May 12, 2026  
2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog

Political and Global Affairs, International Relations Concentration, B.A.


Political and Global Affairs  
615-898-2708
James Chaney, program coordinator
pga@mtsu.edu

The major in Political and Global Affairs, International Relations Concentration, offers courses to open doors around the world. A world language component is required. It is preferable that minors and electives be in world languages, humanities, or social science offerings that significantly contribute to an understanding of economic, geographical, historical, and cultural factors in international relations or in areas that provide students with substantive skills related to a professional environment such as business and computer science. Recommended related courses in social science are ANTH 2010 ; ECON 2410 , ECON 4440 , ECON 4470 GEOG 3420 GEOG 3430 GEOG 4500 HIST 3150 , HIST 4330 HIST 4340 SOC 4511 SOC 4520 . Interdisciplinary minors with a cross-cultural or area studies emphasis are also recommended.

Academic Map


Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Political and Global Affairs, International Relations Concentration, B.A., Academic Map   

Degree Requirements


True Blue Core (TBC) 41 hours
Major Requirements 45 hours*
World Language Requirement 12 hours*
Minor 15-18 hours
Electives 4-16 hours
TOTAL 120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the True Blue Core curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill True Blue Core requirements, the number of elective hours may vary.

True Blue Core (41 hours)


True Blue Core (TBC)  requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in the Foundational Skills areas of Written Communication (WC), Information Literacy (Info Lit), Non-Written Communication (NWC), and Quantitative Literacy (Quant Lit). Knowledge Domains include Human Society and Social Relationships (HSSR), Scientific Literacy (Sci Lit), Creativity and Cultural Expression (CCE), and History and Civic Learning (HCL), which include Discovery and Explorations categories. Students must choose at least one course from each Discovery category.

The following courses required by the program meet True Blue Core requirements:

  • 6 credit hours from GEOG 2000 PS 1005 , or PS 1010  (HSSR)
  • 3 credit hours from foreign language 1010, 1020, 2010, or 2020 (NWC)

Major Requirements (45 hours)


Political Science Electives (6 hours)


World Language Requirement (12 hours)


Students meet this requirement by successfully completing the 2020-level or a higher course in a single world language. Students may take 1010, 1020, 2010, and 2020 in sequence, or they may use the MTSU Language Placement Test to start at the appropriate level. See Bachelor of Arts Degree  for additional details.

Minor (15-18 hours)


Electives (4-16 hours)


Curriculum: Political and Global Affairs, International Relations, B.A.


Freshman


Subtotal: 32 hours


Sophomore


Subtotal: 30 hours


Junior


Subtotal: 30 hours


Senior


  • Political Science electives (see list for options) 6 credit hours
  • Minor courses 9 credit hours
  • Minor course/General elective 3 credit hours
  • History and Civic Learning 3 credit hours
  • General electives 4 credit hours
  • 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 28 hours