Model United Nations (MUN) at Bellevue College (BC) is both an academic program and a student club. The academic program is a ten-credit sequence of three courses that is designed to prepare students for participation in local, national, and international MUN conferences. The program has two tracks–a 100-level track for new students and a 200-level track for returning students. POLS 121/222 is 2 credits and is offered in the Fall. POLS 122/222 is 3 credits and is offered in the Winter. POLS 123/223 is 5 credits and is offered in the Spring.
The courses are specifically designed to prepare students to participate in the National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference in New York City–the biggest such conference in the world. At this conference thousands of student “delegates” from around the world come together to simulate UN committee proceedings as representatives of a country other than their own. In recent years, our delegation has represented New Zealand, Colombia, Guatemala, Cuba, and Malaysia. Student delegates at the conference write position papers, draft resolutions, negotiate with supporters and adversaries, and navigate the U.N.’s rules of procedure in an attempt to mobilize international cooperation to resolve real international problems. This is an amazing opportunity to travel to New York City, to meet real foreign diplomats, and to visit the United Nations Headquarters. It is also a unique learning opportunity that helps students foster skills related to research, writing, public speaking, problem solving, consensus building and conflict resolution.
In addition to the annual New York conference, the BC MUN team regularly participates in local conferences (such as the annual NWMUN conference in Seattle). Periodically, the BC MUN team also participates in regional conferences (such as the annual NMUN-NW conference in Portland, Oregon) and international conferences (such as NMUN Ecuador in 2018, NMUN Japan in 2016, NMUN Czech Republic in 2015, NMUN Italy in 2014, NMUN Ecuador in 2013, and NMUN France in 2012).
Our students have won numerous individual and team awards over the years and we are very proud of our program.
Students who prefer not to participate in the academic program (POLS 121-123 and POLS 221-223) may still participate in MUN conferences as part of the BC MUN team if they apply and are accepted through the affiliated United Nations Association (UNA) club. Student participants, regardless of whether they take the MUN classes for credit, are eligible for funding from the Student and Activities (S&A) fee committee when funds are available. To learn more about what we do and who we are, please visit the BC UNA club website (https://unausa.org/chapter/bellevue-college/), which is maintained by current students, and/or email the faculty advisor of the club and academic program (tim.jones@bellevuecollege.edu).
Last Updated February 28, 2022