International Political Economy

About the Program

The International Political Economy (IPE) Program offers a multidisciplinary approach to the study of international and global issues. International Political Economy uses tools and methods of political science, economics, and sociology as informed by an understanding of history and tempered by appreciation of cultural differences.

Students in the IPE program 1) gain an appreciation for competing theoretical perspectives; 2) study the overlapping economic, political, and social linkages between global actors and events; 3) master the application of this powerful framework to the analysis of a wide range of issues; 4) consider issues broadly and see how they are interconnected; 5) engage in critical and creative thinking; and 6) develop expertise through senior thesis research on a particular IPE problem or issue.

The program sponsors regular lectures and discussions on campus, which encourage students and faculty to consider the integrated character of global economic, political, and social issues.

About the International Political Economy Major

The International Political Economy major consists of a thoughtfully integrated set of courses in the social sciences leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Political Economy. The goal of this major is to prepare students for an increasingly interdependent world through the study of international and global issues. The IPE major culminates in a senior thesis in which students demonstrate their ability to analyze a complex question, bringing to bear both the depth of their knowledge and the breadth of their liberal arts education.

Students who major in IPE take required courses in International Political Economy, Politics and Government, Economics, Sociology and Anthropology, and Mathematics. They tailor their plan of study to their individual educational goals by choosing additional elective courses. IPE majors are encouraged to pursue foreign travel-study opportunities as part of their undergraduate education. Two-thirds of IPE majors typically study abroad. Many students combine foreign study with background research for the senior thesis.

Students who major in IPE thus combine broad, multidisciplinary studies of IPE, which examine global problems from a variety of perspectives, with the opportunity to study intensely a specific issue in their senior thesis. The IPE major clearly embodies the spirit of liberal education as we understand it at the University of Puget Sound.

Structure of the IPE Major

The core of the IPE major consists of three required IPE classes (101, 301, and 401) and the three elective courses. The other IPE requirements-in comparative politics, economics, sociology and anthropology, and statistics-provide necessary tools and skills and encourage the breadth of knowledge and sensitivity to differing viewpoints that are hallmarks of IPE at Puget Sound.

• IPE 101: Introduction to International Political Economy surveys the international and global problems that are at the heart of IPE. This course is designed to be a valuable element of the liberal education for majors and non-majors alike.
• IPE 301: Theories of IPE is for IPE majors only. It features a rigorous analysis of the main theories of IPE. Students write a final paper that is intended to establish a theoretical foundation for their senior thesis. Students take IPE 301 in the junior year or in the fall of the senior year.
• IPE 401: Senior Thesis Seminar is the capstone course in which IPE majors share ideas, engage in critical discussions, and write and defend their senior theses. Ideally, the more that a thesis is able to build upon past work the more it can be expected to achieve.
• IPE Major Electives: IPE majors take three elective classes chosen in consultation with their IPE advisor. Students who study abroad are usually able to count up to two classes as IPE electives. Elective courses must be pre-approved by the student's IPE advisor in consultation with the student. Elective classes should be chosen to: broaden or deepen the student's understanding of IPE theory; provide economic, political, social or historical context for analysis of important IPE issues; provide specific expertise necessary for a student's senior thesis research; develop IPE research tools; or deepen knowledge of a particular country or region. Please note that at least one of the three IPE Major Electives must be an upper-division IPE course taken on the Puget Sound campus.

Other Important Issues

Since most IPE majors study abroad at some point in their undergraduate careers, they are advised to consider foreign study options as soon as possible and to give special consideration to foreign language preparation. Although some study abroad programs have no formal foreign language requirement, other programs require as many as two years of prior language study. IPE students and their advisors should give serious consideration to foreign language preparation both for foreign study and with respect to senior thesis research needs and career preparation.

All Puget Sound students must take three upper-division elective classes as part of the university's graduation requirements. IPE students are encouraged to use courses taken for this requirement to broaden their understanding of IPE and contemporary global problems. Many IPE students plan eventually to pursue advanced degrees. It is wise, therefore, to consider what undergraduate courses might be most useful as preparation for law or graduate schools in addition to the coursework required for the IPE major.

Students who expect to pursue Master's or Ph.D. degrees, for example, should consult with their IPE advisors regarding additional coursework that may be necessary or advisable in foreign language, quantitative methods, or research methodology. Students who want to prepare themselves for the MBA degree should supplement the IPE requirements with core business classes such as accounting and finance. Students who plan to enter graduate programs in area studies, such as Asian Studies or Latin American Studies, should consider additional coursework in foreign language and literature, comparative politics, and cultural studies.

Ly: The First Exchange Scholar for UPS

Faculty Spotlight

In September 2015, IPE Professor Pierre Ly was the first exchange scholar for the Puget Sound – Fujian Normal University Faculty Exchange Program, generously supported by the Charles Garnet Trimble Foundation. Pierre's research, co-authored with his wife, Professor Cynthia Howson from the University of Washington Tacoma, explores the development of the Chinese wine industry. Since 2013, Pierre and Cynthia have spent their summers traveling to major Chinese wine regions to meet winemakers, grape growers, merchants and experts.

Martin Klingbeil ('14) in Sierra Leone

IPE Alumni Spotlight

IPE alumus Martin Klingbeil, pictured on the right, recently returned from Freetown, Sierra Leone, where he worked on the Sierra Leone Trial to Introduce a Vaccine Against Ebola (STRIVE). As an employee with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Martin helped run the final stretch of the trial. At the end of the trial, he helped stand up the permanent CDC office in Freetown. 

Austin J. Scharff ('16), Student Research

IPE Student Research

In Summer 2015, IPE major Austin J. Scharff ('16) used a IPE fellowship grant to study state-building and political decay in Kosovo. As part of his research, he conducted interviews with representatives of the IMF, World Bank, UN, NATO, European Union Rule of Law Mission, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, U.S. Embassy, and a number of think tanks and politicians. Learn more about summer opportunities  here.

On-campus Brownbags

Recent Events

In Spring 2016, faculty and students attended an IPE brownbag presentation from Mike Cenci, Deputy Chief of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Law Enforcement Bureau. He discussed the shellfish poaching problem in Washington and enforcement efforts against the illegal shellfish market. Washington is a major exporter to Asia of the valuable geoduck clam, which is mostly harvested from Puget Sound -- sometimes illegally.