B.A. International Affairs (extended major)

To earn this degree, you must complete at least 120 units of coursework, which we describe in the sections that follow:  

Be aware that some courses required for your degree may have prerequisites that you must also take. Check the courses in the appropriate subject. (You may be able to count these prerequisites toward your liberal studies or general elective credit.)  

 

Please note that you must complete NAU’s diversity requirements by taking two 3-unit courses, one in ethnic diversity and one in global awareness. These courses may be used to meet other requirements within your academic plan if you choose them carefully. Click here for a list of the available diversity courses.

 

Also be aware that NAU requires that at least 30 units of the courses you take for your degree must be upper-division courses (those numbered 300 and above).  

 

Finally, please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement; however, you must still meet the total of at least 120 units to graduate. Contact your advisor for details.  

Major Requirements  

You must complete 54 units of coursework from Politics and International Affairs and related fields, as described in the sections that follow.  

 

If you take individualized coursework (up to 6 units in POS 408, 485, and 497), you must obtain prior written approval from your faculty advisor. You may only use individualized coursework with a course prefix other than POS in exceptional circumstances, with your advisor’s prior approval; any such coursework counts toward the 6-unit maximum for individualized coursework. If you take more than 6 units of individualized coursework, they will count in general elective credit.  

 

Finally be aware that we won’t count a grade of D for major credit. Although we don’t require that you retake a required course in which you earn a D, you must complete 54 units in the major with a grade of C or better in order to graduate.  

Required Core  

You take the following 18 units:  

Politics and International Affairs Component  

You take the following 15 units:   

Please note that you may request permission from your advisor to use a different junior writing course (one with a W at the end of the course number) to meet NAU’s junior writing requirement. To do so, you must provide good cause, obtain your advisor’s written permission in advance, and take another upper-division POS course to substitute for POS 301W.  

Elective Component  

You select 15 units from the following courses, with no more than 6 units in any one subject category:   

Foreign Language Component  

You take 6 units of foreign language at the 300 or 400 level. Please note that if you major in both international affairs and a modern language, this 6-unit requirement is waived, thus reducing the units required for your major. In other words, you don’t need to replace the 6 waived units with additional coursework.   

Language Requirement  

You must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language that is equivalent to four terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or by testing out of all or part of it by taking CLEP exams arranged by NAU’s Counseling and Testing Center. Click here for more information.

General Electives  

Additional coursework is required, if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.  

 

You may take these remaining courses from any academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you. (Please note that you may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren’t used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.)  

 

Click here for more information about Politics and International Affairs  undergraduate courses and Faculty.