Mission

The Minor in Political Science & International Affairs supports LAU’s mission, vision and values in its commitment to education with a strong liberal arts foundation and a continuous improvement in the overall quality of teaching, research, writing and educational service. The intent of the program is to advance an academic understanding of contemporary political science and international affairs and address its complexities.

Program Objectives

The purpose of the Minor in Political Science & International Affairs is to:

1. enhance the political and global knowledge of students who are not majoring in political science/international affairs,
2. prepare students for the job market by adding to their majors a minor in political science/international affairs,
3. enhance students’ research and writing skills through active learning and the promotion of critical thinking.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Minor in Political Science & International Affairs, students should be able to:

1. identify the nature of government processes, the function of political systems, the structures and roles of institutions and constitutions,
2. apply academic theories and concepts of international relations and relate them to contemporary global issues,
3. demonstrate ability to analyze ethical complexity and act ethically in professional and academic environments, and
4. describe the interrelationship among the historical, political, economic, cultural, and geographic dimensions in political science and international affairs.

Curriculum

For a Minor in Political Science and International Affairs, a student must complete a total of 18 credits, distributed as follows:

• Core Requirements (9 credits)
• Elective Requirements (9 credits)

Core Requirements (9 credits)

• POL201 Introduction to Political Science (3 cr.)
• POL222 Comparative Political Systems (3 cr.)
• POL240 Concepts of World Politics (3 cr.)

Elective Requirements (9 credits)

• POL203 Governments & Politics of Lebanon (3 cr.)
• POL210 Introduction to Political Thought (3 cr.)
• POL252 Fundamentals of Conflict Resolution (3 cr.)
• POL312 Politics of the Developing Areas (3 cr.)
• POL321 American Government and Politics (3 cr.)
• POL322 Foreign Policy of the Major Powers (3 cr.)
• POL323 Middle East Governments & Politics (3 cr.)
• POL331 International Organization (3 cr.)
• POL332 Public International Law (3 cr.)
• POL335 Politics of Multiculturalism (3 cr.)
• POL346 International Political Economy (3 cr.)
• POL357 Globalization & Political Change (3 cr.)
• POL422 The Middle East in World Affairs (3 cr.)
• POL426 Politics of the European Union (3 cr.)
• POL432 Diplomatic & Consular Service (3 cr.)
• POL437 Topics in Political Science/International Affairs (3 cr.)

Extracurricular Activities

The program encourages students to get involved in a large variety of extracurricular activities. Students with a Minor in Political Science and International Affairs have the opportunity to participate in the Harvard World Model United Nations simulation held each year in a different country where they learn and practice political and diplomatic skills that will be valuable in their future careers. Testimonials from the Harvard World MUN participants state that their involvement in this prestigious international activity was one of the most important in their whole undergraduate career.

Also, students with a Minor in Political Science and International Affairs have the opportunity to participate in conferences, workshops, simulations and lectures organized by the school, department and affiliated institutes and centers, especially the Institute for Social Justice and Conflict Resolution and the Institute for Migration Studies.