Program Requirements

About the major

International Affairs is an interdisciplinary major designed to provide Mercer students with the basic tools and information required to develop an appreciation for an increasingly interdependent and complex global environment. All courses in this program have an international focus with emphasis on the interplay between domestic and international conditions. This major allows students to gain an understanding about, and appreciation for, other cultures and global issues, actors, and trends; prepare for international careers or graduate specialized training in international studies; and enrich the Mercer experience and curriculum by emphasizing international issues.

The International Affairs major requires 48-59 semester hours, including a foreign language sequence and international practicum. The international practicum requirement may be fulfilled by participating in at least one simulation conference — such as Model Arab League, Model United Nations, or Model World Health Organization — and completing one of the following:

  • Mercer On Mission experience pre-approved by the International and Global Studies Department chair
  • Traditional semester-long study abroad
  • International, or internationally oriented, internship approved by the International and Global Studies Department chair
  • Faculty-led short-term study abroad organized by the International and Global Studies Department
  • Community service of 80 hours or more approved by the International and Global Studies Department chair

About the minor

A minor in International Affairs consists of 18 semester credit hours and successful participation in Model United Nations, Model Arab League, Model World Health Organization, or a global awareness project on or off campus approved by the International Affairs director.

Departmental honors

The Department of International and Global Studies, of which the International Affairs program is a part, encourages its students to deepen their knowledge of the field through its departmental honors program. Eligible students will have the opportunity to explore various topics and problems in international studies that are of particular interest to them, to work more closely with departmental faculty, and to develop skills in research and thesis preparation. To be eligible for departmental honors, a student must:

  • Be a declared major in Global Development Studies, Global Health Studies, and/or International Affairs
  • Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.3
  • Have a cumulative major grade point average of at least 3.50
  • Write a thesis that is approved by a faculty member of the department, with a grade of at least B. This is achieved by enrolling in IGS 402 (Senior Project). The thesis is expected to be an extended, original, coherent work of scholarship on an issue of relevance in the field of international studies.