School of Diplomacy and International Relations
Proposal for a Revised Undergraduate Curriculum
Fall 2013
The faculty of the School of Diplomacy has approved a substantial revision of its undergraduate
curriculum and respectfully submits the proposal to the Academic Policy Committee for
consideration. In comparison to the previous undergraduate curriculum, the School is cutting six
courses currently required (one required course, one Diplomacy elective, and four courses
resulting from the institution of choice for students) and putting one back in (DIPL 3800,
Investigating International Relations). The revision will require no new resources. The revised
curriculum would accomplish a number of goals. First, by reducing the required number of
undergraduate courses for a B.S. in Diplomacy and International Relations, our students would
have the ability to take more courses elsewhere in the University, allowing them to double major
and minor more easily. We believe many more of our students would be inclined to take
advantage of the opportunity to double-major or minor under the proposed curriculum. Second,
the proposed curriculum allows for greater choice and flexibility for students by letting them
choose many of their courses in various categories. Our current curriculum requires all students
to take the same courses. Students have requested both of these features—increased freedom
and flexibility—in their responses to surveys we have conducted.
A summary of the revised School of Diplomacy curriculum is included below. In brief, the
proposed curriculum re-arranges and reduces the number of Diplomacy courses we are offering
(from the current total of twenty-one) to sixteen in four main categories. The first category,
involving required Core Courses, includes seven courses in politics, law, economics,
research/writing, and professional development. The second category, Focus Courses, includes
six further courses in three main areas, two in each. The three areas are International Relations,
Cooperation and Law, and Economics and Development. The third category, Diplomacy
Electives, includes two courses and is designed to allow each student to further specialize in
diplomacy areas of their choice. Finally, the fourth category, University Core, includes one
course, the University Core Signature 3 Course, which can be satisfied by designated cross-listed
Diplomacy courses. Diplomacy students also need to complete required University courses and
to meet a foreign language requirement; these requirements are unchanged from the previous
curriculum.
I. CORE COURSES
(course #) Courses
(1.) DIPL 1711: International Relations
(2.) DIPL 3104: Public International Law
(3.) DIPL 4555: Economic Aspects of Int. Relations
(4.) DIPL 3800: Investigating Int. Relations
(5.) DIPL 4101: Research Project
(6.) DIPL 4111: Senior Leadership Internship
(7.) DIPL XXXX: Practicum/Study Abroad
Areas/Skills
POLITICS
LAW
ECONOMICS
RESEARCH/WRITING SKILLS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
II. FOCUS COURSES
International Relations
(8. & 9.)
DIPL 2103:
History of Diplomacy
DIPL 2101:
Ethnopolitical Landscapes
DIPL 2110:
Comparative Foreign
Policy
DIPL 2120:
International Security
III. DIPL ELECTIVES
(14. & 15.)
IV. UNIVERSITY CORE
(16.) Signature 3
Cooperation and Law
(10. & 11.)
DIPL 2109:
Institutions of Global
Governance
DIPL 3150:
Human Security
DIPL 4106:
Human Rights Law and
Policy
DIPL 4115 or 4183:
Negotiation and Conflict
Management
Economics and Development
(12. & 13.)
DIPL 3201:
Sustainable Development
DIPL 4108:
International Political
Economy
DIPL 4170:
Topics in Economic
Development
DIPL 4556:
Financial Aspects of Int.
Relations