Satellite image of town

The Major

The International Security and Conflict Resolution (ISCOR) major at San Diego State University is an innovative, interdisciplinary program designed to provide students with a sophisticated understanding of the political, moral, socio-economic, and cultural dimensions of challenges to global and human security. ISCOR exposes students to a multiplicity of ideological, regional, and cultural perspectives. During the course of their studies, students will attain a comprehensive and multifaceted understanding of global affairs and the many challenges to building a more peaceful, just and ecologically sustainable global order. In addition, ISCOR students will develop a rich appreciation of both increased global interconnections and enduring diversity in cultural practices, political systems, and economic systems. Overall, students will sharpen their skills in research and critical reasoning and get set on the path of developing expertise on specific global issues. Upon graduation, ISCOR students tend to be well positioned for more advanced studies or for embarking upon careers in positions related to global affairs. 

The ISCOR program features three areas of emphasis: (1) Conflict in the Global System; (2) Justice in the Global System; and (3) Environment in the Global System. The requirements for completing the program, including the specialization, are listed below. 

Preparation for the Major (15 units)

All ISCOR majors are required to take a series of five lower division undergraduate courses as preparation for the major. These consist of ISCOR 200 and a choice of one class from each of the four groups listed below:

Choose one of the following:
  • History 100: World History
  • History 101: World History 
Choose one of the following:
  • English and Comparative Literature 270: Introduction to Comparative Literature
  • Religious Studies 101: World Religions
Choose one of the following:
  • Political Science 101: Introduction to American Politics in Global Perspective
  • Political Science 103: Introduction to Comparative Politics 
Choose one of the following:
  • Economics 201: Statistical Methods
  • Political Science 201: Elementary Statistics for Political Science 
  • Psychology 280: Statistical Methods in Psychology
  • Sociology 201: Elementary Social Statistics
  • Statistics 119: Elementary Statistics for Business
  • Statistics 250: Statistical Principles and Practices


Major Requirements (36 units)

All students must take the following four classes (12 units)
  • ISCOR 300: Global Systems
  • ISCOR 301: Conflict and Conflict Resolution
  • ISCOR 310: Our Global Future: Environment, Climate and the Prospects of Survival 
  • Political Science 375: International Relations: Theory and Practice
Two Additional Courses (6 units), choose two of the following:
  • ISCOR 320: International Security in the Nuclear Age
  • ISCOR 324: Politics of Global Resistance and Solidarity: Students specializing in Justice in the Global System must select this one.
  • ISCOR 421: Alternative Dispute Resolution: Theory and International Applications
  • POL S 479: National Security Policy
Capstone Course (3 units), choose one of the following:
  • ISCOR 495: Internship - Download a list of possible internship opportunities.
  • ISCOR 497: Senior Thesis - For further information, see the sample syllabus.
  • An Advisor-approved 500-level Course from any department: This course must be capped at no more than 30 students and have extensive writing and interactive discussion in the classroom.

Noted on your degree evaluation as Internship.

All students also have to complete five additional courses in their specialization. See below for  approved elective courses for the specialization.

This specialization is concerned with exploring the causes, nature, consequences, management, and resolution of conflict. It will consider the psychology, sociology, economics, politics and history of cooperation, conflict and conflict resolution. It will address issues of war and peace, nationalism, civil war, terrorism, human rights, and ethnic hostility as they impact international security.

Approved Courses for Conflict in the Global System (choose five):

  • ANTH 350 – Cultures Around the Globe
  • ANTH 443 - Anthropology of Violence
  • ANTH 533 - Race, Ethnicity, and Identity
  • CCS 355 -  United States-Mexico International Border
  • COMM 371 – Intercultural Communication  
  • CS 301 – Computers and Society (NS)
  • ECON 360 – International Economic Problems
  • EUROP 440 – Human Trafficking in Europe (H)
  • ENV S 302 – Climate Change Solutions (NS)
  • HIST 425 – The Vietnam War (H)
  • HIST 474 – The Middle East since 1500 (H)
  • HIST 486 – World War II
  • HIST 512A – The Great War: A Turning Point in European History
  • HIST 516 – Imperialism and the Colonial Experience
  • HIST544B – Modern American Foreign Relations
  • HIST 553 – History of Slavery in the Americas
  • HIST 567 – China in Revolution
  • HIST 574 – Arab-Israeli Relations, Past and Present
  • HIST 580 – Topics in the History of War and Violence
  • ISCOR 421 – Alternative Dispute Resolution: Theory and International Application
  • LATAM 320 – Culture and Society of Tijuana
  • OCEAN 320 – Oceans of Change (NS)
  • PHIL 340 – Morality of War and Peace (H)
  • PA 581 – War, the State and Governance: Global Perspectives  
  • POL S 361 – Governments and Politics of Developing Areas
  • POL S 363 – Governments and Politics of the Middle East
  • POL S 364 – Political Change in Modern Africa
  • POL S 370 – Political Violence
  • POL S 430 – Immigration and Border Politics
  • POL S 479 – National Security Policy
  • POL S 485 – Politics of Globalization
  • POL S 565 – Nations and Nationalism
  • POL S 577 – Politics of International Law
  • REL S 379 – Religious Violence and Nonviolence (H)
  • SOC 457 – Protests, Reforms, and Revolution
  • SOC 458 – Nonviolence, Peace, and Social Change
  • WMNST 310 – Global Cultures and Women’s Lives
  • WMNST 375 – Sex, Power, and Politics
  • WMNST 570 – Gender, War, and Peace 

Note - (H) means the course fulfills the GE Explorations requirement in Humanities and an (NS) means it fulfils the GE Explorations requirement in Natural Sciences.

Issues related to the environment and the utilization of energy and natural resources are important aspects of international security and often are related to cooperation and conflict between nations and groups within states. The purpose of this specialization is to provide the student with the necessary background to better understand this aspect of international security and the management and resolution of conflict.

Approved Courses for Environment in the Global System (choose five):

  • ANTH 353 – Sustainability and Culture
  • ANTH 402 – Dynamics of Biocultural Diversity (NS)
  • ANTH 510 – Environmental and Ecological Anthropology
  • ANTH 565 – Paradise Lost: The Archaeology and Ethics of Human Environmental Impacts
  • ASIAN 320 – Asian Environmental Issues
  • BIOL 315 – Ecology and Human Impacts on the Environment (NS)
  • BIOL 324 – Life in the Sea (NS)
  • BIOL 327 – Conservation of Wildlife (NS)
  • BIOL 354 – Ecology and the Environment
  • ECON 455 – Environmental Economics
  • ECON 456 – Economics of Natural Resources
  • ENGL 409 – Science Fiction (H)
  • ENV S 301 – Energy and the Environment (NS)
  • ENV S 302 – Climate Change Solutions (NS)
  • GEOG 303 – Severe Weather (NS)
  • GEOG 341 – Feeding the World
  • GEOG 348 – Environment and Development
  • GEOG 370 – Conservation Science and Policy
  • GEOG 375 – Environmental Hydrology
  • GEOG 409 – Global Climate Change
  • GEOG 440 – Food Justice
  • GEOG 454 – Sustainable Cities
  • GEOG 570 – Environmental Conservation Practice
  • GEOG 574 – Water Resources
  • GEOL 305 – Water and the Environment (NS)
  • HIST 441 – Unnatural Disasters: History of Current Environmental Problems
  • HIST 584 – Topics in Environmental History
  • HUM 409 – The Future (H)
  • LATAM 320 – Culture and Society of Tijuana
  • OCEAN 320 – Oceans of Change (NS)
  • PH 304 – Environment and Public Health
  • PH 362 – International Health
  • PH 452 – Health Impacts of Climate Change
  • PHIL 332 – Environmental Ethics (H)
  • PHIL 333 – Ethics-Food (H)
  • POL S 334 – Politics of the Environment
  • POL S 564 – Political Ecology of Latin America
  • POL S 577 – Politics of International Law
  • REL S 376 – Nature, Spirituality, Ecology (H)
  • SOC 350 – Population and Contemporary Issues

Note - (H) means the course fulfills the GE Explorations requirement in Humanities and an (NS) means it fulfils the GE Explorations requirement in Natural Sciences.

This specialization explores political, economic, and social issues relating to global justice. It includes the study of international organizations and law, human rights, North-South relations, and controversies over distribution of resources. This specialization enables students to have a richer understanding of the dynamics concerning international security and conflict resolution. ts for specialization.

Approved Courses for Justice in the Global System (choose five):

  • AFRAS 320 – Political Economy of African Diaspora
  • AFRAS 327 – Critical Theories in Africana Studies
  • AFRAS 423 – Black Nationalism
  • AFRAS 455 – Africana Class, Gender, and Sexualities
  • AFRAS 471 – Africana History
  • AFRAS 472 – African Enslavement (H)
  • ANTH 443 – Anthropology of Violence
  • CCS 375 – US/Mexico Border History (H)
  • CCS 380 – US/Mexico Borderlands Folklore (H)
  • ECON 360 – International Economic Problems
  • ECON 365 – Economics of Underdeveloped Areas
  • ECON 381 – Economics of Immigration
  • EUROP 440 – Human Trafficking in Europe (H)
  • GEN S 340 – Confronting AIDS (NS)
  • GEOG 303 – Severe Weather (NS)
  • GEOG 341 – Feeding the World
  • GEOG 342 – Food, Place, and Culture
  • GEOG 440 – Food Justice
  • HHS 350 – Applied International Health and Human Services
  • HIST 404 – History of Human Rights
  • HIST 440 – The Holocaust and Western Civilization (H)
  • HIST 516 – Imperialism and the Colonial Experience
  • HIST 553 – History of Slavery in the Americas
  • HIST 557 – Dictatorships and Human Rights in Latin America
  • LATAM 320 – Culture and Society of Tijuana
  • LATAM 350 – Globalization and the Americas  
  • OCEAN 320 – Oceans of Change (NS)
  • PH 362 – International Health
  • PHIL 328 – Philosophy, Racism, and Justice (H)
  • PHIL 329 – Social Ethics (H)
  • PHIL 340 – Morality of War and Peace (H)
  • PHIL 344 – Global Justice (H)
  • POL S 302 – Modern Political Thought
  • POL S 334 – Politics of the Environment
  • POLS 380 – Human Rights in a Global Perspective
  • POL S 430 – Immigration and Border Politics
  • POL S 485 – Politics of Globalization
  • POL S 507 – Marx and Marxism
  • POL S 565 – Nations and Nationalism
  • POL S 577 – Politics of International Law
  • REL S 379 – Religious Violence and Nonviolence (H)
  • SOC 352 – Global Social Problems
  • SOC 411 – Police and Society in the Americas
  • SOC 433 – Wealth, Status, and Power
  • SOC 447 – Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery: A Sociological Perspective
  • SOC 450 – Social Change
  • SOC 457 – Protests, Reforms, and Revolution
  • SOC 458 – Nonviolence, Peace, and Social Change
  • WMNST 310 – Global Cultures and Women’s Lives
  • WMNST 530 – Women’s Movements and Activism
  • WMNST 580 – Women, Development, and the Global Economy
  • WMNST 581 – Women’s Experiences of Migration

Note - (H) means the course fulfills the GE Explorations requirement in Humanities and an (NS) means it fulfils the GE Explorations requirement in Natural Sciences.


Important Links

Major WorksheetSDSU CatalogSDSU Class Schedule