POLI 1081 Introduction to International Politics

Course restricted to political science majors only. This course may NOT be taken by any International Studies majors or minors. Class restricted to political science freshmen and sophomores. This course examines the principle sources of the behavior of countries in international politics, including the nature of the international system and the decision-making process within states. It examines such issues as the sources of power, the causes and implications of the security dilemma, the dynamics of alliances, the causes of war, international political economy, and the dilemmas of world order. This course is strongly recommended for students who plan to take upper level international politics courses.

Course overview

Department
Political Science
School
MCAS
Credits
3
Level
Undergraduate
Offered
Periodically in the Fall

Catalog details

Satisfies core
Social Science

Catalog text is imported from the reviewed Boston College course snapshot. Confirm eligibility in EagleApps.

Requirements fulfilled

  • Political Science: Introductory Sequence — Second Introductory Course (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
  • University Core: Social Science (All undergraduates)

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Official evaluation summary

3.47 / 5

Based on 169 aggregate responses from BC Avalanche/Blue evaluations.

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-08-02. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

  • Timothy Crawford
    Fall 2026, Fall 2025, Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 · Official rating 3.91/5
  • Robert Ross
    Spring 2026, Spring 2025, Spring 2024 · Official rating 3.19/5

Sections

  • Section 01
    Fall 2026 · Timothy Crawford · Campion Hall 328 TuTh 09:00AM-10:15AM · Offered