The undergraduate degrees in international political economy prepare students to manage today’s increasingly complex international environment. Our interdisciplinary degree is also designed to efficiently accommodate study and internship abroad experiences.

Today, more careers increasingly require international knowledge and skills that transcend the confines of traditional disciplinary training. Our Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in International Political Economy degrees will develop students’ critical skill sets to meet the needs and demands of the international diplomatic and business sectors.

Careers in International Political Economy

The international political economy program offers an education focused on helping individuals succeed in the dynamic, global workforce. These skills include critical thinking, knowledge of multiple cultures, and cultural contexts, rigorous research skills, and the ability to communicate effectively in an array of environments. Our students take core classes from multiple disciplines, including government, economics, geography, literature, foreign language, and interdisciplinary classes, providing them with a broad perspective that makes them more competitive in the evolving job market. Students will be prepared for analytical and administrative positions in the public, nonprofit and private sectors.

Employment options include careers in the diplomatic corps; positions with international organizations including the United Nations, World Trade Organization and World Bank, and positions with multinational corporations as analysts and managers. The University’s Career Center is an important resource for students pursuing their career. Licensed counselors are available to provide strategies for mastering job interviews, writing professional cover letters and resumes and help students connect with campus recruiters, among other services.

International Political Economy at UT Dallas

International political economy students at UT Dallas have two undergraduate degree options. The BA student will take more area and history courses to prepare for diplomatic, governmental or nongovernmental organizations. Those seeking a BS degree will take more economics courses to prepare for employment in areas related to international business or government. Some students choose to continue their graduate education at UT Dallas, enrolling in the international political economy master’s degree program. Undergraduate and graduate students benefit from exposure to UT Dallas’ acclaimed faculty across multiple disciplines.

Beyond the University’s core curriculum, the BA requires 12 hours of major core, 24 hours of International Political Economy courses, 12 hours of area electives, 12 hours of a foreign language, and 18 hours of electives. The School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences also offers an 18-hour minor in International Political Economy.

Fast Track

The Fast Track program enables exceptionally gifted UT Dallas students to include master’s level courses in their undergraduate degree plans. Students who meet the requirements for admission to graduate school and the minimum GPA requirement for their major can take up to 15 hours of graduate level coursework that can apply toward their undergraduate and graduate level coursework. To take graduate courses in the Fast Track program upper-division undergraduates must have completed 90 semester credit hours and petition their associate dean for permission to take graduate courses.

About the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences

Founded in 1975 as the School of Social Sciences, the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS) is a compact, focused policy school embedded within a large, Carnegie-recognized Tier One university. EPPS students receive all of the benefits of studying at a major research university while also capitalizing on personalized instruction and close connections with faculty and classmates of a small college.

An EPPS education is interdisciplinary. Our nine discipline areas include:

• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Cyber and Big Data Analytics
• Economics
• Geospatial Information Sciences
• Political Science
• Public and Nonprofit Management
• Public Policy and Political Economy
• Public Health, and
• Sociology

All nine disciplines are interrelated, and an understanding of one informs a better understanding of the others. For this reason, we encourage our students to explore the various majors and minors within EPPS and to take classes across majors. 

As an undergraduate in EPPS, you will have the opportunity to work with professors who are probing issues that will affect your future. You will develop the vital skills you need to thrive in a rapidly evolving, highly competitive job market. EPPS will prepare you for careers in government, non-profits and the private sector that enable you to make a real difference in the world of today and tomorrow.  The school has six affiliated centers and initiatives:

• Texas Schools Project

• Institute for Urban Policy Research
• Army ROTC – Comet Battalion
• North Texas Quality of Life Initiative
• Taiwan Studies Program
• Initiative for Civil Leadership

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts: Criminology, economics, geospatial information sciences, international political economy, political science, public affairs, public health, public policy, sociology

Master of Science: Applied sociology, criminology, cyber security, technology and policy, economics, geospatial information sciences, international political economy, social data analytics and research

Master of Arts: Political science

Master of Public Affairs: Public affairs

Master of Public Policy: Public policy

Doctor of Philosophy: Criminology, economics, geospatial information sciences, political science, public affairs, public policy and political economy

Undergraduate Certificates

Undergraduate Certificates

EPPS offers the following 12-hour undergraduate certificates, which generally can be completed in one year of part-time evening classes:

• Nonprofit Management: designed to provide an overview of the nature and context of nonprofit organizations and develop competencies needed by nonprofit managers.

Graduate Certificates

EPPS offers the following 15-hour graduate certificates, which generally can be completed in one year of part-time evening classes:

• Arts Management and Leadership: focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary to work in the nonprofit sector professional settings providing visual or performing arts content and services.
• Economic and Demographic Data Analysis: focusing on the understanding and application of quantitative analysis of demographic and economic data.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS): focusing on the application of GIS in government, private sector and scientific areas.
• Geospatial Intelligence: focusing on the application of geospatial ideas and techniques to national security and other intelligence activity.
• International Banking and Monetary Systems: focusing on applications for monetary economics, forecasting, and macroeconomic aspects of banking
• Local Government Management: designed to broaden knowledge of important issues and approaches employed by professional local public administrators.
• Nonprofit Management: designed to provide an overview of the nature and context of nonprofit organizations and develop competencies needed by nonprofit managers.
• Program Evaluation: designed to provide students the opportunity to gain competencies in the design and implementation of program evaluations in fields such as education, health care, human services, criminal justice and economic development.
• Public Budgeting and Financial Management: designed to enhance students’ understanding and experience in public budgeting and financial management and control, governmental or non-profit accounting, and public expenditure planning, management, and fiscal control.
• Public Human Resources Management: designed to give students a full introduction to the principles, strategies, and techniques of public human resources management.
• Remote Sensing: focusing on remote sensing and digital image processing.
• Spatial Data Science: focusing on big data handling, machine learning, programming skills, and capabilities in geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing/drone, geovisualization, locational intelligence, and spatial pattern analysis.
• Nonprofit Management: designed to broaden knowledge of important issues in the nonprofit sector and learn practical skills of managing people and data that are key to securing managerial positions and being successful in the nonprofit sector.