Upper-Level Undergraduates “Theoretical Questions and Questions About Theory: Teaching an Upper-Year Undergraduate IR Seminar”

Upper-year undergraduate seminars present unique challenges and opportunities for the teaching of International Relations theory. Some students enrol in preparation for graduate degrees in International Relations; others study upper-year International Relations because they wish to work in diplomacy, international affairs, or foreign service; still others plan to move to professional programs after completing senior seminar requirements. In addition to different purposes for the course, students may also arrive with different levels of preparedness depending on individual degree plans and course offerings. In this chapter, I argue that these different needs and interests of students can be met by structuring the upper-year seminar around developing students’ skills in asking theoretical questions rather than focusing on content knowledge about different IR theories. The chapter reflects on experiences teaching versions of this seminar in person and online at two different Canadian universities, and raises considerations for different organizing principles that can help provide a spine to the course.