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.
October 30, 2026 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Cast your ballot right on campus with the Allendale Township Satellite Clerk's Office in the Kirkhof Center. Eligible voters can register to vote, update their voter registration, request an absentee...
November 3, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Join GVSU Votes!, President Mantella, the Laker Marching Band, the NAACP, and members of the NPHC for an Election Day Celebration and Stroll to the Polls!
November 5, 2026 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Humans in the Lead: Community AI Summit Building Trustworthy and Sustainable AI The community AI summit brings together the community, public officials, business leaders, policymakers, community...
November 5, 2026 3:00 PM - 5:00 AM
Join the Area and Global Studies programs as we cap off Global Horizons Week with a celebration and showcase of cultural diversity at GVSU. If you are interested in learning more about our minor programs...
November 11, 2026 6:00 PM
Join the GVSU Center for Civil Discourse for a guided conversation reflecting on the election, its outcomes, and what comes next. Engage in respectful dialogue, share perspectives, and explore how...
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
Kaylin Klein now working for Fidelity Investments
Business Immigration Analyst and Paralegal for Fragomen
Deputy Organizing Director for Swing Left in the San Francisco Bay area
Assistant to Political Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy in D.C.
Graduate of Georgetown Law School, General Counsel and Strategic Advisor for Shift4
