Since its founding, the United States has played a central role in shaping the larger international political order. American victories in World War I, World War II and the Cold War coupled with its support for democracy and open global markets stand at the heart of this legacy. At the same time, external pressures in the form of war, globalization and the spread of transnational ideological movements have stressed American institutions and shaped an evolving American national identity. This course explores this mutually interactive relationship by examining the making of American foreign policy over the past two centuries more broadly. It explores such topics as American entry into World Wars I and II, the role of Congress in foreign policy making, the construction of the national security state in the twentieth century, competing partisan conceptions of America’s national interest, the Cold War, nuclear deterrence and proliferation, territorial expansion, trade liberalization, nation building, humanitarian intervention and more recent challenges like terrorism.

View syllabus.

This course is independent study and is self-paced. Students have five months upon registration in which to complete all coursework and exams.

Textbooks and Materials

McDonald, Patrick J., Terrence L. Chapman and Robert Moser. 2020. An Introduction to International Relations: Opening the Global System. Pearson.

You will need to purchase access to the textbook through Pearson. A direct purchase link for this textbook is provided within the course website.

Technical Requirements

Students are required to use a laptop or desktop computer with a high-speed internet connection. Tablets and smartphones are not supported. The computer should have a modern and updated operating system, at least 2GB of RAM, a webcam, a microphone and also meet Honorlock's system requirements for online testing.