Are you interested in international events and trends? Can you envision a career in global affairs, international business, or law? Have you imagined working for a multinational corporation or an international non-profit institution? The IR program is a good place for you to start.
IR equips majors and minors with the tools they need to understand global and international trends. Our students seek to understand issues of global importance, including development, the environment, security, human rights, migration, and the interconnections between governance, economics, power, and identity.
Our curriculum includes a strong interdisciplinary core, enhanced by a flexible set of electives that allow you to configure your studies to meet your own interests.
Please explore our website and contact our Program Director, Professor Heather Tafel, (tafelh@gvsu.edu) for additional information.
March 5, 2026 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Interested in teaching English abroad as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA)? Curious about the Fulbright Study/Research (S/R) grants for US students seeking support for independent research...
March 6, 2026 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Drop-in Days of Service are on-campus opportunities for students to "drop in" and complete service projects for service hours. Click here for additional information
March 11, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Are you interested in teaching English abroad? Are you curious about studying for a Master's degree abroad? The Fulbright program might be for you! Join me to learn more! For more Information...
March 19, 2026 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Running Start, the non-profit organization that runs the Elect Her program, brings campaign training and real-world experiences from currently-elected officials to college campuses across the U.S....
March 30, 2026 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Join us for a broad, quick survey of various “strongmen” that came to power more-or-less democratically throughout the past century, then subverted democracy and became autocrats. There...
Olivia Robach (PLS and IR double major) earned a scholarship to join student scholars from around the US to attend the annual conference of the World Affairs Council in Washington, DC in November 2025.
Dec 3, 2025
IR alum Kyla Ozinga is starting law school at Case Western
Sep 16, 2025
PLS, IR and Human Rights alum Taylor Bessinger is attending the University of Illinois College of Law
Sep 12, 2025
Professor Polly Diven received the 2025 Hillman-Orr Award from the World Affairs Council of West Michigan.
Jun 23, 2025
2018 Graduate Lands Job with DOD
Director of Bergman Consulting
Program Manager for Jobs for the Future (JFF).
Clean Energy Associate at the World Resources Institute
GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Alumni of the Year
