Frequently Asked Questions
I took Economics 1110 instead of Economics 0110 (the
prerequisite for ECON1110). Can ECON1110 substitute for the ECON0110 requirement?
No. The point of the economics requirement is to get you to take a macroeconomics course. ECON0110, one of the three core courses, covers micro and macro economics.
ECON1110 focuses only on microeconomics. Therefore, in order to meet the
economics requirement for the IR concentration, students must take either
ECON0110 or ECON1210 (macroeconomics).
I took Advanced Placement exams in European History
and Statistics. Can AP credit count toward concentration requirements?
AP credit does not allow you to waive one of the 11 IR
concentration requirements. Under the old curriculum prior to 2008-2009 an AP score of 5 in European or World History allowed you to replace HIST0200 with an upper-level course in contemporary (19th
or 20th century) history.
Under the new ('08-'09) curriculum, AP scores are irrelevant.
I took POLS1470 without the prerequisite of POLS0400.
Do I still have to take POLS0400?
Yes. POLS0400 is a core course of the IR curriculum and cannot be waived.
All students, including graduating seniors, must successfully complete
POLS0400 in order to graduate in IR.
I do not see a list of electives on the website or in the IR Concentration
Guide. How do I decide on the elective for my IR concentration?
There is no pre-approved list of electives. The elective is designed
to allow you to personalize your program by choosing a course of interest
to you that builds upon your track. The elective should thus contribute to the
coherence of your overall IR program. An elective may come from any of
the disciplines associated with IR. Students typically take additional
track, regional, or IR theory courses (e.g., INTL1300/INTL1350) for electives.
The elective must be upper-level course work, i.e., 1000-level courses.
Note: Language training, performance, and lab courses do not meet the
elective requirement.
How many IR concentration courses can I take
S/NC?
Students are discouraged, although not prevented, from taking concentration
courses S/NC. You should be aware that graduate programs do not look
with favor on S grades, especially in courses in, or related to,
your primary field of study.
Do internships undertaken in the United States
or abroad count for IR concentration credit?
No. The IR Program does not give concentration credit for internships.
While we consider internships to be educational and intellectually rewarding,
we do not confer credit for such work.
Can I use an Independent Study for IR concentration
credit?
Yes. IR concentration credit is permitted for independent study courses
on an individual basis. Such credit is approved by the concentration
advisor or IR Program director beforehand and may be used for elective credit. Concentration credit is not awarded for independent
study courses retroactively. For details on the Independent Study Proposal, please visit this page.
I am a native speaker of a language other than
English. How do I get credit for the IR language requirement?
Native speakers of a language other than English who have a full range
of reading, writing, and conversational skills appropriate for academic
work are not required to pursue additional language study. Many international
students, however, elect to study another language and use this third
language (after the native language and English) to fulfill the IR requirement.
Native speakers not enrolling in language study at Brown must present
to the IR concentration advisor one of the following:
- a high school transcript of all courses indicating the language of instruction
was a language other than English. Speaking the language at home with
family is not sufficient to meet the IR language requirement.
OR
- an email from a Brown professor stating, based on whatever means
the faculty member should choose, that the student has the equivalent
of 3 years of university language instruction covering all three areas
of competency as stipulated by the IR
language requirement.
I am interested in taking a senior seminar in another
department. May I substitute that seminar for an INTL1800?
While the IR Program encourages students to take seminars in other
departments, only IR Program seminars or those officially on the IR X-LIST fulfill the INTL1800 concentration
requirement. See IR seminars.
I am a double concentrator with International Relations.
How many courses can I double-count, i.e., use for both concentrations?
You may double-count a total of two courses with IR. The IR core courses are included in that count. For example, if
you are counting ECON0110 toward your IR and Economics concentrations,
you may double-count only one more course (typically ECON1620).
I plan to study abroad my junior year. How many
courses may I apply toward my IR concentration?
You may apply 2 courses per semester, for a maximum of 3 courses, toward the IR concentration. Concentration credit is contingent
upon satisfactory course content, student performance, and final approval
by the IR concentration advisor. Abroad credit may fulfill the IR Regional or elective requirements. Abroad credit may also fulfill one semester of the language requirement with the approval of the language department and the IR concentration advisor. See Study
Abroad: Obtaining Concentration Credit.
How do I obtain IR concentration credit for courses taken abroad?
Obtaining concentration credit for courses taken during your junior
year abroad is a two-step process requiring preliminary approval of
your course selection before you go and final approval when you return
to Brown with your coursework. All students, including those on Brown-run
programs, must obtain formal concentration approval. If you fail to
obtain formal concentration approval, you will not be able to count
your study abroad toward the IR concentration and will instead have
to fulfill concentration requirements with courses taken at Brown. For
details, see Study Abroad:
Obtaining Concentration Credit.
I am a transfer student. How many credits from
another U.S. university can I apply toward the IR concentration?
Brown determines the number of transfer credits it accepts when you
are admitted as a transfer student. But the IR Program decides how to
apply your transfer credits toward the IR concentration. In order that
your degree be truly a Brown experience, we require that at least 8 of the 11 requirements of your IR concentration courses be completed with coursework at Brown.
In addition, you should be sure that your transfer courses
fulfill the right combination of IR courses (e.g., seminar, distribution
within the concentration, 1000-level courses). Note: The IR Program cannot apply transfer credit toward the concentration until it appears
on your Brown transcript.
How can I be certain that I've completed the IR concentration
requirements for graduation?
The fall semester of your senior year (your seventh semester), you
should revise your concentration form to verify completion of IR concentration
requirements for graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure
that he or she has met all of the requirements for the IR concentration.
Revision of the concentration form is mandatory. If you do not revise your concentration form, the concentration advisor cannot sign you off for graduation.
To revise the concentration form
- complete page one of the Declaration of Concentration form, including
any changes in your IR courses and study abroad credit previously
approved by the concentration advisor.
- meet with the concentration advisor for final approval
and signature.
I am interested in applying to the honors program,
but I will be studying abroad during the spring semester of my junior
year. Can I apply when I return in the fall?
No. All students, whether on the Brown campus or abroad, must meet the application deadline.
Students studying abroad during the spring semester may submit an application
by email or fax to the IR concentration advisor. Applications are available
from the IR Program office or the IR Program web site in Microsoft
Word or PDF. Students who are abroad are responsible for having their primary
thesis advisor send an email, confirming your course preparation for the proposed topic and their willingness to serve as thesis
advisor for the student’s senior year, to the IR concentration
advisor by the application deadline. Late applications are not accepted.
I am an IR double concentrator and am considering
the IR Honors Program. Can I use the senior thesis I am writing for my
second concentration for my IR concentration?
No. The IR Honors Program does not accept a thesis submitted for another
concentration. Likewise, an IR thesis may not be used as a senior thesis in another department.
I am a mid-year graduate. Can I still be in the Honors Program?
Yes. Mid-year students follow the same application and thesis submission deadlines as May graduates. This means that you take the mandatory INTL1910 thesis preparation seminar in the fall (as a second semester junior) and complete the thesis in the spring (as a first semester senior). Mid-year graduates do not have an extra semester to finish the thesis.
Does the IR Program offer a graduate degree in international
relations?
No. The IR Program at Brown does not offer graduate studies. However,
Brown offers a Ph.D. in international relations through the Department
of Political Science. A Masters degree and Ph.D. are also offered
in Development
Studies.
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