Is international relations a hard major?
Is International Relations a Hard Major?
International Relations (IR) can be considered a challenging major, but whether it is "hard" depends on your interests, aptitudes, and background. Here are some key points to consider:
- Interdisciplinary Nature: IR combines politics, history, economics, law, and sometimes sociology or anthropology. This requires students to become comfortable with multiple perspectives and analytical frameworks.
- Reading and Writing Intensive: The major typically involves a significant amount of reading, research, and essay writing. Students analyze complex global issues and must articulate their arguments clearly.
- Critical Thinking: Courses require strong critical thinking and the ability to synthesize diverse information. You'll need to evaluate sources, understand theories, and apply them to real-world events.
- Language Skills: Many IR programs encourage or require proficiency in a foreign language, which can be an additional challenge for some students.
- Quantitative Skills: Some programs include statistics or economics, adding a quantitative element to the curriculum.
Is It Right for You? If you enjoy keeping up with current events, debating global issues, and have strong reading and writing skills, you may find IR intellectually stimulating rather than overwhelmingly difficult. Like many humanities and social science majors, the "difficulty" is subjective and depends on your strengths and interests.