Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular term. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the MyBU Student Portal for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• CAS IR 591: Political Economy of Gender Inequality
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing; or consent of instructor. - Gender inequality is an enduring social phenomenon, despite variation over time and place. This course analyzes the political, economic, and social dimensions of gender inequality. It follows a comparative approach, focusing particularly on empirical analysis while also addressing fundamental normative issues of fairness. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Social Inquiry II
• CAS IR 592: Economic Development and International Institutions
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor. - Examines the role of international institutions in economic development. Analyzes how development- related international institutions makes rules and affect national policy choices. Applies those lessons to concrete policy challenges, including possibilities for institutional reform.
• CAS IR 593: Technology and Economic Inclusion in the Developing World
  How can firms and governments use new technologies to provide clean energy, drinking water, and other services to rural and frontier communities in the developing world? The course investigates how rural communities, particularly those without access to formal and other services, manage their money, provide energy and other services they need, and general live their lives. We will then examine how firms and governance can design products, governance mechanisms, and policies which can most effectively tap into such communities. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Social Inquiry II
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• CAS IR 594: Global Environmental Negotiation and Policy
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Provides an overview of key actors, issues, and treaties in global environmental governance, paying particular attention to historical and contemporary differences in perspectives and interests of industrialized and developing countries. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
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  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Social Inquiry II
• CAS IR 596: Globalization and Contemporary Capitalism in Advanced Industrialized Nations
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Considers the impact of globalization on advanced industrialized nations. Explores global and regional governance of finance, trade, and multinationals. Examines changes in national economic practices in Europe, Asia, and the US, and their effects on jobs, inequality, welfare, and democracy.
• CAS IR 597: Development and Environment in Latin America
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASIR292 OR CASIR590 OR CASEE100) and junior standing or consent of instructor. - (Meets with CAS GE 597.) Provides an empirically based understanding of the social and environmental aspects of economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) for purposes of analyzing the numerous trade and development policies that nations in LAC are currently considering.
• CAS IR 600: Topics in Global Policy
  Examines contemporary global issues, based on sustained investigation of case studies and practical application of general principles. May be repeated for credit if topics are different. Range of topics include development, public health, human security, governance, and ethics of public policy. One topic is offered during Fall 2024. Section A1: Terrorism and Targeted Violence. Terrorism and targeted violence dominate the headlines, but few attempt to think critically about the origins and evolution. This discussion-based course will introduce students to the study of terrorism and targeted violence, and new thinking about prevention and rehabilitation
• CAS IR 601: Fundamentals of International Relations
  Offers a rigorous introduction to the basic concepts of international relations, including analytical approaches, state system and non-state actors, international legal principles, diplomatic practice, and international ethics. Emphasizes history, case study, and practical application. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered GRS IR 701.
• CAS IR 602: Quantitative Analysis for Global Affairs
  Introduces international affairs practitioners to statistical reasoning through hands-on practice using real social, political and policy data. Covers key principles and methods of multivariate statistics for public policy analysis. Addresses interactions between quantitative reasoning, international policy analysis, and decision-making. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course entitled "Research Methods for International Relations Practitioners" that was previously numbered GRS IR 702.
• CAS IR 603: Economics for Global Policy
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: graduate standing in the Pardee School or consent of instructor. - Surveys key economic theories, trends, tools, and debates that affect international affairs. Thematic focus includes: stability and growth, global inequality, and global climate change. Covers theory and history, statistical analysis, case studies, and political economy applications.
• CAS IR 604: Negotiation and Diplomacy
  Graduate Prerequisites: graduate standing in the Pardee School or consent of instructor. - Investigates building blocks and challenges of diplomacy, with special emphasis on negotiation. Addresses history, legal underpinnings, infrastructure, and practice of diplomacy. Provides a foundation in principles and practice of negotiation, with focus on dynamics of diplomatic negotiations, using hands-on exercises.
• CAS IR 605: Global Policy Analysis
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: graduate standing in the Pardee School or consent of instructor. - Investigates how public policy is made and implemented at global level, as well as global impacts on local policy. Surveys academic literature and case studies in environment, development, and public health. Ends with team project on real-world policy problem.
• CAS IR 606: Global Economic & Development Policy
  Introduces international affairs practitioners to statistical reasoning through hands-on practice using real social, political and policy data. Covers key principles and methods of multivariate statistics for public policy analysis. Addresses interactions between quantitative reasoning, international policy analysis, and decision making. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered GRS IR 704.
• CAS IR 626: NGO Management and Leadership
  Examines roles and methods of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in social change and international development. Reviews theory and practice of NGOs in development, NGO strategies, and internal management. Students will engage directly with international development NGOs. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • The Individual in Community
  • Social Inquiry II
• CAS IR 630: Money, Guns, and Power
  (Meets with CAS PO 569.) What is the relationship between money and war? This course explores the relationship between money, guns, and power through the lens of American and European military spending and through larger theoretical conversations on the concept of power.
• CAS IR 653: Forced Migration and Human Trafficking: Virtual Policy Incubator
  Causes and impact of forced migration and human trafficking. Role of conflict and state formation; emergence of international human rights and domestic asylum laws; role of international organizations, private sector and security forces in both combating and enabling human trafficking.
• CAS IR 661: American Grand Strategy
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Traces the United States' engagement in world affairs by evaluating U.S. grand strategy - its theory of how to 'create' security for itself in an often-threatening world. Using history and theory, identifies changes in U.S. strategy and evaluates policies today. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course.
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  • Social Inquiry II
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS IR 680: Political Economy of Human Development
  Examines human development in low- and middle-income countries from applied economics perspective. Topics include: (1) economic growth, inequality, and poverty; (2) health, nutrition, and education; (3) agriculture, environment, and resource management; and (4) social and political factors in economic development. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Quantitative Reasoning II
  • Social Inquiry II
• CAS IR 695: Internship in Global Studies
  Graduate Prerequisites: successful completion of the application process and acceptance into a n internship. - This course complements an internship opportunity outside of Boston University. Provides a framework for understanding the relationship between academic studies, pre-professional development, and work experiences. Emphasizes the link between academic and career goals. Course is repeatable for credit for a maximum total of 4 credits, of which only 2 can be counted toward the major.
• CAS IR 700: Topics in International Relations
  Examines various aspects of international relations. May be repeated for credit if topics are different. Topic for Fall 2023: Section A1: Contracting for Next Generation Technology. What contracts and other governance arrangements do we need for new services which are emerging such as Amazon, Uber and beyond? This course draws on contract theory, engineering economics, and other new fields of economics to answer this question.