ChooseWhy Choose This Program?
Why Study International Relations at Goucher?
The curriculum in international relations is designed to provide a rich and diverse understanding of the character of politics and public policy in communities ranging from the city to the international system. Courses explore both theoretical and practical aspects of politics and the processes by which policies, rules, and political cultures are contested and established.
LearnWhat Will You Learn?
What Will You Learn?
The purposes of the major are threefold: (1) to understand the major analytical perspectives and key concepts used by scholars to study international relations; (2) to use the theoretical literature to analyze global issues and problems; and (3) to engage in a discussion of the complex issues and developments that drive and define contemporary global politics. Learn More
DoWhat Will You Do?
What Will You Do?
Within the context of a liberal arts college, the program gives special attention to preparing students for careers in government, politics, public interest organizations, law, and journalism, as well as providing training useful for those wishing to pursue graduate or professional degrees. Certification for teaching social studies in the secondary schools may be based on a major in political science or international relations. International relations at Goucher seeks to sensitize students to the role of the active citizen who is responsibly assertive in the community.
Course Curriculum
Faculty
Major & Minor Program Contact
Nina Kasniunas, Department Chair, Associate Professor of Political Science
Full-Time & Half-Time Faculty
Julie Chernov Hwang, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations: political
Islam, Islamist political parties, radical Islamism, social movements, terrorism and
disengagement from terrorism, countering violent extremism, conflict and security,
Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Turkey
Amalia Fried Honick, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations: Middle East, international organizations, U.S. foreign policy
Nina Kasniunas, Associate Professor of Political Science
Eric Singer, Professor of Political Science and International Relations: International relations theory, African politics
Study Abroad
By studying abroad, choosing three-week intensive courses led by Goucher faculty or semester programs suited to their academic plans, Goucher international relations students gain a global perspective that enhances their course of study. In fact, students majoring in international relations are normally expected to participate in an approved study-abroad program or international internship.
Visit the Office of Global Education website for more information.
Opportunities & Internships
Special Programs
Hughes Field Politics Center
Funded by an endowment made by the late Judge Sarah T. Hughes '17, the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics was originally founded in the early 1950s under a grant from the Maurice and Laura Falk Foundation. The center sponsors a variety of activities designed to facilitate student involvement in governmental and political affairs. The Hughes Center conducts the Goucher Poll, which surveys citizens across Maryland on the most important political, social, and economic issues of the day.
The center also sponsors a variety of programming to engage students in politics and public discourse.
Internships
Internships help students explore possibilities, apply classroom learning, and gain experience. Explore internships and credit options.
Student Employment
Student employment connects students to both on and off-campus opportunities. The Career Education Office provides resources and support to students with or without Federal Work Study to find jobs, submit applications, and learn more about the job search process. Students have access to Handshake — a website for job postings, events, resumes/cover letters, and career management.
Major & Career Exploration
Exploring career options, choosing a major, and making career decisions is a multi-step process in which all students are encouraged to engage early and often. Goucher students have a variety of resources available through the Majors and Career page to assist them in this process.
Job Search
A Goucher education prepares students for today’s job market and beyond. Students can explore job opportunities and access job search resources through the CEO Job Search page.
Graduate & Professional School
Students access resources for searching and applying to graduate and professional school through the CEO Graduate and Professional School page, through faculty and staff members, or utilizing their own resources, network and tools.
Johns Hopkins Carey Business School 4+1 BA/MS Program
Goucher College and Johns Hopkins Carey Business School are offering Goucher students a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree program. This 4+1 program combines a bachelor’s degree from Goucher with a master of science degree from Johns Hopkins in business analytics and risk management, information systems, health care management, finance, or marketing. Students can apply during their junior year. GRE or GMAT tests have been waived but applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better and have passed some quantitative reasoning courses with a grade of B or better.
Alumni Spotlight
Milena Rodban ’08
Milena Rodban ’08
Read My Story“Goucher offers an interactive learning experience that allows students early on find their voice and give them the confidence to share their ideas, grow, and be a much more proactive participant in their education instead of a passive consumer.”
News
- January 30, 2024
Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations Julie Chernov Hwang has been selected as a 2024-25 Harry Frank Guggenheim Distinguished Scholar. Chernov Hwang will use the fellowship to build a database for conducting research on how ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Indonesia's Jemaah Islamiyah construct terror cells.
- March 15, 2018
Through interviews with current and former leaders and followers of radical Islamist groups in Indonesia, Hwang's book examines why terrorists decide to leave their organizations of terror and how the state can help them reintegrate into nonterrorist society.