Foreign Affairs, B.A.

Universal Curriculum Requirements

To be awarded a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students are required to complete universal curriculum requirements in addition to the program requirements provided below. The school universal curriculum requirements can be found on the school Degree Programs page .

Prerequisites for Declaring the Major

Before declaring the major in Foreign Affairs, students must fulfill the prerequisite requirement by completing at least six credits (two courses) of work in the Politics Department with no grade below C and a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.50 in these Politics courses. When they are ready to declare their major, students should consult the Politics web site and meet with the undergraduate assistant, Sharon Marsh, in Gibson S183.

Program Requirements

The Foreign Affairs major requires 30 credits of course work, as specified below, including the six prerequisite credits. No more than nine credits taken at the 1000-level may be counted toward the major. At least fifteen credits of course work in the department must be earned at the 3000-level and above. At least three of these must be earned at the 4000 or 5000-level. A grade of C or better is necessary in any course counted toward the major. Up to six transfer credits may be counted as Politics courses for the major, and another six towards the Related Course requirement.

In addition, the Foreign Affairs concentration has the following requirements:

The Distribution Requirement: Three credits in each of the following:

1. American Politics
2. Comparative Politics
3. International Relations
4. Political Theory

(Majors should complete this requirement by the end of their third year)

The Track Requirement:

• Students must take nine additional credits in PLCP and/or PLIR.

Electives:

• The remaining nine credits required for the government major may come from departmental offerings in any of the four fields, depending on student interests and objectives.

Related Course Requirement:

• In addition to the 30 credits required in the Department of Politics, 12 credits are required in closely related disciplines, such as history, philosophy, the social sciences, and, in appropriate cases, in other related subjects.
  • No more than six of these credits should be taken at the 1000 and 2000-levels.
    • Students should seek to construct their related course “package” in consultation with their major advisor in such a way that it contributes to their major subject field in as direct a fashion as possible. 
• Batten students with a 2^nd major in Government or Foreign Affairs may not count any politics courses that are fulfilling the 30 credits (distribution, concentration and/or elective credits) toward their Batten special topics requirements.
  • However, Batten major courses can count toward the 12 credits of related coursework for the Government or Foreign Affairs 2^nd major.
    • All Batten students with a Government or Foreign Affairs 2^nd major should consult with the Director of Undergraduate Programs to ensure they are properly fulfilling requirements for both majors. 

Honors Program

The Department of Politics Honors Program is designed for students with an outstanding record of academic achievement. Its curriculum emphasizes the development of reading, writing, and analytical skills through close interaction with faculty in the Department of Politics. The program offers students unusual flexibility and autonomy to pursue their intellectual goals in creative goals.

After being admitted into the program students may elect to take any or all of their courses on an ungraded basis. Application Requirements: Second-year students with strong academic records, enthusiasm for independent research, and an aptitude for critical thought are encouraged to apply during the second semester of their second year. Most students admitted into the program have at least a 3.7 GPA before they enter the program at the beginning of their third year.

Application materials include:

1. Two short essays, each one discussing an idea or issue in politics that the student would like to investigate during your time in the Honors program.
2. A UVA transcript (SIS)
3. Two graded papers preferably from the courses in the Politics Department that demonstrate the student’s analytical capabilities
4. Two letters of recommendation from faculty at the University
5. A resume listing the students’ academic, extra-curricular and employment credentials.

The application deadline is February 16.

Honors Program Curriculum

Beginning in the fall semester of their third year, approximately six students are admitted to the program. Each semester, they take an intensive seminar in one of four subfields:

• American Politics
• Comparative Politics
• International Relations
• Political Theory

Each seminar includes regular assignments to write critical reviews. Faculty tutors provide students with regular construction evaluation of their work. At the end of each semester, faculty tutors submit a detailed, written evaluation of each student’s performance. Each seminar is worth nine credit hours.

During the Spring of their third year, students take an Honors Thesis Workshop. This thesis workshop covers topics such as framing research questions, the strengths and weaknesses of case studies and other research designs in supporting arguments, and assessments of the relative strengths of different approaches to political analysis. By the end of the Spring semester, students are required to complete a prospectus that provides a detailed plan for their research and writing. Students receive three credit hours for completing the Proseminar, which is taken on pass/fail basis.

During their fourth year, students select a faculty advisor for their Honors thesis. Students may receive up to six credit hours for working on their projects. The thesis is due on April 19th. Each year, a faculty committee selects the best thesis for the John White Stevenson Prize which includes a cash award.

In addition to the above requirements, honors students are required to take six elective courses. These may be taken on a Pass-Fail basis or for a grade at the student’s discretion.

Student Evaluations: an outside examining committee is convened by the Honors Program Director. The committee administers written examinations in each of the four subfields and conducts oral exams for all fourth-year students. The committee assesses the results of these exams together with written evaluations for the core seminars and honors theses in deciding the level of honors each student should receive. The committee may award Highest Honors, High Honors, Honors, or pass the student without honors.

For more information on the Politics Honors Program, see the program website https://politics.virginia.edu/honors-program. 

The Distinguished Majors Program

Students of high academic achievement are eligible for the department’s Distinguished Majors Program (DMP). Students completing the program graduate with distinction, high distinction, or highest distinction. A prerequisite of three credits of course work in the department and departmental and University GPA’s of 3.40 or above are required for admission. Students wishing to apply should submit an application form, a statement of interest in the DMP, a copy of their current transcript, and two sealed letters of recommendation from faculty members. Students may apply in the second semester of their third year. The application deadline is April 1.

Additional Information

For more information, contact Sharon Marsh, Assistant to the Undergraduate Director, Department of Politics, S162 Gibson Hall, P.O. Box 400787, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4787; (434) 924-3604; https://politics.virginia.edu