International Relations

International relations have had a profound impact on the world in which we live. While international relations sometimes seem remote and rarified - diplomats sending dispatches to their home governments and summit meetings between heads of government - they are a part of people's daily consciousness and experience. Canadian peacekeepers in Afghanistan; global warming; nuclear weapons testing in North Korea; global initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS; earthquakes in South America; the World Wide Web; spring break in the Dominican Republic; SARS; the dizzying price of filling your gas tank: in the 21st century people around the world are connected in so many ways. These kinds of connections have long existed - although not always in such an instantaneous or intensive way - in an international environment marked by conflict, cooperation, and change.

The Honours Specialization in International Relations examines the connections between peoples and states in historical and contemporary contexts. It is an interdisciplinary program - unique in Canada - between Political Science and History. It is also a rigorous program for high achieving students. The study of international relations prepares students for careers in the field of international relations, including international development, international law, foreign affairs reporting, and the foreign service.

Graduates of the International Relations Program

Students graduating from the International Relations Program have gone on to study in post-graduate programs in law, journalism, history, public history, political science, development studies, security studies, global migration, and global studies. They attend universities in Canada, the United States, and Great Britain and have been the recipients of prestigious grants and awards.

Two of recent graduates of the International Relations program (Aaron Joshua Pinto and Nicholas Schiavo) were recently featured in Open Canada's future foreign policymakers 2018. Read more about it here.