The University of Central Florida Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Global Perspectives Friday, Mar 12th 2010

Diplomacy Studies

Overview of Diplomacy Studies at UCF

Diplomacy Studies at UCF consists of the Diplomacy Program, which is headed by Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas; a Diplomacy Certificate (Undergraduate) that comes under the Department of Political Science in the College of Sciences; and co-curricular activities, which are university-wide and organized primarily by the Global Perspectives Office in cooperation with the Political Science Department, the Global Connections Foundation and other partners. In 2009-2010, the co-curricular activities will include presentations on international issues such as human trafficking, contemporary Islam and a host of other timely foreign affairs topics.

Diplomacy Program


Senegalese Kora player welcomes Amb. Elam-Thomas to the Village of Thies

Program Director
Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas
hethomas@mail.ucf.edu
PH 204, 407-823-0688

Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas is the Director of the Diplomacy Program. From 2003-2005, she served as Diplomat in Residence at UCF under the auspices of a national U.S. Department of State program. In that capacity, she was the U.S. Department of State's official liaison in Central Florida. Until the fall of 2005, she was a Senior Foreign Service Officer with the rank of Career Minister. Previously, she served as U.S. Ambassador to Senegal from 1999-2003; Acting Deputy Director of USIA; Public Affairs Counselor, American Embassy, Brussels; Cultural Attache, Athens; and Director of the American Press and Cultural Center, Istanbul, Turkey. Her numerous awards include the Director General's Cup for the Foreign Service in 2007. She holds a B.S. in International Business from Simmons College, and an M.A. in Public Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Diplomat In Residence

Each year, the State Department assigns Senior Foreign Service Officers to the position of Diplomat in Residence at certain colleges and universities throughout the United States. The DIR program is central to the effort to recruit the best and brightest to represent America's rich diversity to the world.

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade(center) inaugurates new USAID Dakar Headquarters. USAID Director Don Clarke - left

Diplomacy Certificate (Undergraduate), Department of Political Science, College of Sciences

Certificate Advisor
Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas
hethomas@mail.ucf.edu
PH 204, 407-823-0688

In an increasingly shrinking, interdependent world, an understanding of diplomacy and diplomatic processes is critical for work in global business, international organizations and government. A student in this certificate program will gain experience in diplomatic history, concepts, theories, methods, protocol and practice.

For degree-seeking students, certificates will be awarded only at the time of degree completion.
15 hrs

Credit Hour Requirements 21 hours
Required Courses (9 hrs)
INR 4030 Diplomacy 3 hrs
AMH 4513 U.S. Diplomacy: 1945-present 3 hrs
INR 4102 American Foreign Policy 3 hrs
Restricted Electives: Select Two (6 hrs)
INR 4114 American Security Policy 3 hrs
INR 4035 Global Politics of Energy 3 hrs
INR 4074 Immigration Policy 3 hrs
INR 4075 Human Rights Policy 3 hrs
INR 4076 Global Drug Policy 3 hrs
INR 4104 Topics in American Foreign Policy 3 hrs
INR 4351 International Environmental Law 3 hrs
INR 4401 International Law I 3 hrs
INR 4502 International Organizations 3 hrs
AMH 4512 U.S. Diplomacy: 1914-1945 3 hrs
EUH 4620 European Great Powers: 1815-1914 3 hrs

Other Requirements

  • A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 is required in courses used to satisfy the certificate.
  • At least 12 hours used in the certificate must be earned at UCF within the participating departments.
  • No credit by exam (TSD, Military credit) may be used.
  • Internships, independent study and substitute courses/new courses are allowed at the director's discretion.

Selected Diplomacy Studies Events at UCF and in the Community:

2009-2010 Events
  • Gillian Sorensen, Senior Advisor, United Nations Foundation, and former Assistant Secretary General, United Nations (Seeing Beyond Borders: Developing a World View). A program conducted in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. September 15, 2009
  • Asra Nomani, journalist and author of Standing Alone in Mecca: An American Woman's Struggle for the Soul of Islam (The Paradox of Women in Islam). A program conducted in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. September 24, 2009
  • "Women and Leadership in the Evolving 21st Century World: Breaking Barriers," UCF. A national forum, sponsored by the Global Perspectives Office in a partnership with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jay Garner and other partners. October 27, 2009
  • "Climate Change and National/Global Security," UCF. An international global issues conference, sponsored by the UCF Global Perspectives Office in a partnership with the National Conference of Editorial Writers, The Anil and Chitra Deshpande Foundation, Lawrence J. Chastang and the Chastang Foundation, C.T. Hsu and Associates, LarsonAllen LLP, OCI Associates Inc., UCF Student Government Association, UCF Nicholson School of Communication, UCF Diplomacy Program, UCF Middle Eastern Studies Program, UCF Terrorism Studies Program, UCF Political Science Department, UCF International Services Center, UCF LIFE, Global Connections Foundation and other partners. November 5, 2009
  • Jack Mendelsohn, Arms-control Specialist, formerly with Center for Defense Information, Lawyers Alliance for World Security, Arms Control Association and U.S. Department of State (Prospects for Arms Control in the Middle East and North Africa). A program conducted in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. December 2-3, 2009
  • "Iraq and Afghanistan in Flux," UCF. An international forum, sponsored by the UCF Global Perspectives Office, UCF Middle Eastern Studies Program, UCF Diplomacy Program, UCF Terrorism Studies Program, UCF Political Science Department, UCF International Services Center and the Global Connections Foundation. March 23, 2010
2008-2009 Events
  • "Considering the Mid-East: Politics, Issues and Solutions," UCF. A national symposium in cooperation with the Loy Frey Institute of Politics and Government, the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. September 29, 2008.
  • "Women and Leadership in the Evolving 21st Century World: Ethics & Human Rights," UCF. A national forum, sponsored by the Global Perspectives Office in a partnership with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jay Garner and other partners. October 30, 2008.
  • "America's Next President and the World," UCF. An international global issues conference sponsored by the Global Perspectives Office in cooperation with the National Conference of Editorial Writers and other partners. November 6, 2008.
  • Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh, Director, Patterson School and Professor of Diplomacy and International Commerce, University of Kentucky. A program conducted In cooperation with the Orlando Area Committee on Foreign Relations, the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. December 2-3, 2008.
  • Vice Admiral (Ret.) Lee Gunn, President, Institute for Public Research, The CNA Corporation. A program conducted in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. January 29, 2009.
  • "The Kurdish Series," (Michael Gunter; Brendan O'Leary; Ambassador Peter W. Galbraith; Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jay Garner), UCF. A lecture program conducted in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office, UCF LIFE and other partners. February 2009.
  • Amb. Peter W. Galbraith, Senior Diplomatic Fellow, Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, and author of The End of Iraq and Unintended Consequences: How War in Iraq Strengthened America's Enemies. A program conducted in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. April 6, 2009.
  • South Asian Studies Association Annual Conference 2009, UCF. An international, interdisciplinary academic conference in cooperation with the South Asias Studies Association and other partners. April 3- 5, 2009.
  • Ambassador Arun K. Singh, Deputy Chief of Mission and Acting Indian Ambassador to the U.S. A program in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. April 4, 2009.
  • "The First 100 Days: Policy Initiatives and Approaches for the New Administration," UCF. A national symposium in cooperation with the Loy Frey Institute of Politics and Government, the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. April 15, 2009.
  • Paul Hirschson, Deputy Consul-General, Consulate General of Israel, Miami, FL. A program in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office, the Middle Eastern Studies Program and other partners. April 23, 2009.
2007-2008 Events
  • Harry Wu, Executive Director, the Laogai Research Foundation and the China Information Center. A program in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. September 5, 2007.
  • "Women and Leadership in the Evolving 21st Century World," UCF. A national forum, sponsored by the Global Perspectives Office in a partnership with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jay Garner and other partners. October 4, 2007.
  • Qubad Talabani, Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in the United States and son of Jalal Talabani, the president of Iraq. A program in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. October 25, 2007.
  • "Emerging Powers: China and India," UCF. An international global issues conference, sponsored by the Global Perspectives Office, the National Conference of Editorial Writers and other partners. November 5, 2007.
  • Col. (ret.) Lawrence B. Wilkerson, Chief of Staff (2002-2005) for former Secretary of State Colin Powell and a professor at The College of William and Mary. A program in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. November 8, 2007.
  • Jehan Sadat, former First Lady of Egypt (widow of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat) and author of A Woman of Egypt. A program in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. November 13, 2007.
  • Ambassador Gary Grappo, U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman. A program in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, Global Perspectives Office and other partners. January 2008
  • Ann Wright, former U.S. Army Colonel, U.S. Foreign Service Officer and author of Dissent: Voices of Conscience. A program in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. January 29, 2008.
  • "The U.S. and Latin America: Toward a New Relationship?" UCF. A regional forum sponsored by the Global Perspectives Office, the Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies Program and other partners. February 27, 2008.
  • Chris Abani, exiled (Nigeria) author of Becoming Abigail, Graceland and The Virgin of Flames. A program in cooperation with the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. March 6, 2008.
  • "Conflict in the Middle East: Iraq and Beyond" UCF. An international forum on the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led intervention in Iraq, sponsored by the Global Perspectives Office and other partners. March 20, 2008.
University of Central Florida,Global Perspectives Office, Howard Phillips Hall 202, 4000 Central Florida Blvd, P.O. Box 160003, Orlando, FL 32816-0003, U.S.A. - (407) 823-0688