. She’s now pursuing graduate studies in International Relations at The Johns Hopkins University – Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.
Montana Koslowski, '20
Montana is working as a Source Strategy Analyst for the Department of Defense while attending the George Washington University's Elliot School of International Affairs to pursue her M.A. in Middle East Studies. She plans to get a Ph.D. in History, with a focus on modern Middle East history, and work for the US Department of State.
Sara Roach, '22
Sara created and led a new student organization for the International Studies Program at Virginia Tech and interned for the Center for European Union, Transatlantic, and Trans-European Space Studies (CEUTTSS) while also researching with the Diplomacy Lab. After graduation, Sara will attend the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
What do I do with a major in international relations?
Our program offers a broad liberal arts education, meaning you'll gain critical thinking and writing skills that apply in any field. Our alumni include vice-presidents of major banks, managers in multinational corporations, foreign service officers, civil servants in the Pentagon and United States intelligence agencies, and Peace Corps volunteers. Graduates of this program have also been admitted to some of the most prestigious law and graduate schools in the country. Some common careers of our graduates include:
- Military officers
- Financial consultants
- Political organizers
- Teachers
- Journalists
- Lawyers
- Foreign aid administrators
- Engineers
- Law enforcement
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