Important: This degree plan is effective for those starting this degree program in fall 2024 through summer 2025. This degree plan will remain in effect for students who do not break enrollment or who do not change degree programs, concentrations, or cognates.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Courses
INTL 500	Fundamentals of International Relations	3
INTL 502	Global Governance	3
PPOG 506	Introduction to Geopolitics and International Diplomacy	3
PPOG 641	U.S. Middle East Foreign Policy	3
PPOL 650	International Law, Policy, and Politics	3
PPOL 652	U.S. Foreign Policy and Sovereignty Issues	3
PSCI 600	Comparative Politics	3
Total Hours		21

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Chinese Strategic Thought Cognate
PPOG 667	Chinese Foreign Policy	3
PPOG 668	Chinese and Western Strategic Thought	3
PPOG 669	Chinese Grand Strategy	3
Total Hours		9

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Thesis or Elective Courses 1,2
INTL 688	Thesis Proposal	3
INTL 689	Thesis Research 3	3
INTL 690	Thesis Defense 4	0
Total Hours		6

¹

Choose from the following courses: Any 500-600 level course offered by the Helms School of Government. Other 500-600 level courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis

²

Students may take two elective courses¹ instead of INTL 688, INTL 689, & INTL 690.

³

While INTL 689 may be taken more than once, only one enrollment in the course will be permitted to count toward degree requirements

⁴

Any thesis student who is not ready for enrollment in INTL 690 after completing INTL 689 may be required, as determined by the student’s thesis chair, to repeat INTL 689 until deemed ready for enrollment in INTL 690

All applicable prerequisites must be met

Graduation Requirements

• Complete 36 hours
• A maximum of 50% of the program hours may be transferred if approved and allowable, including credit from an earned degree from Liberty University on the same academic level
• 3.0 GPA
• No more than two grades of C may be applied to the degree (includes grades of C+ & C-)
• No grade of D or below may be applied to the degree (includes grades of D+ & D-)
• Degree must be completed within 5 years
• Submission of Degree Completion Application must be completed within the last semester of a student’s anticipated graduation date

Program Offered in Online Format

Plan of Study Grid

First Semester		Hours
INTL 500	Fundamentals of International Relations	3
PPOG 506	Introduction to Geopolitics and International Diplomacy	3
PPOG 667	Chinese Foreign Policy	3
	Hours	9
Second Semester
PPOG 641	U.S. Middle East Foreign Policy	3
PPOL 650	International Law, Policy, and Politics	3
PSCI 600	Comparative Politics	3
	Hours	9
Third Semester
INTL 502	Global Governance	3
PPOL 652	U.S. Foreign Policy and Sovereignty Issues	3
PPOG 668	Chinese and Western Strategic Thought	3
	Hours	9
Fourth Semester
INTL 688	Thesis Proposal	3
INTL 689	Thesis Research 1,2,3	3
INTL 690	Thesis Defense 2,3	0
PPOG 669	Chinese Grand Strategy	3
	Hours	9
	Total Hours	36

¹

While INTL 689 may be taken more than once, only one enrollment in the course will be permitted to count toward degree requirements.

²

Any student who is not ready for enrollment in INTL 690 after completing INTL 689 may be required, as determined by the student's thesis chair, to repeat INTL 689 until deemed ready for enrollment in INTL 690.

³

Students may take two elective courses⁴ instead of INTL 688, INTL 689, and INTL 690. 

⁴

Choose from the following courses: Any 500-600 level course offered by the Helms School of Government. Other 500-600 level courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.