New international relations minor program offers global perspectives on public administration

Birzeit University public administration majors will now have the opportunity to examine how societies, cultures, and nations interact on a global scale as part of a newly launched minor program in international relations. 

The international relations minor, offered for the first time as part of a public administration program in Palestine, will allow students to gain an understanding of governance at a broader, global scale, building upon the knowledge they’ve gained within their academic major and introducing new concepts and theories in international relations. 

Nour Mattour, chair of the Department of Public Administration, emphasized the multidisciplinary nature of the new program, noting that enrolled students will gain knowledge and skills to apply public administration theories and practices in various economic, social, and legal fields based on a high-level understanding of current, and emerging, international trends. 

Comprising 127 credit hours, the public administration major/international relations minor offers core courses such as governmental accounting, public policy, administrative audit and control, and strategic management, in addition to courses that cover current international issues, foreign policy, and international relations theories. 

Students graduating from this program will be able to use their skills to carry out timely research in regional or international policy centers or help introduce a global perspective within local governmental institutions, where they can help formulate well-crafted policies that take into consideration the local Palestinian context as well as the ever-globalized nature of life in the 21st century.