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School of Law and Political Sciences

Bachelor of arts in International Relations

Hybrid
96 credits
For students entering the program at the Sophomore level
(holders of a recognized Baccalaureate or Freshman diploma - equivalent to 30 credits)

Courses

General Education
Artistic Discovery
3 credits
Career Management
3 credits
Digital Literacy and Information Technology
3 credits
Effective Thinking and Quantitative Reasoning
3 credits
English Communication
3 credits
Humanities, Ethics, and Civilizations
3 credits
Intercultural and Religious Fluency
3 credits
Lebanese History and Legacy
3 credits
Psychology and Social Behavior
3 credits
Sciences and Health
3 credits
Common Core
DRG210.1General Constitutional Law
3 credits
The course presents the concepts of constitutional law based on two main ideas: authority and freedom. This vision is founded according to the bodies constituting the public powers, their functions, and relationships between each other and with the governed population.
POL226Political Economy
3 credits
This course aims at introducing students to the different theories of political economy and the study of the political economy of states around the world. Students will learn about the relationship between globalization and international political economy, and how it affects the political economy of states, in addition to discussing the different regional economic integration needs around the world. The course will also introduce students to the relationship between large aggregates: GDP, consumption, unemployment, gross fixed capital formation, export, and import to one another and to the state welfare system.
POL334Political Regimes of Arab Countries
3 credits
This course reveals the dominant features that constitute the characteristics of political regimes in the various Arab countries by comparing their respective constitutions.
POL224Political Science Method
3 credits
This course trains students on two levels: linguistic and reflexive. Its objective is to prepare students for the rigorous study in the Bachelor program. It aims to assist students in learning the working methods of political science. Several methodological tools will be taught for this purpose: linguistically, analysis and summaries of texts adapted to different areas of political science, lecture notes, presentations and oral argument, and on the reflexive level, mastery of techniques of dissertation writing, so students can learn to differentiate between personal thinking and personal opinion, engage in synthetic reflection, and present a mini­dissertation “research” applying the methods learned throughout the semester. This course is meant to be participative and students are advised to take this course at the beginning of their degree program.
SPO431Principles of law
3 credits
The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the basic legal principles of law applied in Lebanon, with an emphasis on civil law, the penal code, and the commercial code, etc.
POL213Theories of International Relations
3 credits    |    Pre-requisite: LFR120
Beyond any theoretical perspective, this course presents the current state of international relations following the fall of communism; emphasizing the new world order, globalization, the role of the United States and its reappraisal.
Specialization
RIN431Diplomatic and Consular Law
3 credits    |    Pre-requisite: DRG300.1
This course is about the organization of diplomatic and consular posts, and the immunities and privileges attached to it according to the Vienna Conventions.
POL331European Union: History, Organization and Political Challenges
3 credits
This course covers the history of the European Union and the political and economic context of its foundation. It deals with its organization, its institutions, its political issues, particularly those of its foreign policy, its economic power, etc. It addresses geographical, cultural, religious and linguistic features and their role in the formation of the European Union and in its enlargement. It focuses on the Euromed project that encompasses the countries of the European Union and the Mediterranean.
RIN441Existing and Emerging World Powers
3 credits
This course covers the political and economic issues of world powers: the United States, France, Britain, Germany, and Russia. It also addresses the emerging world powers: China, India, Brazil, and South Africa. 
POL336History of Political Thought
3 credits
This course covers the history of political thought, from ancient times to contemporary history. Particular attention is paid to concepts such of democracy, citizenship, the birth of the states, revolutionary movements, liberalism, socialism and conservatism.
DRG225International Public Law
3 credits    |    Pre-requisite: DRG240.1
This course enables students to learn about the subjects of international law and their legal status; such as, states, organizations, and private persons, and the sources of international law; such as, treaties, customs, general principles, unilateral acts, jurisprudence, etc. The course also discusses the general questions of international law, i.e. questions of law making, sovereignty, jurisdiction, responsibility, enforcement, the settlement of disputes, and specific topics such as the use of force.
POL340Internship and simulation
3 credits
This course introduces students to the conduct of political training and research using simulation technique, game theory methods and internship in appropriate institutions submitting report at its accomplishment. This will be done in the context of specific political and IR research activities like public opinion surveys, voting behavior, decision making systems, comparisons of political processes in different countries, and the evaluation of public policies making. Students participate in joint class projects and conduct individual projects. This course will be divided in two parts: internship and simulation.
RIN210Introduction to Comparative Politics
3 credits
The main goal of this course is to provide students with the necessary analytical tools to understand the relevance of the State as a political institution. The first part of the course will be focused on the theoretical approaches to understand how important is the State for the political game (Hans Kelsen, Hermann Heller, and Carl Schmitt). The second part of this course will be addressed to the presentation and explanation of the evolution registered by the State, Constitution, and Declaration of Rights. Finally, the course will present the political game between Government and Parliament to understand how these two can affect the political process and policies.
SPO451Lebanon’s Political Regime
3 credits
SPO442Negotiations and Conflict Resolutions
3 credits
This course is of practical nature, intended to prepare students to address the different forms of international negotiations: individual diplomatic negotiations, labor delegations, international trade negotiations, how to resolve political, ethnic, community, and economic conflicts. This education is provided by practitioners in the field, such as diplomats and international businessmen.
POL335Politics and Mass Media
3 credits
Political power remains voiceless or even nonexistent if it does not communicate with the masses, and it is put in danger if it communicates poorly. At its worst it can become autocratic, communicating one way. This course is responding to the question of how to call upon mass communication without manipulating which, this is the policy issue in democracy and the main focus of this course.
RIN452Regional and International Organizations
3 credits
This course offers an historical overview of international organizations since 1944, and tries to establish a classification system of these organizations depending on their competences, structures and missions on the level of international or regional organization, cooperation or integration. The course will particularly focus on the Arab League and specific UN organizations.
RIN443The Arab­Israeli Conflict
3 credits
This course considers the history of the Arab­Israeli conflict since the founding of the State of Israel and its impact on the regional and international political map, including: the interference of international powers in this conflict, the political contexts of the wars of 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, and the process of peace (the peace conference in Madrid, the Oslo Accords, and the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan), the problem of the Golan Heights and the Shebaa Farms.
POL226Theories of International Relations
3 credits    |    Pre-requisite: POL224
Beyond any theoretical perspective, this course presents the current state of international relations following the fall of communism; emphasizing the new world order, globalization, the role of the United States, and its reappraisal.
RIN442Transnational Movements and Non-State Actors in World Politics
3 credits
This course deals with movements that do not position themselves necessarily under the traditional influence of the states, whether NGOs, lobbies, or Diasporas, all of which seem to obey their own logic. This class mainly attempts to explain their recent development, especially through international social movements, in the field of environmental protection and the phenomenon of globalization.
RIN444Water and Energy Issues in Regional Politics
3 credits
This course considers the issue of waters and rivers in Turkey and in the Middle East, international and interstate conventions and agreements concerning water, strategies and regional water conflicts, large water projects established and executed in the region, the water needs of states and water projects in Lebanon.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Political and Administrative Sciences is to train students in the theories, applications, and methods to analyze main contemporary issues that shape the relations between state and non-state actors. The department offers a solid formation on how the practices of international relations shape who gets what and how, and who is who in the international political system. This tailored formation enables students to understand the main diplomatic interactions and the modalities of foreign policy, rivalries, and alliances formation. Its program emphasizes a strong understanding of the main strategies within power competition, geopolitical dynamics, and the linkage between different subfields of political science, international relations, geopolitics, and security studies, among others. As such, the program focuses on the following topics:
  • the role of state actors non-state actors.
  • international, diplomatic, and constitutional law.
  • the theories of international relations and geopolitics.
  • geopolitical competition between regional powers and great powers.
  • main contemporary challenges (such as hyper-globalization, terrorism, climate change, energy insecurity, and migrations).

Program Educational Objectives

Program aims for students include:
1. a deep understanding of the foundations of international relations and the inter-relationship between countries.
2. a strong comprehension of the theoretical foundations of foreign policy analysis, geopolitics, and international organizations.
3. a strong ability to research, write, and analyze modern and contemporary international issues (such as the challenges of globalization, regional dynamics of the Middle East, geopolitical risk analysis, international security, and terrorism).
4. a strong background in international affairs to pursue a diplomatic career by preparing students to sit for the diplomatic exam of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.
5. strong competencies in negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution.

Program Outcomes

Students who complete the full requirements for a BA in International Relations will be able to:
1. analyze and dissect key international issues in addition to fully understanding how state and non-state actors interact.
2. write coherent and structured papers on modern international issues by using the theoretical foundations of international relations, foreign policy, and geopolitics.
3. efficiently use a comparative approach to contemporary global political issues.
4. understand and explore the institutional foundations of Western and non-Western political thought.
5. engage internationally, study abroad, or obtain an internship that enhances inter-cultural relationships and strengthens global citizenship.
Holy Spirit University of Kaslik
Tel.: (+961) 9 600 000
Fax : (+961) 9 600 100
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