International Relations is not only the most fascinating spectator sport there is... It is also of critical importance to our lives, and the lives of our children. As exciting as a Super Bowl or NBA Finals may be, it doesn't really matter who wins. Who wins in Kosovo or the Persian Gulf, and who comes to power in Moscow, Beijing, or for that matter Washington, matters tremendously.
-- Professor Walter McDougall, Director, International Relations Program
Few majors are as rewarding or flexible as International Relations. Every aspect of commercial and public life is affected by international events. Employers want employees who understand the world. The International Relations Program at Penn is consistently ranked amongst the top programs nationally and widely respected for its selectivity and commitment to excellence. Our interdisciplinary training across history, politics, economics, and regions is highly valued by the commercial and public sectors for its rigorous but practical content and adaptable skills. Our thesis requirement proves your research and analytical skills. An exceptional part of the major's experience is our busy schedule of visiting lectures, recruiting events, instructional simulations, annual trips to New York and D.C., and other extracurricular events. We also host the national honors society (Sigma Iota Rho) for international relations and publish the national peer-reviewed Journal of International Relations. Our graduates easily find jobs at the highest levels in every possible sector from business consulting to foreign service and go on to further training at the best professional and graduate schools.
Make an appointment with a specialist International Relations Program adviser soon - an advising session will help you efficiently plan your coursework and is a prerequisite to declaring the major.
To make an appointment, telephone Donna Shuler, the administrator for the International Relations Program, on: 215 898 0452/3.
Quick Links
Approved Course List for Summer 2009.
Approved Course List for Fall 2009.
International Relations Program Events page.
News
* Sign up now for the Peacekeeping/Stabilization Operation Simulation, a unique real-time, human-digital simulation of the challenges facing governmental and non-governmental organizations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other unstable regions today. The simulation starts on Thursday 23 April 2009 at 6pm. Sign up by emailing co-director Frank Plantan (fplantan@sas.upenn.edu). Further information on this simulation.
* Penn IRP co-sponsored the first Symposium on Convergent National Security Risks to Government and Business on 15 April 2009. See the full schedule and links to related news articles.
Copyright 2007-2009 International Relations Program, University of Pennsylvania Created by: Tomoharu Nishino Last Modified: April 2009 |