Students are required to learn at least one modern Middle Eastern language. Integral to the study is a critical analysis of the structures and processes of change. Students are encouraged to recognize the linkage between the academic study of peace and active participation in it. Since the causes of conflict and the processes of peace are multifaceted and complex, students are expected to approach their study from the perspective of a number of disciplines. They must also define and develop a central theme or concentration to explore in depth.
Special attention is given to problems of both domestic and international policy.
Based on the assumption that society, culture, geography, and demographics affect the interaction between politics and economics, the curriculum is both multi- and interdisciplinary in scope. It is designed to provide a broad-based liberal arts background as well as the intellectual skills applicable to careers in either the public or private sector. Additionally, the major provides excellent background for students planning postgraduate careers in social science disciplines and professional schools.